ALPENA, MI - A 12-2 run to end the opening quarter gave Marquette the early lead they needed in their 56-31 district semifinal victory over Alpena at the Gillespie Gymnasium.  Marquette's Kaleah Puskala and Aspen Michelin scored 12 points in the opening quarter, including a three-pointer each.  The Redettes extended their lead to 25-8 four minutes into the 2nd quarter and lead 33-16 at the half.  Marquette kept the pressure on after the half and after an Olivia McMahon buzzer-beater, the Redettes led 46-24 after three.

Alpena was led offensively by Allie DeRocher with 14 points.  Jade Schultz scored eight points in her final game as a Wildcat.

The Wildcats finish the season 10-10.

ALPENA, MI - Cadillac used a late 25-11 run to pull away from the Wildcats in a 55-35 victory on Friday night at the Gillespie Gymnasium.  Alpena struggled to convert their chances at the rim and struggled at the free-throw line all night.  The Wildcats got to within 30-24 before the Vikings took over over the final quarter and a half.  

Alpena kept pace with the #18 ranked Vikings in the opening quarter, trailing 12-10 after the first eight minutes.  Cadillac's Olivia Meyer scored ten points in the final five minutes of the 2nd quarter to extend their lead to 30-16 at the half.

Allie DeRocher led the Wildcats with 11 points and Jade Schultz had eight.  Alpena (10-7, 5-4 BNC) host #7 Sault Ste Marie on Monday.

Photo courtesy of the Cadillac Athletics Twitter account (@cadillacviking1)

GAYLORD, MI - The Alpena Girls Basketball team picked up a big road win on Friday night with a 45-31 victory over Gaylord.  Jade Schultz led the Wildcats with 21 points, including 5-of-8 from the free-throw line.  Allison DeRocher added seven points in the Wildcat victory.

The win moves the Wildcats to sole possession of 2nd place in the Big North Conference at 4-3 and trails first-place Cadillac (7-0).  Alpena (9-5) are at Bay City Western on Tuesday and host TC West on Thursday for Senior Night.

ALPENA, MI - Allison DeRocher and Jade Schultz scored two quick baskets in the 4th quarter to take the lead for good as Alpena rallied past Traverse City Central, 44-39, on Friday night in their annual Pink Game.  The Trojans held the lead for most of the night, thanks in large part to Alpena shooting 8-for-25 from the free-throw line.  Alpena's struggles from the line and turnovers allowed the Trojans to led by eight midway through the third quarter.  Alpena then began to slowly chip away and trailed 34-32 entering the final quarter.  An 11-1 run in the fourth gave Alpena a 43-35 lead that they would never surrender.  DeRocher would finish with a team-high 15 and Schultz finished with 14.

Alpena (7-4, 3-2 BNC) sits alone in 2nd Place in the Big North Conference behind 5-0 Cadillac.  The Wildcats are at Petoskey on January 30. 

TAWAS, MI - Alpena got big scoring night from Jade Schultz and Allison DeRocher as the Wildcats ran past Tawas, 53-43, on Tuesday night.  Schultz led the Wildcats with 19 points and DeRocher added 16 in the non-conference win.  Alpena (6-4) has won three of their last four games.  The Wildcats will host TC Central at 6pm on Friday night for their annual Pink Game.

ALPENA, MI - Jade Schultz scored Alpena's first bucket of the night and then took over as the Wildcats earned a hard-fought 54-30 victory over Petoskey on Friday night at the Gillespie Gymnasium.  Schultz scored eight of her game-high 20 points in the first quarter as Alpena led 13-9 after one.  The Wildcats pulled away in the second quarter thanks to a 7-2 run, sparked by defensive pressure that forced Petoskey turnovers.  The increased defensive pressure gave Alpena a 25-15 halftime lead.

Petoskey kept the game at the 10-point range for the first part of the 3rd quarter until Alpena put away the Northmen.  An Allison Urlaub score and two straight buckets from Schultz gave Alpena a 38-20 lead after three.  Petoskey began to climb back into the game and had multiple opportunities to cut the lead to single digits.  Alpena responded with increased defensive pressure to hold off the Northmen's rally.

Urlaub finished the night with 11 to add to Schultz's big night.  Alpena (5-4, 2-2 BNC) are at Tawas on Tuesday and then host TC Central on Friday for their annual Pink Game

CADILLAC, MI - Cadillac outscored the Wildcats 39-17 in the 2nd half and pulled away, 57-27, for a Big North Conference win on Friday night.  Alpena's tough defense limited Cadillac to a 5-4 lead after one quarter and 18-10 at the half.  Cadillac's Molly Anderson finally broke loose to help the Vikings blow open a tight game in their big 2nd Half.  Anderson would finish the night with 17 points.

Alpena (4-4) host Petoskey on January 17.

ALPENA, MI - Alpena scored the game's first nine points and never looked back in a 57-22 win over Ogemaw Heights on Monday night at the Gillespie Gymnasium.  After their opening 9-0 run, the Wildcats allowed Ogemaw Heights to chip away at the lead as Alpena led 16-9 after the first quarter.  The 2nd quarter would prove to be the difference-maker as Alpena outscored the Falcons 19-1 and went into the halftime break with a commanding 35-10 lead.

Alpena's hot shooting continued into the 3rd quarter as the Wildcats dominated the Falcons at both ends of the courts and held a 50-13 lead going into the final quarter.  Jade Schultz was the game's highest scorer with 17 points and Allie DeRocher chipped in with 10.  All but one Wildcat scored a point in the victory.

