Coming off of a successful holiday tournament championship run, the boys varsity basketball team was in for a change of pace entering Friday night’s matchup with Lowell.

Hosting the Red Arrows to tip-off OK-White conference play, Rangerball rose to the occasion from the opening minutes. Head coach Kyle Carhart and his squad made all of the right moves defensively; as a result, FHC was able to enjoy itself en route to a 65-31 blowout victory.

“It’s no secret that we are at our best when all of our guys are locked in and playing as hard as they can play together,” coach Carhart said postgame. “The idea of our players coming off the bench and raising the temperature of the game is what can make us tougher as a team.”

As a former head coach at Lowell, coach Carhart is no stranger to the Red Arrow program. Rangerball has had considerable success against Lowell for many years; the team’s attitude and effort from the get-go helped them continue such a trend.

Senior Conner Milton set the tone from the first few possessions, as he was able to show off his athleticism under and above the rim; he utterly dominated the hardwood for each of his 24 minutes played. He finished the night shooting just 2/10 from the field, yet he grabbed an incredible 20 rebounds. 

As if Conner’s career night on the glass wasn’t enough against a depth-lacking Lowell squad, senior Jacob Bonnett and junior Levi McKenzie stuffed the stat sheets with 19 and 16 points, respectively. The two guards also established the team’s tenacity on the defensive end, as they locked up the Red Arrow stars all night long.

 Lowell finished with just 3 points after the first quarter and managed to complete the game with a measly 31. FHC’s largest lead of the game was 34 points, presenting opportunities for some players off of the bench.

“Raymond [Cargill] and Nate [Delaney] did a good job of raising the game’s temperature,” coach Carhart said.

As role-playing juniors, Nate and Raymond certainly stood out in Friday’s game. Nate was quite active on the boards with four rebounds, while Raymond added in three points and three rebounds. Despite playing a struggling Red Arrow squad, this type of contribution will be vital for a late-season push.

“It’s very important to have guys coming in games off the bench, especially when the starters get tired,” Raymond said. “I feel like our team has great depth to where all 12 guys can play in the game when needed.”

Every single Ranger made it onto the floor for at least a minute on Friday, as a feel-good, blowout win over Lowell injects some confidence into this FHC group. The guys will need every bit of it as they stare at a make-or-miss week.

The Rangers travel to East Grand Rapids for a rivalry matchup with the Pioneers on Tuesday, January 11. Then, just 72 hours later, they will host Forest Hills Northern in an ultimate showdown for bragging rights.

“Playing at a high level–meaning with great defensive intensity–gives us a chance to be successful regardless of our opponent,” coach Carhart said.