The Central Montcalm Hornets and Belding Redskins boys basketball teams have had similar seasons this year. Both the Hornets and Redskins struggled to win games, but battled hard and never gave up. Wednesday’s district semifinal games were more of the same for the two schools.

Sometimes it’s just not meant to be. That may have been the case for Carson City-Crystal senior Kenneth Dittenber, who was in search of a third straight individual wrestling state title on Saturday at the Palace of Auburn Hills.

Brighter lights. Bigger arena. That is the setting called the Palace of Auburn Hills. This weekend, it’s not the Detroit Pistons on centerstage, but the best of the best in high school wrestling.

For one half Saturday, Central Montcalm’s girls basketball team was looking at a big upset of Reed City. The second half showed why the Coyotes are so good.

Every wrestling team begins winter practice in November dreaming of the chance to reach Battle Creek for the team state championship. Just eight teams in each of the four divisions get to realize this dream. Tonight, five area teams will have the chance to claim a regional title and a spot in the final eight, which will take place Feb. 22 and 23 at Kellogg Arena in Battle Creek.

Snow was falling outside, inside in was raining three-pointers. On Thursday night, the Big Rapids Cardinals were on fire. They drained nine three-pointers and 31 field goals in all, as they defeated the host Central Montcalm Hornets 74-37 in CSAA action.

Rivalry basketball games are intense and usually physical. That’s expected. Such was the case Tuesday night in Stanton as the Lakeview Wildcats (6-3, 4-3) earned a hard fought, foul-riddled game over rival Central Montcalm 50-31 in a CSAA matchup.

Central Montcalm senior basketball player Breanna Collins will have the opportunity to play her favorite game for another four years. The Hornet center recently committed to play college basketball at Alma College of the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA).

Shawn Lindsey had a night to remember Monday night. The Lakeview junior scored 22 points to lead the Wildcats to a 52-34 win over the Central Montcalm Green Hornets.

After wrestling at the Central Montcalm Hornet Invitational Saturday, a pair of local wrestling teams came out near the top of the 10-team tournament. Carson City-Crystal was the highest-finishing local team, ending up third in the tournament. Central Montcalm was fifth after beating sixth-place Belding.