The boys freshman basketball team capped off its season with two very solid wins against Forest Hills Northern and Lowell. The first game was Tuesday, Feb. 19 at home against the Huskies of FHN. The final score was 48-37 with freshman Jacob Bonnet leading with 16 points. In the second game, FHC started its regular bench against the Red Arrows of Lowell and came out with the 66-31 win.

In the first half of the Northern game, the Rangers came out with the upper hand by being undefeated in the conference. This advantage proved to be true, as FHC’s defense came up big and held Northern to only 6 points in the first 16 minutes of the game. Freshman Benny Scholler was a key player in this first half by getting many defensive stops and contributing 13 total points for the night.

The Rangers still held control in the second half; however, the Huskies put up 31 points in this half alone. FHC maintained control throughout the game but had some struggles on both ends of the floor. The Rangers’ shots weren’t falling like in the first half, and the defensive pressure was broken down due to a different approach from their opponent. Although struggling, the Rangers pulled out the 48-37 win to sweep the Forest Hills teams.

The Lowell game was very different but still crucial for the Rangers. This win would solidify FHC’s streak of being undefeated in conference play. Head coach Adam Monroe decided to start this game with a different lineup since it was the last game of the season. He set a goal before the game, saying that everyone must score by the end of regulation, and that goal was achieved

The Rangers started out on a hot 11-0 run in the first quarter to force a Lowell timeout. This theme was continued on in the game, and it was evident throughout the first half. Key freshman Conner Milton led the team with 9 points against the Red Arrows, many coming in the first half. Not only was the offensive intensity there for FHC, but it managed to get many stops down the stretch. Going into the locker room, the Rangers were up by double digits with a comfortable lead.

The second half was an emotional 16 minutes for the team; not only did it cap off the season but possibly the Rangerball careers of some of the players. With just minutes left in the season, freshman Grayson Minard found back-cutting freshman Kevin McPoland for his first points of the game, giving Monroe his fulfilled wish. Not only did everyone score, but the team combined for eight total three-pointers, which is something it had focused on in practice all season.

The Rangers finished on top of the OK White with a record of 15-2 and 10-0 in the conference.