Logan Paquet

Mackinaw City improved to 9-2 in the Northern Lakes Conference and 12-6 overall after defeating Alba 83-36 Friday, February 18, and upending Vanderbilt 83-52 Tuesday, February 15.

Following the two Mackinaw City victories and the Boyne Falls (8-3) 71-64 win over Ellsworth (9-2) Friday, February 18, the Comets and Lancers will battle for the championship in the final NLC game for both teams at Ellsworth Friday, February 25.

Mackinaw City, on a five-game winning streak, was led by Morgan Paquet with 22 points, 14 rebounds, nine steals, and seven blocked shots (56 on the season). Seth Strong added 19 points and 12 boards, Chase Closs chipped in 12 points and eight assists, Eric Teysen notched nine points and nine rebounds, Dan Sefton tallied nine points, and Phillip Gillman, Robert Passino, and Logan Paquet (seven assists) charted four points each against Alba.

The Comets are without the services of juniors Matt Alexander (broken hand) and Dan Kurth (broken nose), and their return is questionable for the tournaments.

Mackinaw City exploded with a 28-13 margin after the first eight minutes, and outscored the Wildcats 24-8 in the second quarter for a 52-21 halftime lead.

In the second half, the Comets held a 31-15 advantage to gain a tie for first place in the NLC.

Comets Sting Yellowjackets

In the home win over Vanderbilt, Morgan Paquet scored 19 points with 10 rebounds and five assists to pave the way for the Comets, while Seth Strong added 14, Chase Closs chipped in 13, Dan Sefton notched 11, Eric Teysen notched nine points and eight boards, Phillip Gillman charted nine points, and Logan Paquet tallied eight points and seven assists.

Mackinaw City exploded to a 45-22 halftime lead and outscored the Yellowjackets 38-30 in the second half to post the win.