Keen, Enders lead Gaylord basketball teams to sweep over Charlevoix
GAYLORD ― Last week, the Gaylord girls basketball team started the fall high school sports season for the Blue Devils, opening their season with a win over Grayling last Tuesday, November 29 and finishing the week with a 2-1 record.
This week, it was time for the boys to get their season underway, joining the girls on Tuesday, December 7 as the Gaylord basketball program hosted a varsity basketball doubleheader with the Charlevoix Rayders at Jim Mongeau Gymnasium in Gaylord, Mich.
It turned out to be the perfect opening night of basketball for the Blue Devils.
After the girls opened the night with a 51-34 win over the Lady Rayders, the boys followed suit with a 67-45 victory to cap the night with two victories for the Blue Devils.
Keen leads Gaylord girls
Meghan Keen has proved to be a problem for opposing defenses already this season, finishing with 10+ points in two of the Blue Devils' first three games by using her size and length to her advantage down low. Charlevoix found out just how good she is the hard way on Tuesday night.
Keen was putting up shots early and often against the Rayders as it was clear the defense didn't have anyone who could effectively challenge her shot. She had racked up double-digit points by halftime as she helped the Blue Devils pull out to an 18-point lead after two quarters.
Gaylord's defense was the key in the second half, speeding up the Charlevoix ball handlers to force a bunch of turnovers while converting those turnovers into points. By the final buzzer, Gaylord had held the Rayders to just 16 second-half points as the Blue Devils pulled away with the 51-34 victory.
Keen led the way in the scoring column, finishing with 15 points, five rebounds and five assists. Avery Parker also finished in double figures, adding 11 points, five rebounds and three assists of her own.
Other contributors included Alexis Shepherd (five points, two rebounds), Karlee Pretzlaff (five points) and Alexis Kozlowski (four points). Kennedy Wangler, Hali Lenartowicz and Taylor Moeggenberg all added three points apiece, while Addison Wangler wrapped with two points.
The Blue Devils and head coach Kelli Parker improve their record to 3-1 on the season, set to take on Cadillac at home on Friday for their first conference matchup of the 2022 season.
Enders pushes Gaylord boys to blowout win
Following the girls action was the season opener for a Gaylord boys basketball team coming into 2022 with high expectations. With their top two leading scorers in Luke Gelow and Luke Enders returning alongside the team's top rebounder in Brady Pretzlaff, the Blue Devils look to improve in 2022 under second-year head coach Zach Napont.
Getting their first taste of real action on Tuesday against the Rayders, the Blue Devils showed just how good they can be when playing with confidence as they put together a dominant, 67-45 opening-night victory.
Things were highly contested for most of the first half, with neither team finding much of a rhythm on offense. The score was all tied at 20 apiece midway through the second quarter when Gaylord finally sparked a run.
That spark came on defense as the Blue Devils found ways to shut down the Rayders' offense, while they also found the rhythm on offense, going on a 12-2 run to wrap up the first half for a 32-23 lead at halftime that would only grow as the game went on.
Luke Enders proved to be the biggest difference maker for the Blue Devils, pouring in a game-high 25 points on an efficient night shooting from the field. Aidan Locker (16 points) and Luke Gelow (15 points) followed Enders on the stat sheet in the impressive 22-point victory.
Now 1-0 on the season, the Gaylord boys will also host Cadillac on Friday in the program's second-straight doubleheader to start the season, looking to get the BNC schedule started with a win as well.
This article originally appeared on The Petoskey News-Review: Keen, Enders lead Gaylord basketball teams to sweep over Charlevoix
