Courtesy photo Alpena guard Bella Dickens drives to the basket in the first quarter of the Wildcats' 56-27 loss to the Garber Dukes.

ESSEXVILLE – The Alpena Wildcats girls varsity basketball team was defeated by the Garber Dukes, 56-2Wildcat girls outmatched by the Dukes7, on Tuesday.

The Wildcats kept the game within reach in the first quarter. Freshman Guard Emma Kinsel drove to the basket in the closing seconds and connected a shot near the basket.

The score at the end of the first quarter was 14-9 with Garber leading.

Alpena freshman Amelia Soltysiak started the second quarter by connecting on a three-pointer to give the Wildcats a spark and cut the Dukes lead to two points.

On the following offensive possession for the Wildcats, Soltysiak knocked down another three points, giving Alpena a 15-14 lead with seven minutes left in the second quarter, but the Dukes pulled away soon afterward.

At halftime, the Dukes led 34-17 and the Wildcats went into catch-up mode, but could not secure a lead for the rest of the game.

In the third quarter, the Dukes scored 16 points over the Wildcats’ three points, pushing their lead further into the fourth quarter. Though the Wildcats managed to score seven points over the Dukes’ six points, it wasn’t enough to save the game.

.The final regular season game for Alpena is a road matchup with Saginaw United on Friday. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m.

Tournament action begins on Monday for the Wildcats, against Traverse City West. Tip-off is scheduled for 6 p.m.