On Friday, January 27, Rangerball took on East Grand Rapids in what was expected to be another fiery rivalry match. Anticipation for this matchup reigned high, but unfortunately, the boys fell 40-53 against the Pioneers, making their record a solid 7-6.

Right off the bat, the two teams were equally close in talent. The first quarter was a constant back-and-forth period, and both teams stayed neck and neck for the majority. But nearing the end of the first quarter, East Grand Rapids’ efforts managed to grasp EGR a lead of 21-14, however, the lead was shortened by Jonas VanderWoude’s six points early on.

The second quarter is when the Pioneers began to pull away from the Rangers. After falling behind with the closing of the first quarter, the Rangers’ trail was only heightened now. Just three minutes into the second, the score was 16-26. At this point, the team’s offense and defense were faltering, allowing East Grand Rapids to hold onto their lead. Things were not looking up for Rangerball.

The third quarter played out quite similarly. The Pioneers’ defense was on full display that night, making for the score early in the third to sit at 23-40. As Rangerball’s offense and defense struggled slightly, its opponents’ performance only improved. As the third quarter wrapped up, the boys trailed East Grand Rapids 27-44.

In the final quarter, no substantial efforts could be made by the boys to create a comeback. East Grand Rapids’ lead was too great, and Rangerball’s bad luck that night denied the boys any momentum. As the game ended, the final score was 53-40 Pioneers.

“East Grand Rapids just outplayed us on both ends of the floor,” junior Jonas VanderWoude stated. “We will take this, watch it and learn from it to see where we can improve to make sure it doesn’t happen again.”

The boys’ next game is another rivalry match-up on Friday, February 3, as they travel to Forest Hills Northern for their second time playing this season.