Pewamo-Westphalia at Dansville – – CMAC Boys Game of the Week – – The Bleacher Denizen – – March 1, 2022 – – by Chuck Krafft

Tonight, your Bleacher Denizen’s journey takes him to Dansville, where the Aggies will host the Pirates from Pewamo-Westphalia. Now that the girls’ CMAC basketball season is over, I am dithering about whether to call this the “Boys Game of the Week” or “Game of the Week.” Unfortunately, the powers that be that decide these internet article naming issues are backed up and I can’t get a ruling for awhile, so I’ll take my chances and include “Boys” in the title!

In another issue that no one except me cares about, here’s a song from my You Tube “Chuck Krafft” channel. I lead in to the song by telling listeners that no one knows where the Red River Valley may lead you. I know that it does not lead to Dansville, but fortunately, M-36 does! And here’s the song!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w03AhhNk1M8

I suppose it’s about time to start typing things that people may care about!

Dansville enters the game with a 5-9 record in the CMAC and a 6-12 overall record. Unfortunately, Sam Hodgson, a 6′ 6″ center who defends well and is an excellent passer and solid scorer inside will not be able to play tonight because he is sick.

Zach Sykes runs the point for the Aggies. He defends well on the perimeter and does a solid job running the Aggie offense. Drew Frantz is a solid perimeter defender who handles the ball well and is good shooting from the outside. He is very creative when it comes to exploiting a situation and finding a way to shoot.

Jared Bristle, a senior in his third year on the varsity is a good three point shooter who can also hit from midrange or slash to the basket. Calvin vanHartesvelt is great at converting touches in the lane into Aggie layups. Cody Ream is a solid three point shooter.

Pewamo-Westphalia enters the game with a 13-1 record in the CMAC and a 14-4 overall record. Blake Smith runs the point for the Pirates. He is an outstanding all-around player who can handle the ball, shoot from the three point line, drive to the basket and defend anywhere on the floor. (Of course, any player who wants to get on the court much for Pewamo-Westphalia has to play defense well.)

Jamison Eklund is a third year varsity player as a junior. He is 6’6″ but has the skills to play offense or defense anywhere on the floor. He rebounds and defends well inside, but is quick enough to defend on the perimeter when the situation requires it. He is an excellent three point shooter who handles the ball well, passes well and can also score inside.

Braden MIller is a strong perimeter defender who can hit the open three point shot. Cam Cook also defends well from the perimeter and is a threat to score either on slashes to the basket or outside shots from the three point line.

Pewamo-Westphalia (hereafter known as P-W most of the time to slow down the effects of aging on the Bleacher Denizen’s fingers) won the JV game 85-36.

Quinnton Burgett led the Aggie JVs with 11 points. Dylan Ream scored 9 points. Alex Newcomb added 5 points and Quentin Meyers had 4 points. Mason Ruttan put in 3 points. Tommie Creameans and Chris O’Dell each tallied 2 points.

Trevor Smith led the victorious Pirate JVs with 16 points as P-W had six JVs score in double figures. Kash Pohl and Isaac Thelen each contributed13 points. Reece Thelen added 11 points. Grant Pohl and Brayton Thelen each scored 10 points. Lane Trierweiler scored 8 points and Dominic Weber had 4 points.

It is now time to look at the events of this game through the senior eyes of an aging Bleacher Denizen who was never able to escape church league when he attempted to play basketball in the middle ages when many people considered him to be “young.” Alas, while catapults were always a useful element in medieval siege warfare, your Bleacher Denizen’s basketball career was derailed when he was not permitted to use a catapult to help him launch three point shots.

P-W wins the opening tap. The Pirates miss a three point shot from the top of the key. The rebound goes out of bounds and Dansville takes possession. Dansville misses a jump shot. Braden Miller passes to Jamison Eklund, who hits a layup to give P-W the first two points of the game. Dansville misfires on a threeball from the corner. Drew Frantz steals the ball to break up a Pirate fast break. Luke Smith knocks the ball away from Dansville and Jamison Eklund picks it up for P-W. P-W misses a jump shot from the corner; Evan Droste hits a putback to give the Pirates a 4-0 lead.

Cody Ream passes to Zach Sykes, who hits a three point shot from the side for the first Aggie points of the game. P-W misses a layup. An Aggie pass receiver lands with his foot on the sideline. P-W misfires on a threeball from the corner. The rebound goes out of bounds and P-W gets another opportunity. Evan Droste hits a three point shot from the corner to give the Pirates a 7-3 lead.

Luke Smith blocks an Aggie ten foot shot in the lane. Dansville recovers the ball. The Aggies miss a three point attempt from the corner. Blake Smith goes coast to coast to hit a layup for P-W. Cody Ream drives and dishes the ball to Calvin VanHartesvelt, who hits a layup for Dansville to trim the P-W lead to 9-5.

