spORTSBEAT BY PETER JAKEY: Posen gets confidence from win

The Posen boys basketball team couldn?t come up with a more timely victory Tuesday on the home floor against hoop rival Mio. The December schedule as been brutal; a tough contest at Cedarville, then back at home against a tenacious, athletic Au Gres squad. It looked like the Vikings might be in trouble going up against Dennis Kann?s quick Thunderbolt team. Those fears were confirmed in the opening minutes of Tuesday?s game as the T-Bolts rolled off a 9-0 run. It looked like it was going to be a long night. Actually, it was at that point in the evening, that the Vikes turned the tables, dug their heels in, and started playing team basketball.

First year head coach Steve Hentkowski received excellent efforts from every player that stepped on the floor for him, which resulted in many smiles from fans and players as they left the gym at the end of the overtime contest. The win was needed for a number of reasons; first and foremost, it gives the 2005-06 squad a huge confidence boost. ?It?s definitely good to get this win, especially against a team as good as Mio, because they are one of the challengers for the North Star League, without a doubt,? said Hentkowski, who had his lucky glasses break during the game when a timeout was being called.

IF THE PLAYERS had thought they were living in the shadow of 25-1, an undefeated season, and winning streaks, they don?t have to worry about those things anymore. They can just play. And that they did, after that opening spurt by Mio. Posen got down to playing defense and asserted their strength inside. Mio took a lot of three point shots, and made a bunch, but missed a lot as well. Those misses oftentimes went into the hands of Posen rebounders. The win also proved what everybody had been saying at the onset of the season, that the 2005-06 team has basketball talent, and could be destined for a berth in the regional tournament.

If they play the rest of their games the way they played against Mio, except for the free throw shooting down the stretch, they should be able to get there. The win also takes some pressure off coach Hentkowski?s shoulders. Once again, it?s that shadow of 2004-05. That?s a hard one to get out from under. Win the big one? Hentkowski and assistant coach Duane Chojnacki have one under their belts, and to have it come against Mio, nothing could be sweeter. The folks that stayed home Tuesday (there were a lot of empty benches for a Mio v. Posen game), not only missed an awesome basketball game, but the possible emergence of a pretty good basketball team. Maybe we?ll see you out the next time. There was one streak that was kept alive. The Vikings have now won four straight against Mio.

Matt Ponik, who was at the game, was talking with a young lady from Mio after the contest and told her ?Any win against Mio is a good one.? She said, ?Everybody hates Mio!? You got that sister. It?s nice to see Matt is still

contributing to the basketball program and getting in a shot where needed. Well said, Matt. Well said.

*** *** *** Former Huron athlete Becky Bruning has joined the ranks of other Rogers City standout performers as a member of the Alma Scots sports program. Bruning, a freshman, played outside hitter for the volleyball program.

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Earlier this month, Dylan Centala received post-season accolades from the Detroit Free Press as an all-state honorable mention at linebacker. Dylan didn?t have the size for the position, but made up for it with punishing hits and lots of tackles.

*** *** *** Signing Kenny Rogers certainly isn?t going to improve season-ticket sales for the Tigers, although he could improve the pitching staff. Let?s hope G.M. Dave Dombrowski knows what he is doing. We may see some ?Fire Dombrowski? signs start to appear this spring.

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