02/25/2007

Parity in preps makes for wild league races

By Dennis Chase
Sports editor

There are few dominant high school basketball teams in the north this winter.

But you know what? That's OK.

Parity has made this an interesting season for league races. There have been fewer givens this season.

Less than two weeks ago, five of the six teams in the Big North Conference had three losses. No one was able to take charge — and it's still that way. Entering the final week of the regular season, three of those teams are deadlocked for the lead at 6-3 — Cadillac, Alpena and Petoskey. So now it all comes down to this on Friday: Alpena hosts Petoskey while Cadillac entertains Traverse City Central (0-9 in the league).

Kingsley is in position to win the Northwest Conference with two losses. But if Glen Lake upsets the Stags on Thursday — the game is at Glen Lake — there will be a co-championship. Suttons Bay and Frankfort are a game behind the Stags — and those two teams square off Thursday.

Charlevoix is in position to win the Lake Michigan Conference outright. The Rayders are 12-1 in the league, a game ahead of St. Francis.

But it has not come easy for coach Keith Haske's team. What's separated Charlevoix and St. Francis from the pack? The ability to win close games.

The Rayders are 5-0 in league play this month — two of the wins came in overtime, the other three were decided in the closing seconds.

It's been an equally challenging task for St. Francis. The Gladiators have had two overtime wins this month — one was a two-overtime win at Elk Rapids.

The Northern Lakes race is now a two team affair. It will be decided this week when Mackinaw City (10-1) and Ellsworth (9-1) collide.

Leland and Buckley were on a collision course in the Cherryland Conference. That is until Friday night when Traverse City Christian upset Buckley. That gave Leland the title outright, taking some of the shine off Friday's rematch in Leland.

The districts could be just as intriguing.

In Class B, Manistee is enjoying an impressive 16-2 campaign. Both losses, however, are to teams in its district at Ludington — Cadillac and Mason County Central.

The Class D district at Bear Lake should be extremely competitive. It features an opening night match-up between once-beaten Bear Lake and Buckley (15-3). But the darkhorse team in that district — some might even say the favorite — is Frankfort. After an 0-4 start, the Panthers have won 12 of 14.

That's the beauty of parity. No one knows for sure what will happen.