Gladwin has enjoyed an impressive season, but as they approached the Jack Pine Conference championship game, the mood shifted. The Flying G”s faced a series of setbacks, including illness and injuries, leading up to the highly anticipated match against their archrival, Beaverton. “It felt like nothing was going to go right, even before the game started,” said Gladwin coach Mike Verellen. “We were sick, we were injured, we had to play our conference championship in our rival”s gym… I”d be lying if I said I wasn”t concerned.”
However, the spirit of the Flying G”s prevailed. In a thrilling contest that lived up to the storied Gladwin-Beaverton rivalry, Gladwin emerged victorious, winning 49-46 and claiming their first conference title since 1993. With this win, they have now achieved 20 consecutive victories since an early season loss to Sanford Meridian, capping off a remarkable season with a record of 20-1.
Gladwin”s journey to the title game was not without challenges. They faced a tough opponent in Beaverton, who entered the game with a record of 17-5. The Beavers initially took control of the game, leading 31-24 at halftime thanks to the efforts of Ian Roberts and Landon Love. “We had a bit of a wake-up call conversation in the locker room at half,” Verellen noted. “We were down, but I reminded them what we are capable of in the second half. We truly are a third-quarter team. The boys locked in and started to crawl back.”
In the second half, Gladwin responded with determination. Jacob Pahl showcased an impressive performance, scoring 20 points, while Colton Pfenninger contributed 17 points. The Flying G”s narrowed the gap to 38-36 by the end of the third quarter, setting the stage for a dramatic finish.
With just 35 seconds remaining in the game, Ben Verellen made a crucial steal and assisted Pahl for a go-ahead bucket, putting Gladwin ahead 45-43. Beaverton”s Jace Mishler managed to sink one free throw, bringing the score to 45-44. In the final moments, both Ben Verellen and Pahl converted their free throws, sealing the game for Gladwin.
This victory not only marked Gladwin”s first league title in over three decades but also their first 20-win season since 1987. Meanwhile, Beaverton, who had claimed numerous league titles during Gladwin”s long drought, was hoping for another overall victory after their last title in 2021. “Nothing will take the sting out of losing a tough game like that,” Beaverton coach Shad Woodruff stated. “But this group did everything we asked them to do all year and they should be proud.” Love led Beaverton”s scoring with 15 points, while Roberts added 14.