Zach Sykes steals the ball for the Aggies. Evan Droste knocks the ball out of bounds; P-W takes possession. P-W misses a three point shot from the side. Jamison Eklund needs two tries, but hits a putback for P-W. Jared Bristle passes to Calvin vanHartesvelt for an Aggie layup that trims the Pirate lead to 11-7.

Drew Frantz steals the ball for Dansville. Dansville misses a fast break layup. Jamison Eklund passes to Connor Bengel, who hits a twelve foot shot from the wing for P-W. Jared Bristle passes to Calvin VanHartesvelt, who hits a layup for the Aggies. Jamison Eklund gets the ball to Braden Miller, who throws in a threeball from the side to give P-W a 16-9 lead.

Cam Cook steals the ball for P-W. The Pirates miss a fast break layup. Dansville misses a twelve foot shot from the side. Drew Frantz gets his hand on a Pirate pass; the ball goes out of bounds and the Aggies get the ball. Dansville misses a half court fling at the buzzer. (OK, the shot was actually at the basket, but I hope you get the idea.)

After one quarter, Pewamo-Westphalia holds a 16-9 lead.

Dansville inbounds the ball to open the second quarter. The Aggies miss a twelve foot shot in the lane. Calvin VanHartesvelt fights for the rebound and P-W loses it out of bounds; the Aggies get another opportunity. Cody Ream drives throw the middle and hits a layup to trim the P-W lead to 16-11.

Davin Ackerson knocks the ball away from P-W, but the Pirates are able to recover. Collin Farmer picks up a loose ball for P-W and is fouled on a twelve foot shot from the wing. Collin Farmer hits two free throws for P-W and the Pirates lead 18-11 with 6:48 remaining in the first half.

Drew Frantz drives and dishes the ball to Calvin VanHartesvelt, who hits a layup for P-W. Evan Droste puts back his own miss for two Pirate points. Blake Smith intercepts an Aggie pass and is fouled on a fast break layup. He hits two free throws to extend the P-W lead to 22-13 with 5:51 remaining in the first half.

Zach Sykes drives and dishes the ball to Calvin VanHartesvelt, who is fouled on a layup and hits one of his two free throws for the Aggies. P-W misses a threeball from the top of the key. Luke Smith pulls down the offensive rebound for the Pirates. P-W misfires on a threeball from the side. Corbin Schneider gets the offensive rebound for the Pirates. Collin Farmer hits a three point shot near the top of the key to give P-W a 25-14 lead.

Drew Frantz reacts quickly and grabs the ball to prevent an Aggie turnover. Cody Ream is fouled on a driving layup and hits one of his two free throws for Dansville. Luke Smith passes to Jamison Eklund, who tosses in a three pointer from the corner for P-W. Dansville misses a layup. P-W misses a three pointer from the side; the rebound goes out of bounds and Dansville takes possession. Braden Miller knocks the ball away from the Aggies and Connor Bengel picks it up for P-W. Connor Bengel passes to Jamison Eklund, who hits a fast break layup to give the Pirates a 30-15 lead.

Dansville misses a three point shot from the side. Cody Ream gets the offensive rebound for the Aggies. Dansville misses a three point shot from the top of the key; the rebound goes out of bounds and P-W takes possession. P-W misses a layup; Jamison Eklund is fouled on a putback and hits two free throws to give the Pirates a 32-15 lead with 2:28 to play in the first half.

Connor Bengel knocks the ball away from Dansville and Evan Droste picks it up for the Pirates. P-W misses a jump shot. Elijah Neal passes to Calvin VanHartesvelt, who hits a layup for Dansville. Elijah Neal partially blocks a P-W shot. The Pirates recover the ball. Jamison Eklund passes to Braden Miller, who throws in a threeball from the corner for P-W. Jamison Eklund blocks an Aggie layup. P-W misses a three point shot from the wing as the halftime buzzer makes its presence known.

At halftime Pewamo-Westphalia has a 35-17 lead.

Calvin VanHartesvelt has 11 points at halftime to lead the Dansville scoring.

Jamison Eklund has 11 points for P-W. Braden Miller has 6 points and Collin Farmer has 5 points.

P-W has the ball to open the second half. Braden Miller drives and dishes to Luke Smith, who hits a ten foot shot in the lane for P-W. Jamison Eklund steals the ball and passes to Braden Miller for a P-W layup that extends the Pirate lead to 39-17.

Drew Frantz passes to Nate Stec, who is fouled before he can shoot a layup; Dansville gets another possession. Dansville misses a three point shot from the side. Nate Stec gets the offensive rebound for the Aggies. Zach Sykes is fouled on a six foot shot from the side of the lane and hits one of his two free throws for the Aggies. Drew Frantz steals the ball and is fouled on a fast break layup. He hits two free throws to shave the P-W lead to 39-20 with 6:01 left on the third quarter clock.

