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  • Traverse City Central's TJ Schepperly (32) shoots over Alpena's Kameron Fitzek (23) and Luke Cordes (33). Record-Eagle/Jan-Michael Stump

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March 6, 2012

Alpena thumps Traverse City Central

Wildcats jump on Trojans, who were without Verschuren

BY DENNIS CHASE dchase@record-eagle.com

TRAVERSE CITY — Traverse City Central hosted a tripleheader Monday.

Unfortunately for the Trojans, Central will not be hosting a Wednesday night crosstown battle between the Trojans and Traverse City West.

Alpena saw to that, putting a 59-36 thumping on the Trojans in a Class A district opener.

"They were ready to play, we weren't," Central coach Jeff Turner said. "They were firing on all cylinders. Coach (John) Pintar had his kids ready to go. They did everything we try to take pride in. They were hustling after loose balls, playing hard, playing together. We seemed to be, for whatever reason, not ready to play that caliber of a team tonight."

The Trojans led 5-2 early in the first quarter, but Alpena scored the next 19 points to take command. It was 32-11 at half. The Wildcats lead reached 31 points in the fourth quarter.

Central, which beat Alpena twice during the regular season, played without senior Ryan Verschuren, who was on a family trip.

"That hurt us," Turner said. "You take away a third-year varsity player, our leading scorer, that put us behind the eight-ball."

Alpena, which improved to 12-9, was led by 6-foot-8 junior Luke Cordes, who had 19.

"Our kids played with a lot of effort and determination," Pintar said. "The last time we played them they dominated us (77-64). They won all the loose balls. I told the guys, there are things you can control out there and that's heart and effort. Our guys played with a lot of that.

"We were a little quicker to everything tonight. You could see our confidence grow and you could see theirs going away late in the second (quarter). I told the guys at half, 'We've got to come out in the third quarter and not let them get back in it. They're wobbly right now.' Our guys maintained it in the second half."

A key, said Cordes, was Alpena's defensive game plan, designed to stop Central's penetration.

"We were a little lazy on defense the first couple of times we played them," he said. "We packed our zone a little tighter and stopped their drives. We kept them from getting in the paint."

Offensively, Cordes showed a soft touch for a big guy, knocking down three 3-pointers.

"It's nice when you have a 6-8 kid who can go inside and outside and knock down shots," Pintar said. "He's a tough cover for anybody."

Alpena will now host West on Wednesday. The teams split a pair of close games during the season.

"We beat them once this season," Cordes said. "We can certainly do it again. We're hoping to get a win and move on."

Central, which finished 6-15, was led by Ethan Pilarski's 11 points.

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