Following an up-and-down regular season, the boys varsity basketball team started out the 2022 state playoffs on the right foot against underdog Greenville. 

The Rangers did not fall victim to the trap-game atmosphere, despite looking at a challenging district. A competitive first half opened up in the second, as a complete team effort from FHC gave way to an 88-44 blowout. This included 11 guys reaching the scoring column, with four in double figures and nine with six points or more. 

One thing was clear; the Yellow Jackets were going to give every ounce of what they had left in the tank. Still, Rangerball controlled the game for all 32 minutes and received sizeable contributions from all 14 guys. 

“It was great to have so many guys have some success in a variety of ways,” head coach Kyle Carhart said postgame. “That part is always fun to watch.”

It was certainly fun to watch FHC’s ball movement as well. The Rangers were making the extra pass from the opening possession, which opened up many wide-open looks down low. The team assisted on its first three baskets of the game to quickly go up 6-0. 

Greenville was able to find open looks as well, but FHC’s prowess on the glass really hurt the Yellow Jackets. Senior Conner Milton and junior Nate Delaney set the tone in this category; they continuously converted on easy, offensive put-backs. Conner paved the way in the paint by tallying 10 points and 7 rebounds.

Once FHC’s lead evaporated to just one, they ramped up the intensity and opened the floodgates. Thanks to a number of steals by senior Jacob Bonnett, the Rangers mounted a 33-15 run to close out the first half with a comfortable 19-point advantage. 

It’s stretches like these that Bonnett and FHC have been adept at executing. He finished the night with a team-high 16 points.

“Getting steals is always great for the team,” Jacob said. “They lead to transition buckets for us and can be great for momentum.”

Fellow senior Pierson VanGorp scored five straight points to open the second half, which junior Jake Koning followed with a couple of nice buckets inside. Koning proved his worth in this one, scoring 8 points and grabbing 6 rebounds.

Sophomore Tyler Hudkins also took home some headlines, as the JV pull-up for playoffs dazzled the Yellow Jackets in his limited minutes. Hudkins took a steal the other way for an easy two and went two-for-two at the line en route to scoring 8 points.

Senior Joe Seurynck joined in the party later on; he muscled his way to a number of inside finishes. He recorded a season-high of 10 points to go with 6 rebounds. Sophomore Brady Miller and Roman Brummel also got to see the floor for a few minutes after being pulled up from JV.

If it wasn’t clear enough, Monday night was a step in the right direction for Rangerball. Thanks to its connectedness and competitive spirit, the Rangers outscored Greenville 42-17 in the second half to win by a score of 88-44.

Now that the first round of districts is under the boys’ belt, they head into the absolute meat of the district. Awaiting FHC in the semifinal will be the 18-2 and OK-Red Champion in Rockford. 

After spoiling the Rams’ season last year, Rangerball possesses the opportunity to bust brackets with another upset bid. The Jungle will be rocking for the biggest game it’s seen in years, as FHC hosts Rockford at 5:30 on Wednesday, March 9.

It’s March, which means that it’s on FHC to consistently execute in all aspects in order to make a memorable run.

“Hopefully, we are able to score in a similar way as we move forward in the district,” coach Carhart said.