Owls look to repeat

OSCODA, Mich. — The Oscoda Owls boys basketball team is just a week away from tipping off their 2019-2020 season. Last year, former Owls head coach Seth Alda and the Owls finished with a 24-1 record. One of those wins resulted in a district title. This year, the expectations are still high.

Michael Poland, a 1992 Graduate of Oscoda High School, will be entering his first year as head coach at the varsity level. Poland has coached basketball for a total of eight years in Oscoda. In 2009-2010, he coached 8th-grade Boys Basketball and from 2012-2018, he coached Junior Varsity.

Poland has a lot of returners on his squad and can be either be a lot of fun to watch or be dangerous to play against. Three of his guards earned All-Conference awards last year which were Brayden Mallak, Owen Franklin and Gabe Kellstrom.

Mallak is now in his senior year. Last year, he averaged 13.1 points, 4.6 rebounds and 4 assists per game. With those statistics, he was the Big Dipper Conference MVP and earned All-State Honorable Mention. Franklin in his sophomore year, also earned All-State Honorable Mention as he averaged 14.5 points and 5.6 rebounds per game. Kellstrom finished the 2018-2019 season averaging 11.1 points and three rebounds per game.

Oscoda is also returning:
Gavin Lueck – Junior Forward
Chance Kruse – Senior Center
Devin Thomas – Senior Guard

The Owls brought six newcomers to their team:
Caleb Nagel – Junior Guard
Michael Scott – Junior Forward
Michael Gepfrey – Sophomore Guard
Brendan Apsitis – Sophomore Center
Itusto Mantani – Sophomore Guard
Austin Schlink – Senior Forward

Oscoda’s first game is on Dec. 10, as they host the Wolverines of Au Gres-Sims. The opening tip is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.