Alpena came out strong in the first quarter, jumping to a 20-9 lead. Head coach Mark Toppi credited the team’s early success to their defense and ability to hit shots from beyond the arc.

“I think we had solid defense for sure,” Toppi said. “And then we were making some outside shots. That really helped.”

Reaghan Fitzpatrick and Kiera Prue led the scoring efforts for the Wildcats. Alpena controlled the boards early, rebounding well and frequently getting to the free-throw line. The Wildcats maintained their momentum through the first half, heading into the break with a 29-19 lead.

However, the game’s momentum shifted in the third quarter. The Blue Devils ramped up their energy and defensive pressure, forcing turnovers and clawing their way back. By the end of the quarter, Alpena’s once-comfortable lead had shrunk to just two points, 43-41.

News Photo by Leslianne Johns Natalie Maychen runs the ball up the court in the first half of Monday’s game in Alpena. The Wildcats faced the Sault Ste. Marie Blue Devils and lost 69-57.

“I thought their energy was way better there for a stretch than ours,” Toppi said. “Still, I think just their hustle and their effort. Granted, we’re playing four girls the entire game without subbing, so some of it’s that. But I felt they really wanted it. They didn’t want to go home with the loss.”

With 5:30 remaining in the fourth quarter, the Wildcats found themselves trailing for the first time, down by two points. Sault Ste. Marie continued to capitalize on steals and defensive stops, extending their lead. With 1:22 left, Alpena was down 57-51, and just seconds later, Faith Dragiewicz fouled out, limiting the Wildcats’ rotation even further.

Despite the loss, Toppi saw positives in his team’s performance, particularly their balanced scoring and defensive effort.

“We had scoring from a lot of different people, which we haven’t been getting lately,” he said. “Multiple girls made some shots, and we did play good defense. We rebounded well. We did a lot of good things tonight.”

Looking ahead, Alpena faces a tough schedule, something Toppi believes will prepare his team for the postseason.

News Photo by Leslianne Johns Faith Dragiewicz looks to pass the ball to a teammate on Monday night. Alpena played Sault Ste. Marie in Alpena.

“We’re excited that we have a really hard schedule,” he said. “We’re going to get tested every single night, and we’re going to try to get a little bit better in each game. That’s going to prepare us to make a run in the playoffs.”