Norway's Basketball Journey: From Start to Finish

First Game: Ewen-Trout Creek - A Tough Test

In the opening game of the 2024-25 campaign at Norway High School, the Knights faced a formidable opponent in Ewen-Trout Creek. The Panthers' offensive firepower proved to be too much as they took home a 61-35 win. Junior Irelynd McGehsick kicked off the scoring with a layup and added another basket, giving Ewen-Trout Creek a 6-2 lead. Sophomore Lila Kleikamp tied things at six with four quick points, but McGehsick responded with four more to make it a 10-6 advantage. A three from Paytan Carlson and a layup from Anna Falk cut the Panthers' lead to two at the end of the first quarter.

During the second quarter, Emma Besonen and Bree Besonen connected on 3-point shots, extending the Panthers' lead. Senior Mary Cavagnetto took over the scoring, drilling a 3-pointer and connecting on a layup to cut the lead to three. On the next possession, Paytan Carlson found junior Lauren Adams for a layup, making it a one-point game. However, a three from Bree Besonen and a floater from Emma Besonen made it a six-point game at halftime.

Second Half Struggles

Norway battled through the first half of the third quarter but then faced a tough challenge. Ewen-Trout Creek turned up the pressure and stretched the lead to 30 points while the Knights endured an 11-minute scoreless stretch. Coach Adams tried to call timeouts to break their runs, but it didn't work. The Panthers rolled to the win, showing their dominance on the court.

McGehsick led all scorers with 22 points, while Emma Besonen was close behind with 19 points. Emma Besonen also reached the 1,000-point mark in her high school career on a 3-pointer from the left wing in the fourth quarter. Cavagnetto led the Knights with 10 points.

Upcoming Games

The Knights are back in action today as they head to Crystal Falls to face the Lady Trojans. They will look to build on their experiences and improve their game for the next challenges ahead.

Forest Park Girls Varsity Basketball: A Comeback Victory

The Forest Park girls varsity basketball team started its season with a road game against Carney-Nadeau. Trailing at halftime 16-12, they rallied in the fourth to force overtime and then outscored the Wolves in the second overtime to pick up a 61-55 double overtime win. Elsie Williams led Forest Park with 28 points and hauled in four rebounds. The Lady Trojans also received contributions from Harper Anderson, KD Woollard, Audrey Williams, Lily Sarder, Aubrey Waara-Shamion, and Jessie Loehr.

Forest Park opens up the home portion of its schedule today against Norway, looking to continue their winning streak.

Niagara Girls Varsity Basketball: A Tough Loss

The Niagara girls varsity basketball team faced the Tigers on Tuesday at Niagara High School, hoping to give Gillett its first loss of the season. However, things didn't go their way as they fell to Gillett 41-30. The Tigers connected on four first half 3-pointers, taking a 25-15 lead into halftime. Alivia Kleikamp led the way for the Lady Badgers with 10 points. Niagara also received contributions from Elesia Sweig, Mallory Sanicki, Bristol Sanicki, Marley Jones, Peyton Neuens-Allred, and Rachael Walker.

The Lady Badgers are back on Monday against Lena, looking to bounce back and improve their performance.

Kingsford Girls Varsity Basketball: A Dominant Win

In Ginger Moore's first game as the Kingsford girls varsity basketball coach, the Flivvers made quick work of Bark River-Harris, picking up a 58-23 win. Kingsford scored 12 points in the first and fourth quarters and 16 in the second and 18 in the third. Aubrie Moore led the way with 14 points. The Flivvers also received contributions from Abby Przeslakowski, Addisyn Kriegl, Alyvia Kowalski, Kailey Sundquist, Anna Bortolini, Taylor Olson, Jazzlyne Shaughnessy, Cassie Olson, and Adelyn Normand.

The Flivvers kick off the home portion of the 2024-25 schedule on Tuesday against Gladstone, ready to continue their winning momentum.