Kingsford varsity hoopster Talia Wallis (11) tries to drive through Menominee defenders Anna Nerat (22) and Piper Monroe (24) during the girls varsity basketball clash Friday night on the Flivvers’ home floor. However, it was the visiting Maroons who walked off with the 49-38 win. (Terry Raiche photo)

KINGSFORD — The Menominee girls varsity basketball team broke open a tight game with a big third quarter and knocked off Kingsford 49-38 on Friday at Kingsford High School.

The Maroons (7-5) led by one at halftime, but outscored the Flivvers 21-7 in the third quarter to extend their lead to 39-24.

“The game was a battle,” Flivvers coach Jon Lorenzoni said. “Both teams played hard. We went through some big dry spells and struggled to score at times. We committed way too many turnovers, too.”

Menominee’s Piper Monroe sank two 3-pointers and scored eight of her 15 points in that decisive third quarter. Anna Nerat tallied six of her 14 points to provide the one-two punch for the visitors.

Abby Terrian recorded eight of Kingsford’s 10 points in the opening period as the Flivvers stayed within 12-10. Terrian finished with 13 points, tops on her team.

“Abby played a real nice game,” Lorenzoni said. “I think she scored our first eight points and we kind of went away from her (after that).”

Talia Wallis added 10 points for Kingsford, which travels to Felch to take on North Dickinson on Tuesday. The Nordics defeated the Flivvers 52-46 on Nov. 30 in the season-opener for both teams.

Hancock downs foul-plagued IM

HANCOCK — The Hancock girls varsity basketball team depended heavily on its quick guards and pressure defense, while also taking advantage of Iron Mountain’s foul troubles, to notch a 55-25 West Pac Conference win Friday at Hancock High School.

Hancock (9-2) ran out to a 20-6 lead after the opening quarter and Iron Mountain struggled to get back into the game from there.

“We knew Hancock’s speed was going to give us a challenge and they did not disappoint,” Mountaineers coach Karen Ellis said. “We got in foul trouble early on and ended with two players who fouled out and another with four, which hurt our defense because we couldn’t be as aggressive as we needed to be.”

Starters Annslee Runsat and Emma Ellis both ended up fouling out and Ellison Powell finished with four fouls. All three are top rotation players for Iron Mountain (2-8).

Three Hancock players finished in double figures, led by Isabella Hebert with 16.

Runsat topped the Mountaineers with nine points, while Powell and Anja Kleiman contributed six each.

“Our shooting was off, which is never good, but Hancock outrebounded us as well and we didn’t get too many second chances,” Ellis said.

The road doesn’t get any easier for the Mountaineers, who travel to Negaunee (10-4) on Friday, Jan. 28.

Knights slip past Nordics in OT

NORWAY — Averie Popp hit a key 3-pointer and Andi Carlson added a bucket in overtime as the Norway girls varsity basketball team slipped past Division 4 fifth-ranked North Dickinson 40-38 in a Skyline Central Conference clash Friday at Norway High School.

The teams battled tooth-and-nail the whole way, with Norway (6-5) holding a 25-22 lead heading into the fourth. The Nordics got five points from Ashton Hord and four points from Vanessa Lindholm in the fourth quarter to help force the extra session.

However, the Knights, who had lost to the Nordics 45-24 in their earlier matchup Dec. 14, outperformed North Dickinson in the overtime.

Norway coach Joe Tinti was thrilled afterward.

“Both (teams) had cold streaks offensively, but you got the feeling that the game would stay close throughout as both teams went through dry spells and were giving maximum effort defensively,” he said. “I don’t want to mention any one name on either team as each girl gave their all on both sides and played a competitive, exciting basketball game.”

Carlson led the Knights with 12 points and Donna VanHolla chipped in 10.

On the other hand, North Dickinson’s shooting resembled the weather.

“I thought Norway played more physical against us than they have in the past, but we couldn’t have throw the ball into the ocean standing on the beach,” Nordics coach Kirk Mattson said of his team, which shot 3 for 23 (13 percent) in the opening half and sank only 8 of 19 (42 percent) from the foul line. “I thought we moved the ball well and got good shots, it was just one of those nights.”

Chrislyn Inglese topped the Nordics (7-3) with 13 points, while Lindholm chipped in 10. Norway held Hord to just eight points in the game.

Trojans sweep season series

IRON RIVER — The Forest Park boys varsity basketball team started fast with 20 points in the first quarter and defeated rival West Iron County 59-39 on Friday night at Charles Greenlund Gymnasium.

The win stopped the Trojans’ six-game losing streak and secured the season sweep over the Wykons, who fell to 0-8 on the year. Forest Park’s last win came on Dec. 13 against West Iron County.

Gaven Rintala sparked the Trojans in the rematch with a game-high 17 points. The sophomore buried four 3-pointers in the opening quarter to get his team off to a 13-point lead.

Then senior post Timmy Bendick took over in the third quarter hitting for all 14 of his points as Forest Park extended its 16-point halftime lead to 51-23.

West Iron outscored the Trojans 16-8 in the final quarter.

For the Wykons, the 39-point output was their largest of the season to date. And it was the first time that West Iron had two double-digit scorers in a game as Daniel James recorded 14 points and Matthew Dutcher contributed 12.

West Iron coach Curt Olexa saw improvement in his group.

“Great effort by the team, handled the press with less turnovers, (and) better defense and offense tonight,” he said.

The Wykons embark on a busy week Monday with a trip to Westwood to face the fourth-ranked Patriots (6-2). West Iron follows that up with a game at Hancock (1-8) on Tuesday and then closes the week with a visit to Norway (6-3).

The Trojans’ schedule is equally loaded this week as they host North Dickinson (0-9) on Tuesday, travel to Division 4 top-ranked Ewen-Trout Creek (7-0) on Thursday and then welcome Carney-Nadeau (2-6) to Eddie Chambers Gymnasium on Friday.

Jerry DeRoche can be reached at 906-774-2772, ext. 247, or at jderoche@ironmountaindailynews.com.