1Elk Rapids NewsMarch 15, 2018

NEWS NEWS ELK RAPIDSELK RAPIDS

PRESORT STANDARDU.S. POSTAGE PAID

ELK RAPIDS, MIPERMIT NO. 10

Postal Customer

SERVING THE ELK RAPIDS ALDEN KEWADIN RAPID CITY EASTPORT TORCH RIVER BRIDGE WILLIAMSBURG ACME AREAS

COVER STORY continued on page 6

There will be a new trophy displayed in the Elk Rapids trophy case this week, as the boys varsity basketball team downed Charlevoix 84-59 in the Class C district championship, held in East Jordan last Wednesday.

VARSITY BOYS BASKETBALL

Elks bring home district championship

Grayson Krakow blistered the nets, hitting on six of seven attempts from fl oor, and fi ve of ten from behind the arc, and Preston Ball dropped seven of eight threes in the game, giving the Elks their fi rst district championship since 2011. The Elks tied a school record with 13 three-

point buckets, set in the 88-89 and 16-17 seasons.The Elks had beaten the Rayders twice in

the regular season leading many fans to believe this year the Elks had an “easy district.” The post-season wipes the slate clean, and any team can win any game. There are no easy routes to the championship, as the sixth ranked Frankfort Panthers proved Friday, losing to the 10-11 Suttons Bay Norsemen in their Class D title game.

At East Jordan, the Rayders took an early 5-0 lead as the Elks missed their fi rst three shots. Logan Thompson scored on a put back for the Elk’s fi rst points, with nearly three minutes off the clock. Krakow scored three straight baskets, a two from the side, a pull up fi ve-foot jumper and a bobbled pass turned into a drive down the center with a foul. The made free throw gave the Elks their fi rst lead of the night. Krakow added a three on the next trip down, giving the senior guard 10 straight points and the Elks the lead for the rest of the game. The fi rst quarter ended with the Elks up 18-11. In the second, the Elks had stretched the lead to 26-16 with two minutes off the clock.

Charlevoix rallied, chipping away at the lead with a 12-5 run through the rest of the half, cutting the defi cit to 31-28 at halftime.

The third quarter began with the Elks fi ring, a pair of threes from Ball and one from Krakow sparked a 12-1 run, giving the Elks a 14-point advantage midway through the quarter. Charlevoix cut the lead to ten as time ran down in the third, Jack Hawkins muscled in for a put back at the buzzer, putting the Elks up 54-42. The Elk lead climbed steadily through the fi nal quarter, getting as high as 22 with just under three minutes to play. The Rayders scored their fi nal points with under two minutes, Krakow

dribbled around defenders for nearly a minute before being fouled. The coaches of both teams cleared their benches, and the horn sounded giving the Elks the championship trophy.

Krakow fi nished with 32 points, Ball scored 27 and Hawkins added 12 to go with 13 rebounds. Ball’s seven three-point baskets were one shy of tying the school record of eight, set by his father Kevin Ball in 1995. “The kids played really well,” said Elk varsity coach Brett Graham, “We turned the ball over too much in the second quarter. When we have Grayson and Preston scoring like they did, we are in good shape.” Elks lose regional opener, ending season

Winning the district on Wednesday gave the Elks fi ve days to rest and prepare for the Whitmore Prescott Cardinals, their opponent in the Class C regional opener, played at Houghton Lake on Monday. The Elks lost the lead in the fi nal quarter, as the Cardinals went on a 20-0 run, handing the Elks the end of the season with a 67-59 loss.

“The guys were very disappointed,” Graham said, “The coaches remain very proud of the players and their efforts. Unfortunately, we played a bad game at the wrong time. Their length in the inside gave us trouble. Defensively we just were not able to take away

Elk Rapids Athletic Director Jim Standerfer presents Coach Graham with the district championship trophy.

2018 District Champions!

Skyler Campbell pushes through the defense toward the net. Photos by Kim Eardley Photography

Volume XII Issue No. 42

75¢

March 152018