Tigers Get Stung At Home

Story and photo by Mike Gesler

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Central Montcalm 49   Grant 32

The Central Montcalm Hornets came into Grant tonight looking to improve upon their 9-4 record. What they probably did not expect was for their senior Guard, Bailey Vissman, to put on a clinic racking up thirty-one of their forty-nine total points. “Number 20 [Vissman], she did a fantastic job tonight handling the ball,” stated Grant’s Coach, Josh Delamater. “You know when you’re a four year starter, you got a lot of experience. You know how to close out games, and that’s a huge deal. She just played a great game.”

Despite Vissman’s efforts against the Tigers, the game in itself was a sign that this young Tiger’s team continues to improve. Grant remained tied at the end of the first quarter, and went into the half only down by five. The Tigers roared back to tie the game in the third before the Hornets went on a twelve point run giving them a ten point margin to start the fourth. Yet Grant did not let that be the game, and continued to battle hard letting Central Montcalm know if they wanted this win, they would need to earn every point.

“We played pretty hard. There was a lot of effort there tonight,” Coach Delamater shared. “That’s something we have really been working on; is just building in that effort. Going into that last quarter, going into the last six minutes, five minutes, of the game, we’re hanging around which is a step in the right direction for this program for sure. We are really working hard at finishing games. It’s tough. You play a top tier team like that. They bury their free-throws. Kudos for our girls for just going out and continuing to play hard and work hard at it. It was a good game for us.”

Leading in the Tigers efforts tonight was Julie Ashbaugh with eight points. Jaycee Rider and Trinity Swanson each had seven, and Sara Arends and Chloee Chase added five apiece.