Following a forgettable stretch that entailed three straight conference losses, the boys varsity basketball team got back on track with a commanding 78-40 victory over Greenville.

Even with sophomore Jonas VanderWoude’s 18 points–along with juniors Levi McKenzie and Jake Koning dropping 15 each–the story of the night was the widespread contributions from every single member of the team.

“Every guy got to contribute in a meaningful way,” head coach Kyle Carhart said postgame. “It was great for our players to have some success after some tough outcomes in the last couple of weeks.”

This success was visible from the first few possessions, as Levi and Jonas traded three-pointers to start off the game. Once junior Nate Delaney scored on an impressive finish in the paint, the Rangers were able to settle down and play their brand of basketball. Senior Pierson VanGorp and junior Jake Koning also scored their first points to close out the first quarter with a 12-9 advantage. 

As soon as FHC got its offensive game going, the lead kept growing larger by the minute. 

Thanks to three triples from Jonas and a couple of put-backs from Nate and fellow junior Sam Sneider, Rangerball mounted a 17-0 scoring run to begin the second quarter. A 39-15 halftime lead displayed the extent of the boys’ execution on both ends of the floor.

The fun didn’t stop there, as the second half exhibited much of the same story as the first.

Senior Joe Seurynck kicked off the third quarter with a tough finish plus the foul, which sent the Ranger bench into a feel-good frenzy. After Jonas hit another three-ball to reach 18 points on the night, Rangerball put itself in cruise control for the remainder of the game.

In a fourth quarter highlighted by a three-pointer from senior Colten Jenkins and more impressive play from Levi and Jake, FHC coasted to its second conference win of the year. This game was certainly crucial to get the boys back on track with everybody involved.

“It was awesome to see a lot of different guys filling the stat sheet,” Jake said. “We all played a part in a win that will only boost our confidence for future games.”

The Rangers will definitely need a similar head on their shoulders going into a hostile Byron Center atmosphere on Friday, January 28. Such a road test offers FHC the opportunity to truly show its capacity to win important games.

“Hopefully, this can give us some momentum heading into Byron Center’s tough environment on Friday,” coach Carhart said.