Court teams split with Eagles

It was wins for the Muskie basketball teams and losses for the volleyball squads yesterday as NorWOSSA court action returned to Fort Frances for the first time since Dec. 4.
The junior boys remained undefeated on the season (5-0), beating the visiting Dryden Eagles 32-26 on the back of Justin Anderson’s 15 points.
Chris Legg helped the cause with eight points.
“First half, I was very happy,” Muskie head coach Greg Ste. Croix said. “Trying to get the ball inside more, getting our low post players more involved, we were doing that.
“Second half we stopped doing it,” he added. “We stopped doing a couple things, although we rebounded well.”
The Muskies definitely hit a lull in the second half and, even with a short flurry of last-minute baskets, still were outscored in the fourth quarter, resulting in a score that flattered the Eagles.
There was no flattery for the Eagles’ senior team, however, who were manhandled 64-29 by an emboldened Muskie squad coming off its first loss of the season Tuesday in Kenora.
Fort High (4-1) roared out of the gate—building a 19-7 lead in the first quarter.
But the defining moment came in the third quarter when, amid a 20-1 run by the Muskies, Jeremy Strain landed a thunderous dunk to draw awe and applause from all corners of the gym.
“He had a nice, wide open lane and he put it down with authority,” head coach Paul Noonan said with a smile, calling it the “first dunk in Muskie basketball for some time.”
The winning didn’t extend to the volleyball court, however, as both Muskie girls’ squads fell to the visiting Eagles yesterday.
The junior girls fell to 3-2 on the season after losing a five-set battle. They lost the first set 25-17, won the second one 25-18, lost the third 25-11, and won the fourth 25-17.
But they couldn’t keep the momentum going, dropping the tiebreaker by a 15-9 score.
Senior girls, meanwhile, were swept 25-12, 25-14, and 25-9 to remain winless on the season (0-5).
Despite looking outclassed and only managing single digits in the third set, Muskie head coach Duane Roen said this team is steadily improving.
“I think we’re starting to play like a team, and it’s a long time coming for these girls,” he remarked.
Both volleyball teams are heading to Kenora for a tournament this weekend.
The next NorWOSSA action for all four teams is slated for next Thursday (Jan. 17) in Dryden.