Northern Michigan key matchups for week of 12/16

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Last week of games before most programs take a hiatus from games until after the Holidays. Let's cruise through a couple of key matchups this week that stand out on the schedule. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Dollar Bay v. Lake Linden-Hubbell</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1806436"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-676059fe86981"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Dollar Bay riding a 6-0 record to start the season, brings in Lake Linden-Hubbell tonight, a team that is on the mend at 0-5. I wanted to highlight this contest as Liam should surpass 1,000 points in this game. The Blue Bolts will be a force headed into the second half of the season and should make plenty of waves headed into the postseason. They play Crystal Fall-Forrest Park on 12/30 at Michigan Tech...this could be a preview of a regional matchup.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Maple City-Glen Lake v. Harbor Springs</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["2270808"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-676059fe869dc"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Intra-division matchup between two undefeated teams. Glen Lake at 3-0 (two games postponed due to inclement weather) hosts a 5-0 Harbor Springs this Wednesday. Glen Lake had a bit of a test against Elk Rapids to start the season but has cruised handily since then. Watched Harbor Springs squeak past Charlevoix last Friday, and they will need to bring a lot of energy to go into Glen Lake's gym and take care of business. I'll be interested to see what defensive schemes Coach Flynn throws at the Lakers to keep one of the better forwards in the state, [player_tooltip player_id='2270808' first='Jacob' last='Plamondon'], contained. The one-two punch of [player_tooltip player_id='2218043' first='Rider' last='Bartel'] and [player_tooltip player_id='2112170' first='Braeden' last='Flynn'] will need to show up in force for the Rams to be successful. Whoever wins the turnover game will come out with the V in this one.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Menominee v. Crystal Fall-Forrest Park</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["2561784"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":["override_image"],"_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_player_featured_image":2697024,"_player_evaluations_0_player_featured_image":"field_62f141137ead9","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-676059fe86a39"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Menominee welcoming in Crystal Falls on Tuesday for a match-up of some bigs. Kevin and [player_tooltip player_id='2622028' first='Vic' last='Giuliani'] are a brother combo who get along well and just make things click for the Trojan offense. They need to bring a lot to handle a very tough inside threat from the Maroons in [player_tooltip player_id='2561784' first='Tanner' last='Theurkauf']. I like the match-up, the Trojans are meeting up with a higher division team, and they'll need the high-tempo game experience as they play through the last half of their schedule.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Marquette v. Iron Mountain </strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":2697061,"_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"Kyler Sager","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2025","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"6'1u0022","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"77244","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Marquette","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"[program_tooltip program_id='2075498' first='Great' last='Northern Elite']","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-67605b7babef8"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Marquette has a full schedule this week, playing Westwood tonight, Sault Ste. Marie on Wednesday, and then finishing the week hosting Iron Mountain on Friday. I want to pay my focus on that contest. Iron Mountain boasts a whole host of talent, notably Gerald Sampoll-Torres at the point and [player_tooltip player_id='1441371' first='Oskar' last='Kangas'] handling the duties in the paint. These two should match up well with a couple other of the UP's best, in [player_tooltip player_id='2610321' first='Jaxon' last='Jurmu'] and [player_tooltip player_id='2471674' first='Jacob' last='MacPhee'] from Marquette. I highlighted Kyler in this one as it's going to take some excellent play from an additional guard to come out on top of this one. Shooting percentage and second-chance points will be the deciding factor in this contest. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block -->