Pirate 7th graders finish strong in WMC tourney

December 20, 2022

Standing, left to right: Coach Talmadge, Sawyer Boos, Kolton Rockwell, Elijah Anastasiades, Craven Viening, Anthony Herevia, Leonard Udell, Landon Dunn, Team Manager Xavier Mendez; kneeling: Trevor Vander Kodde, Grant Ackley and Brody Riggs.

Pirate 7th graders finish strong in WMC tourney

By Allison Scarbrough, Editor

Pirate News is a presentation of Hart Public Schools in partnership with Oceana County Press.

HART — The Hart Middle School seventh grade boys basketball team recently made history, ending the season as runner up in the West Michigan Conference tournament.

It was the first time in 17 years that the seventh graders made it to the conference finals. They lost a heartbreaker to Ludington 40-37.

“We played really, really well in the semifinal game and got into the finals,” said Coach Garrett Talmadge, who is a 2005 Hart High School grad and former Pirate basketball player. “We were winning halfway through the fourth quarter, but we came up short. It was an exciting season, for sure.”

The Pirates hosted the three-day conference tournament last week.

This was the first year Talmadge coached at the middle school level after coaching high school and youth sports for several years.

Beating arch rival Shelby twice highlighted the Pirates’ successful season, said the coach.

“Seeing where we went from the beginning of the season to the end at the finish line was just huge,” said Talmadge. “They made huge progress, and they were so happy about it.”

The Pirates finished the season with an 8-4 overall record.

“They’re such a fun group of boys — hard workers, very coachable. All 10 players were great teammates and were always positive. They were always ready to pick each other up when one was struggling. My main goal in coaching basketball is to teach the game, but more importantly, share my passion for the game with each one of them. Hopefully, at the end of the season every one of them likes basketball a little more and wants to keep playing and get better.

“The whole team is part of our success — everybody — from the first player into the bench is key for us.”

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