COLDWATER, MI (WTVB) – It was not the most successful of nights for Branch County’s high school basketball teams, with the lone win coming from the Coldwater girls in come-from-behind fashion.
In boys basketball, Coldwater couldn’t come back from a 22-8 first quarter deficit as the Charlotte Orioles flew past the Cardinals 73-57 at the Coach Floyd Eby Gymnasium. Three Charlotte players scored all but 10 of their team’s points, led by Sy Barnett with a game-high 26 points, 19 from Tanner Johns, and 18 from Kyle Peterson as the Orioles sank 9 three-point baskets. For the second straight contest, Coldwater forward Brady Beckhusen was our McDonald’s Player of the Game with a team-high 18 points. Nate Waterbury had 11 points and 5 rebounds, and Gage McGuire added 10 points and a team-high 7 boards. Coldwater and Charlotte are now tied for second in the Interstate 8 with identical 4-2 league marks and 6-3 overall records. Marshall, who was tied atop the league standings with the Cardinals at the beginning of the night, took sole possession of the league lead with their 81-69 win against Harper Creek.
Quincy lost at Big 8-leading Concord 70-58 despite 21 points from Nathan Karney and 19 from Quinn Eifrid. The Orioles drop to 5-3 overall, 3-2 in the Big 8.
Bronson picked up a 91-71 loss at Cassopolis, dropping the Vikings to 1-7 overall, 1-4 in the BCS East.
In girls basketball, Coldwater used a 26-16 second half to turn a 24-18 halftime deficit into a 44-40 win against visiting Charlotte. Our McDonald’s Player of the game, Jamie Wellet, had 12 points and 5 steals, while Kendall Galloway came off the bench to also score 12 while adding 7 assists, 6 rebounds, and 3 steals. Megan Hoath started in place of Galloway and collected a team-high 10 rebounds to go with 3 points as Coldwater improves to 5-4 overall, 3-3 in the Interstate 8.
Coldwater also won the JV game 55-31 to improve to 9-1. Samantha Rodesiler had 17 points and 7 rebounds, Emilee Smoker scored 11, and Carly Duke added 10 points and 7 boards.
At Concord, Quincy lost to the host Yellow Jackets 63-25. Payton Hines had a team-high 11 points as the Orioles fell to 0-11 overall, 0-6 in the Big 8.
Homer won at Union City 66-22 to stay atop the Big 8 Conference standings. Freshman callup Autumn Carpenter had 16 points and 5 rebounds for the Chargers as they fall to 2-7 overall, 1-4 in the Big 8.
On today’s schedule, in wrestling, Bronson hosts its annual Clark Walker Invitational, Quincy hosts the Shawn Cockrell Memorial with Union City among the teams in attendance, and Coldwater travels to Stevensville for the Lakeshore Super Duals. In gymnastics, Coldwater is at the Kenowa Hills Invitational in Grand Rapids. And in competitive cheer, Bronson and Quincy are at the Union City Invitational.