Alpena (4-3) return to conference action on Friday when they travel to league-leading Cadillac.

ESCANABA, MI - Escanaba got a career night from Nicole Kamin as they pulled away from Alpena, 61-48, on Friday night.  Alpena held the lead for most of the opening quarter until Taylor Ray knocked down a three-pointer to tie the game at 12-12.  That shot would spark a 14-0 run for Escanaba that would give them the lead for good. 

After leading 31-21 at the half, Escanaba stayed hot to push their lead o 41-26 with 2:15 left in the 3rd.  The Wildcats responded by scoring the next six points and a Jenna Leeck shot to cut the Eskmo lead to 41-32.  After a Kamin bucket gave Escanaba a 43-32 lead, Allison Urlab trimmed the lead back to single digits with a long jumper.  Escanaba would control the rest of the game after a 10-0 run put away the Wildcats.  Kamin would finish the night with a career-high 28 points for the Eskymos.  Jade Schultz led the Wildcats with 15 points, while Leeck would finish with 10.

Alpena (3-3) host Ogemaw Heights on Monday night.

TRAVERSE CITY, MI - Jade Schultz scored a game-high 15 points as Alpena hung on for a 37-36 victory over TC West on Thursday night.  Alpena played without Allison Urlaub, who had dropped 19 points in a loss to Gaylord earlier in the week.  Alpena relied on tough defense to hold a 16-11 halftime lead.  Allie DeRocher finished with seven points and Macy Dickinson and Anna Young each had six points.

Alpena (3-2 1-1 BNC) are off until January 3 when they travel to Escanaba.

ALPENA, MI - Gaylord outscored the Wildcats 12-5 in Overtime to pull away for a 56-49 victory in the Big North Conference opener for both teams on Thursday night.  Gaylord's Savanna Gapinski was hot early as she scored nine of her game-high 26 points in the opening quarter to push the Blue Devil lead to 18-10.  Alpena would begin chipping away at the lead throughout the 2nd quarter behind the play of Allison Urlaub.  Urlaub, who led the Wildcats with 8 first-half points, hit a three-pointer followed by a three-pointer from Alison DeRocher to tie the game at 23-23 late in the half.  A late Blue Devil basket gave Gaylord the 25-23 lead at the halftime break.

The two teams would play the majority of the 3rd quarter within a three-point margin until Urlaub connected on another three-point shot with 1:54 left to tie the game at 30-30.  Gaylord would finish the quarter with the 37-36 lea behind the play of Gapinski, Molly Kinser, and Kennedy Neff.  Jenna Leeck had a personal four-point run as well in the quarter to keep the Wildcats within striking distance.  

In the final quarter, Jade Schultz began to exert her physical presence in the paint as she scored six straight points to give Alpena the 44-42 lead with 0:48 left to play.  Gapinski responded with a driving score to tie the game at 44-44.  After a jump ball gave Alpena the ball with 0:05 to play, the Wildcats had a perfect opportunity to win the game but the shot rolled off the rim.

Gaylord scored four straight in the opening moments of the overtime to put pressure on the Wildcats.  Rachel Klepadlo hit a three with 2:44 to give the Blue Devils a five-point lead.  Gaylord would go 4-for-7 from the free-throw line late in the overtime to put the game away. 

Urlaub led the Wildcats with 19 points, Jade Schultz finished with 10 points, Jenna Leeck had eight points, and Anna Young had seven.  Alpena (2-1, 0-1 BNC) travels to Sault Ste. Marie on Tuesday.

ALPENA, MI - The Wildcats got a second-half surge behind the three-point shooting of Allison DeRocher to knock off Cheboygan, 37-27, at the Gillespie Gymnasium.  The opening half was not a strong one for the Wildcats as poor shooting and sloppy play saw the Chiefs sprint out to a 15-9 halftime lead. The Wildcats struggled to contain Cheboygan’s CJ Salter scored as she scored 10 first-half points.

DeRocher sparked the Wildcat comeback with a pair of threes as Alpena outscored the Chiefs 15-6 in the 3rd quarter.  Jade Schultz knocked down two free throws with 2:51 remaining in the quarter to give Alpena the lead for good.  The Wildcats were able to make the needed defensive adjustments down the stretch as Salter, who scored 10 first-half points, was held scoreless in the second half.  

DeRocher led the Wildcat effort with 15 points, and Jade Schultz chipped in with seven.  Alpena (2-0) opens Big North Play on Thursday when they host Gaylord.

ALPENA, MI - The Wildcats outscored Alcona 16-4 in the 4th Quarter to pull away for a 58-42 opening game victory on Thursday night at the Gillespie Gymnasium.  The Tigers and Wildcats played to an 11-11 deadlock in the opening quarter as sluggish play led to numerous turnovers.  Alcona took the lead early in the 2nd quarter behind a pair of buckets by Kelsey Hansen.  With 2:28 remaining in the half, Megan Grove hit a big three to push the Tigers lead to five at 24-19.  The Wildcats responded and closed out the half with a 10-3 run to lead 29-26 at the break.

The Wildcats came out with urgency in the 2nd half and quickly took a 36-26 lead, forcing a Tiger timeout.  The Tigers used timely three-point shooting to chip away at the lead to trail 42-38 after three.  The Wildcats began to pull away with tough defense and execution as they began to slice their way through the Alcona defense.  Allison DeRocher nailed a long-range bomb with 3:42 remaining to spark a 13-0 run to close out the game.