Roundup: Gelow drops 48, Bensinger get 100th career win and JoBurg girls outlast Onaway
GAYLORD ― Welcome to 2024 and welcome back to the high school sports season.
Teams across the Gaylord area took time off for the holidays but quickly returned to action as the calendar flipped over and schools back in session. Catch up with results from just before the break and the first games after the new year:
Gelow scores 48 in win over TC Central
Gaylord senior Luke Gelow introduced himself to the Northern Michigan basketball scene last season, averaging 21.4 points per game as a junior despite a lingering injury to his shooting shoulder.
This season, a healthy Gelow has taken his game to another level.
He was the talk of the Big North Conference after a 64-53 win over Traverse City Central just before break, scoring a career-high 48 points in the Dec. 21 victory.
"Honestly, I just hit a zone and ran with it," said Gelow. " They were playing tough defense but I kept pushing through."
Gaylord (4-3) gets back in action on Friday vs. Petoskey (4-5).
JoBurg girls outlast Onaway, extend winning streak to three games
After a slow start to the season, the Johannesburg-Lewiston girls have found their footing, taking a 51-28 victory over Hillman before the holiday break followed by a 30-19 victory over Posen on Tuesda and a 45-44 conference win at Onaway on Thursday.
Senior Jayden Marlatt was a big contributor in all three wins, leading the team with 20 points against Hillman while chipping in 10 points and six steals vs. both Posen and Onaway. Brittney Fox led JoBurg with 14 points at Posen while Emerson Wertman had 11 points in the Ski Valley battle with Onaway.
JoBurg (3-4) is at Hillman (1-5) on Tuesday.
Bensinger gets win 100 for Gaylord wrestling
Gaylord wrestling opened the 2024 portion of its schedule with its first conference matchups, taking on Traverse City Central and Traverse City West on Wednesday.
Unsurprisingly, the Big North's premier program notched a couple of easy victories, with Gaylord beating TCC 59-11 and TCW 56-18.
The match was highlighted by senior Ty Bensinger, who collected his 100th career win. Brock Young earned wrestler of the meet honors as one of nine GHS wrestlers to finish 2-0.
The Blue Devils will return to weekend tournaments Saturday at the Eaton Rapids Invite.
Other scores
Girls basketball
Gaylord St. Mary (3-3) 54, Harbor Light Christian 16
Boys basketball
Gaylord St. Mary (5-2) 55, Onaway 44
Posen 48, Johannesburg-Lewiston (1-5) 33
Contact GHT Sports Editor Dylan Jespersen at Djespersen@gaylordheraldtimes.com. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @dylanjespersen, and Instagram, @dylanjespersen
This article originally appeared on The Petoskey News-Review: Gaylord roundup: Gaylord-area results from pre and post holiday break:
