NORTH MUSKEGON—The Norse have become a powerhouse in multiple sports, including basketball. North Muskegon buried Holton last Friday with the first-half blitz when they led 37-3 after two quarters of play.
With the division title being determined by league record, North Muskegon (19-1, 11-0) is guaranteed to finish ahead of second-place Hart.
Football, basketball, and baseball are sports North Muskegon aims for a state title in and sports that can easily obtain a championship ring.
“We have been working hard since the season began, and many of the guys work year-round. We have a lot of three-sport athletes, so you need to be careful asking too much of them,” boys’ basketball coach Charles Rypstra said.
TJ Byard is one of those three-sport athletes for the Norse as well as a three-level scorer. Byard averages 7.5 PPG and also leads the team in rebounding.
Adam Dugener, a North Muskegon senior, has been the leading scorer for them all season, averaging 22 PPG as well as 4.3 APG. On the defensive end, Dugener snatches just over four steals a night.
Dugener tossed up 30 points on the board in North Muskegon’s overtime win over Ludington in January.
The Norse suffered their first loss of the season against Covenant Christian in early February. A 20-point loss left a bad taste in their mouths and lots of pressure after blowing out almost every team they’ve played.
“We handle pressure pretty well; the guys have played a ton of competitive sports over the years, and that competition has prepared them well,” Rypstra said.
Since then, North Muskegon has outscored its opponents 215-75 across three games.
Rypstra said, “We can always be better defensively, stopping penetration and boxing out to rebound better. We feel like we are in a good spot right now and hope to continue to play as long as possible.”
In the latest AP poll, North Muskegon came into the mix at the final spot, ranked 10th.
The Norse still have work to do to close out the regular season, although not much. With Ravenna looming as the final game on North Muskegon’s schedule before playoffs, this could be a tune-up game for them.
North Muskegon downed Ravenna by 35 points a month ago, but Bulldog senior Dylan May could cause havoc for the Norse if they aren’t careful.
North Muskegon lost to Pewamo-Westphalia in last year’s regional final by three points. Both of these schools have developed quite a rivalry in the last few seasons in football and basketball. As the playoffs approach, that’s a matchup to look out for come regional play.
The district draw, however, has been set, and North Muskegon has been given a bye. They will face either West Michigan Christian or Wyoming Potter’s House.
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