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On Thursday, March 7 the Forest Park Trojans won their MHSAA Regional Championship at Negaunee by defeating Lake Linden.
On Thursday, March 7 the Forest Park Trojans won their MHSAA Regional Championship at Negaunee by defeating Lake Linden.
By Patrick Browne
On Friday, March 1 the Forest Park Varsity Boys Basketball team won their Michigan High School Athletic Association’s (MHSAA) Division 4 District 99 Championship by defeating Norway 59 to 51.
Less than one week later, on Thursday, March 7, the team won their MHSAA Regional Championship at Negaunee by defeating Lake Linden 66 to 52.
The District Championship is the first for the Trojans since 2019, while the Regional Championship is the first since 2007. The Regional Championship marks only the eighth time in Forest Park history that the boys’ basketball team has advanced to the State Quarterfinals.
The Forest Park Trojans (22-4) are one of eight remaining teams to be in contention for the Division 4 State Championship. With 194 Division 4 basketball teams in the state the probability they would reach this point when the season began was a scant four percent.
The Trojans are on the march and are playing their best basketball of the year when the stakes are the highest. In defeating Lake Linden Hubbell to win the Regional, Forest Park had to beat a team they had lost to just two weeks earlier by a score of 65 to 54. The Lakes handed the Trojans their most humiliating loss of the year on February 21 and put Forest Park on notice that they were going to have to fight to win the District Championship.
On March 7 the Trojans took the floor in a rematch with the Lakes (22-3). From the jump ball to the last points of the night, when freshman Vic Giuliani dunked to finish the game, Forest Park decisively avenged their prior loss.
Beginning the game with an 11 to 4 run and going up at halftime 37 to 22, the Trojans then faltered out of the locker room while the Lakes came out strong in the second half. Lake Linden slowly chipped away at the deficit and at one point pulled to within five, 39 to 34.
Having 10 points of their lead evaporate in a matter of minutes shocked the Forest Park faithful. It was at this point, the sharp shooting school record holder for three point shots, Gaven Rintala, took two successive possessions and sank two three pointers. The Trojans were back on top 45 to 36 and never again was the game close.
Eight of the 10 Trojans scored in the victory, with freshman Vic Giuliani leading the way with 24 points, followed by his brother Kevin with 19, Gaven Rintala and Grayson Sundell with six, Dax Huuki with five, Gabe Quevedo with three, Felix Quevedo with two and Matthew Showers with one.
Forest Park’s coach, Jason Price, stated what was clearly evident on this historic night, “The boys came to play tonight. They were into the game from the get go and dominated on the offensive boards. In the second half they (Lakes) couldn’t stop us on the inside.”
An exuberant Athletic Director, Lisa Olson, reflected on the meaning of the Regional Championship, “I am so proud of our student athletes and the success of our programs. It is great to see the hard work and dedication of our students and coaches be rewarded with fantastic games, seasons and playoff runs. We now have regional wins for our girls and boys this year in girls’ volleyball and boys’ basketball. It is great to be a Trojan! Go red, Go black, Go Trojans!”