Rapid River junior Lane Olson takes a shot against North Central on Dec. 4, 2025 at Rapid River School. (Victoria Coppock/Daily Press)

RAPID RIVER- On Thursday, December 4th, the Rapid River Rockets won their game against the visiting North Central Jets with a final score of (45-40).

QUARTER ONE: The game started with Rapid winning the tip but it was quickly lost out of bounds allowing North Central to set up in a four out one on offense. This allowed their forward, senior Brooks Castle, to make a cut to the basket and secure the first points of the night. Once Rapid inbounded the ball they attacked the opposing teams basket several times before passing it out to sophomore Brennen Kee for a successful three leaving the score (3-2). Throughout the quarter it became difficult to get a run on between the two teams with the rest of the points being made by block shots, lay-ups, or free throws ending this quarter with the score (9-6)

QUARTER TWO: The quarter began with it being Rapid’s ball. This allowed for a quick lay-up by junior Rowen Flath who was fouled on the shot by senior Brady Trudgeon. With a successful free throw the score is now (12-6). All throughout the quarter the ball’s possession was constantly changing with good defense from each team. A few minutes in, senior Brooks Castle caught the rebound from his teammates, senior Brady Trudgeon, fast break after collecting the rebound. A little later junior Jake Fox made a drive towards the basket which was quickly copied by senior Brody Mercier and then followed by a successful three point shot from junior Rowen Flath, the score was now (17-10). Shortly after another 2 lay-ups are made by junior Jake Fox from Rapid and junior Riley Cretens from North Central. The last few points in this quarter were a three for each team from junior Rowen Flath for Rapid and senior Brady Trudgeon for North Central leaving the score after the first half (22-15)

QUARTER THREE: To start off quarter three junior Kaden Malone from North Central had three back to back lay-ups closing the score to (22-21). Junior Lane Olson from Rapid River quickly responded with two lay-ups adding to their lead (26-21). After the lay-ups, junior Riley Cretens hit a three, which was quickly followed by a lay-up from junior Rowen Flath (28-24). To end the third quarter senior Brooks Castle made a free throw leaving the score (28-25).

QUARTER FOUR: The last quarter of the game was with the most points scored. 17 for Rapid and 15 for North Central. The first successful shot in the beginning was a three pointer from junior Kaden Duerson starting off the quarter strong. Though the score was constantly changing as each score would happen one after another starting with a lay-up from Kaden Malone that then went to a lay-up from Jake Fox, back to Kaden Malone, to Lane Olson for a lay-up, then Riley Cretens for a two point shot, and then back to Kaden Malone for a three point shot closing the score at 35-34. For the last half of the final quarter Rapid put up 10 points seven of which came from Lane Olson and three from Rowen Flath. North Central put up 6 points, a lay-up from Brady Trudgeon and Kaden Malone, and a jump shot from senior Griffin Gatien.

From North Central’s Head Coach, Jon Haight:

GAME PLAN-our game plan overall was to run the floor in and out speed them and it just didn’t go that way for us because of our speed like.

MVPS- “Tonight’s game mvps for us, I would say probably Kaden Malone. He played pretty well. He hasn’t been able to play so far this year because he’s been sick, he had a really bad flu, and Brody Mercier, who played really well again tonight, we’re the MVP for tonight’s game.”

From Rapid River’s Head Coach, Brent Lundquist

GAME PLAN- “Just be super physical as the guys something N centrals while most physical teams out there. So we had to match that, which you guys didn’t really evolve and really playing good defense, which they did and limit the turnovers.”

MVPS- “For the MVP’s for tonight’s game Lane Olson, Rowen Flath and Jake Fox.”

North Central’s next game is Monday, December 8th in superior central. Rapid Rivers next game is Tuesday, December 9th in Bark River