Thanks to Mia Milner for the coverage!
KENT CITY – For the third straight year, North Muskegon and Pewamo-Westphalia met on the regional stage. For the third straight year, it was a war… and again, for the third straight year, the Pirates found a way.
This time, it was their blistering start that made all the difference. Pewamo-Westphalia came out firing, built a commanding first-half lead, and held off a furious second-half push from the Norse to escape with a 46-39 win and another regional championship.
It was a game of two halves. The Pirates looked unstoppable early, hitting 12 of their first 21 shots and going 4-for-7 from deep. Their defense was suffocating, holding North Muskegon to just 29 percent shooting. An 8-0 first-quarter run put P-W in control, and by halftime, they had stretched the lead to 31-16.
North Muskegon, though, refused to go quietly. It was as if they had taken to heart the words of Michael Caine’s character in Interstellar:
“Do not go gentle into that good night. Old age should burn and rave at close of day. Rage, rage against the dying of the light.”
Rage they did.
The second half started with a jolt—back-to-back 3-pointers from T.J. Byard and Chuck Meyers cut the deficit to single digits, injecting life into the Norse. A 7-2 surge, capped by a deep three from Landen Grimm, had them within eight heading into the final quarter.
Adam Dugener, who poured in a game-high 25 points, willed North Muskegon even closer, knocking down five straight free throws to trim the gap to just five in the closing minutes. The Norse had chances, but that one big shot never came. Pewamo-Westphalia, calm under pressure, spread the floor, ran the clock, and made just enough free throws to seal it.
Thanks to Mia Milner for the coverage!
Both teams pride themselves on defense, and it showed. North Muskegon outscored P-W in the second half, limiting them to just nine points in the fourth outside of late free throws. They fought with everything they had, but the Pirates had just a little more in the tank.
Grady Eklund led P-W with 12 points and 10 rebounds, while Trent Piggott added 10 points and five boards. Trevor Smith chipped in eight, and Brady Heckman finished with five points, five rebounds, and four assists.
For North Muskegon, Byard and Meyers each added five points, with Byard grabbing six rebounds and blocking two shots. Meyers pulled down five boards of his own.
The Norse left everything on the floor. They should be proud of the fight, the heart, and everything they accomplished this season. But on this night, Pewamo-Westphalia was just a step ahead.
Final score, 46-39, Pewamo Westphalia Pirates.
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