Road warriors
The 10-0 Warriors defeat a tough Blackhawk team and distance themselves from the district’s second-place team in a two-game road swing
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NOXON — Even traveling 375 miles in two nights couldn’t slow down the Warriors. On a two-game road swing they had different players step up each night, to come away with a pair of victories and remain perfect on the year.
In a 53-45 nonconference victory against Seeley-Swan Friday it was Kyle Felsman and the guards providing the offense for the Warriors and in their 53-41 District 14-C victory over Noxon Kody Morigeau and John Sansavere carried the offensive load.
“We had different kids come to play each night. That’s one thing that helps us; we’re not one dimensional,” said Clyde Tucker, the coach of the 10-0 Warriors. “It’s always somebody different that does it. Maybe they’re learning how to win, I don’t know what it is, but whatever it is, it’s nice to see.”
Felsman, the Warriors’ forward, scored 14 points on 7-of-14 shooting to help Arlee pull away from the Blackhawks in the fourth quarter. The senior also pulled down a season-high 17 rebounds. Jesse Pfau and Kasey Bridgewater, the Warriors’ point guards, each finished with nine points apiece. Pfau also had five assists and three steals.
“Our defense is kind of what kept us in the game early and then we started hitting some shots and pulling away in the end,” Tucker said. “The kids kept plugging away,” he added.
The much-overlooked Warrior defense held the potent Blackhawk offense to 19 first-half points and went into the break with a 24-19 lead. The lead had dwindled to 37-34 by the end of the third, but for the second game in a row the Warriors came through in the clutch to win their 10th game in 10 tries.
The Warriors showed no signs of being road weary against Noxon, holding the district’s second-place team to six points in the second quarter to take a 26-16 lead into to the second half.
Warrior center Morigeau scored 12 of his 17 points in the one-sided first half. Morigeau collected eight rebounds.
“Kody (Morigeau) played really physical. They (Noxon) don’t have much size and what size they do have is young. He just took over the game, based on his experience,” Tucker said of the senior.
Sansavere led the Warriors with 18 points. Sansavere was 4-for-8 behind the arc.
“I don’t think he missed but one shot,” Tucker said of the guard who seemed to have come out of nowhere to become a major contributor this year.
With the victory over Noxon the Warriors improved to 5-0 in District 14-C and have now faced everybody in their new conference.
“Now we just have to do it all over again,” Tucker said.
The Warriors host St. Regis Friday in a conference game and travel to Lincoln Saturday.
Summary
Arlee 53, Seeley-Swan 45
Arlee 15 9 13 16–53
Seeley 11 8 15 11–45
ARLEE - Kasey Bridgewater 9, Kyle Felsman 14, Thomas McClure 2, Jesse Pfau 9, Trae Burland 3, John Sansavere 6, Beau Couture 2, Kody Morigeau 8.
SEELEY-SWAN - Shawn Evans 18, Leland Hatton 6, Todd Skelton 4, Bobby Russell 2, Chris Birdsbill 6, Robert Baier 9.
Arlee 53, Noxon 41
Arlee 11 15 8 19–53
Noxon 10 6 10 15–41
ARLEE - Kasey Bridgewater 2, Kyle Felsman 6, Thomas McClure 5, Jesse Pfau 5, John Sansavere 18, Kody Morigeau 17.
NOXON - Chris Herbig 3, Banks Stocking 16, Jordan Eichert 12, Eric Stevenson 7, Riley Detwiler 2, Travis Tammaro 2.
