Alpena led for much of the game but faced challenges with turnovers, foul trouble, and defensive adjustments.

Alpena began the game with a 19-8 lead at the end of the first quarter.

Head coach Mark Toppi commented on the team’s performance in the early stages, saying, “I like our effort and our start. We had a good thought going into the game and executed well in the beginning.”

By halftime, Alpena was ahead 25-16.

News Photo by Leslianne Johns Kiera Prue prepares to pass the ball to Reaghan Fitzpatrick on Thursday night in Alpena’s girls basketball game against Petoskey. The Wildcats next game is Saturday at 3 p.m. at home.

In the third quarter, Petoskey capitalized on defensive mismatches and turnovers, closing the gap to 38-35.

“We gave up six or seven points because we didn’t know who we were guarding,” Toppi said. “We can’t do that against good teams.”

Turnovers, including traveling violations and offensive fouls, disrupted Alpena’s momentum during this period.

In the fourth quarter, Kiera Prue left the game briefly due to an injury but returned to the court to finish the game.

“Kiera’s (Prue’s) resilience is remarkable,” said Toppi. “She wants to win, and I knew it would take more than an injury to keep her off the floor.”

News Photo by Leslianne Johns Natalie Maychen runs down the court with the ball in Thursday’s game against Petoskey in Alpena. The Wildcats lost the first game of the season 48-52 to the Northmen.

Prue led the team with 21 points, supported by Faith Dragiewicz with nine points and Natalie Maychen with eight.

Petoskey’s defense proved effective in the final minutes, and fouls on key players, including Prue, Dragiewicz, and Maychen, allowed Petoskey to gain an advantage. Alpena used a timeout with 13 seconds remaining but was unable to reclaim the lead.

Toppi emphasized the need for improvement in minimizing turnovers and improving rebounding.

“We told the team that if we out-rebounded them and took care of the ball, we’d win,” he said. “Petoskey simply turned it over less than we did.”

He also noted the potential for outside shooting to complement the team’s interior play.

“We know we’re strong inside with Kiera (Prue), but when she’s double or triple-teamed, we need our guards to step up and hit shots,” Toppi said. “That will open up the floor for everyone.”

The Wildcats face Saginaw United at home on Saturday at 3 p.m.