The Smith Connection comes through as Luke Smith passes to Blake Smith, who hits a three point shot from the wing for P-W. Dansville misses a three point shot from the side. Cam Cook passes to Jamison Eklund, who hits a layup for P-W. Luke Smith steals the ball for the Pirates. Jamison Eklund is fouled on a layup and hits two free throws to push the P-W lead to 46-20 with 4:44 to play in the third quarter.

Dansville misses a layup. Blake Smith passes to Jamison Eklund, who hits a fast break layup for P-W. Cody Ream drives and hits an eight foot shot from the side for Dansville. Calvin VanHartesvelt steals a P-W pass into the lane. Dansville misses a three point shot from the side. Calvin VanHartesvelt pulls down the offensive rebound for the Aggies. Dansville misses another three pointer from the side. P-W misses a three point shot. Brandon George gets the offensive rebound for the Pirates. P-W is fouled on a layup and misses two free throws. With 2:22 to go in the quarter, P-W has a 50-22 lead.

Dansville turns the ball over. Elijah Neal blocks a Pirate layup and causes a tieup. The Possession Arrow consults its staff of electrical engineers and decides to reward Mr. Neal’s fine defense; the ball is awarded to Dansville. The Aggies misfire on a threeball from the corner. Elijah Neal blocks a Pirate ten foot shot from the baseline. Dansville drives the lane and dishes the ball out of bounds. Jude Paxton passes to Collin Farmer, who hits a three pointer from the wing to boost the P-W lead to 53-22.

Drew Frantz passes to Jared Bristle, who hits a three point shot near the top of the key for Dansville. P-W misses a three point shot from the side at the buzzer.

With three quarters in the books, P-W holds a 53-25 lead.

The Pirates open the fourth quarter by inbounding the ball. P-W misses a three pointer from the wing. Corbin Schneider blocks a Dansville layup. Zach Sykes tips the ball out of bounds; the Pirates retain possession. P-W misses a three point shot from the corner. A Dansville pass into the lane goes out of bounds. Luke Smith passes to Collin Farmer, who hits a three point shot from the wing to push the P-W lead to 56-25.

Dansville misses a three point shot from the corner. P-W misses a three point shot from the side. Dansville reciprocates and misses a three pointer from the side. P-W misses a threeball from the corner; the rebound goes out of bounds and the Pirates get the ball back. P-W misses a layup; Brandon George gets the offensive rebound for the Pirates. Devin Ackerson steals the ball for Dansville. Collin Farmer draws a charging foul to negate an Aggie layup. Brandon George drives and hits a layup to give the Pirates a 58-25 lead.

Brandon George knocks the ball away from Dansville and the Pirates grab the ball. P-W travels with the ball. (Basketball cliches can be interesting. I wonder how newsworthy it would be to travel without the ball. However, I have my doubts that my whining will change how people describe basketball.) Brandon George blocks an Aggie layup. P-W gets the loose ball, but travels with it. Drew Frantz drives and dishes the ball to Dylan Ream, who hits a three point shot from the corner for Dansville. P-W leads 58-28.

Mirco Cervio knocks the ball away from P-W, but the Pirates are able to recover. P-W misses a twelve foot shot from the side. The rebound goes out of bounds and Dansville gets the ball. Dansville is fouled, but misses the first shot of a one and one free throw opportunity. With 1:18 to play, the Pirate lead remains at 58-28.

Nate Stec knocks the ball away from P-W and Drew Frantz picks it up for Dansville. Collin Farmer knocks an Aggie pass out of bounds; Dansville retains possession. Dansville misses an eight foot shot from the side of the lane. P-W misses a layup. Jude Paxton pulls down the offensive rebound for the Pirates. P-W misses a layup. Dansville misses a three point shot from the side. There is a big scramble for the rebound and it does out of bounds; P-W gets the ball. Collin Farmer drives and hits a layup for the Pirates to boost their lead to 60-28.

Dansville misses a threeball from the wing. P-W rebounds the ball and lets the last couple seconds on the clock run out.

Pewamo-Westphalia wins by the score of 60-28.

Calvin VanHartesvelt led the Dansville scoring with 11 points. Cody Ream added 5 points. Zach Sykes scored 4 points. Dylan Ream and Jared Bristle each tossed in 3 points. Drew Frantz tallied 2 points.

Jamison Eklund had 19 points to lead the Pirate scoring. Sophomore Collin Farmer joined his teammate in double figures with 13 points. Braden Miller contributed 8 points. Evan Droste and Blake Smith each chipped in with 7 points. Luke Smith scored 4 points and Connor Bengel had 2 points.