Tickets are going fast for G-L games at Palace.

Add two more reasons to travel to the Palace of Auburn Hills on Monday, Jan. 25. As of Wednesday morning, the school had exceeded the minimum 250 tickets needed for the school’s game against Buckley by about 150. That was before folks knew that Glen Lake Elementary School students would be “playing” on the Palace court during halftime of the girls’ and boys’ varsity basketball games.

“I’ve got 13 (tickets) left, but what I really need is 30,” Glen Lake athletic director Paul Christiansen said. “If people want tickets, give me a call. I’ll see what I can do.”

The athletic director’s number is 334-3061, ext. 507.

The Pistons game against Orlando is now scheduled to be nationally televised, pushing the tip off back to 7 p.m. The girls’ varsity game is slated for 1 p.m. followed by the boys’ varsity contest at 2:45 or 3 p.m., Christiansen said.

“I think they ought to televise the afternoon games, but I’m biased,” he joked.

Christiansen is asking anyone who has ordered tickets to pick them up at his office at Glen Lake by Friday.

There will be no school on Jan. 25 — a Friday — which is a scheduled professional development day for staff.

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Pardon year-round Leland resident Elizabeth Heikel for rooting against Michigan State University Friday in the Champs Sports Bowl.

Or, to be more precise, for rooting against the MSU offense, which ran up 172 yards on the ground but managed only 131 yards in the air against Boston College. Heikel was just backing her son-in-law, Eagles defense coordinator Frank Spaziani. He and Laura Spaziani, the daughter of Elizabeth and the late Henrik Heikel, were married in 1988 at Leland Community Methodist Church.

Frank Spaziani played football for Joe Paterno at Penn State University, and stayed on after graduating to learn his profession as a coach's assistant. After coaching at Navy — and getting married — Frank and Laura moved north, where Frank coached for Calgary and Winnipeg in the Canadian Football League. He's been defensive coordinator at Boston College for 10 years, and had a chance last year to move with the former Eagles' coach to his new job at North Carolina.

"He was the only coach who stayed. He was invited to go to North Carolina, but his family wanted him to stay," said Heikel.

The Spazianis have a 12-year-old son, Joseph, and 9-year-old twins, Avery and Andrew.

Heikel said she enjoyed watching the game from the comfort of her home. A native of Denmark, the 78-year-old doesn't mind the winters of northern Michigan.

"I think it was an interesting game — I really enjoyed it," she said. "(Boston College) has done extremely well, but they had some good players who are seniors."

Spartan fans who watched their team fall 24-21 will attest to that.

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While the St. Mary girls’ basketball team didn’t have the outcome they were looking for at the St. Francis Katie Heintz Holiday Tournament last Thursday, Alyssa Korson and Bradi Pasch were named to the all-tournament team.

During the two-game tourney, Korson averaged 26.5 points, 7.5 rebounds and 4.5 steals to earn a spot on the team. Joining her was Pasch, who averaged 9.5 points per game. Lyndsay LaCourse of St. Francis, and juniors Lindsay Holmquist and Ali Ruttle of Reed City, also made the all-tourney team.

Holmquist also earned most valuable player honors.

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Talk about white knuckles, can you imagine driving in near-blizzard conditions with a cargo as precious as a busload of students?

Northport bus driver Cindy Cobb did. After falling to host Frankfort Friday in a Christmas tournament, the Wildcats' boys' basketball team was left with the prospect of fighting a snowstorm to get home or spending the night in unfamiliar beds. Frankfort boosters had lined up rooms at an area hotel because traffic was having trouble climbing steep hills on U.S. 131.

Instead, Cobb elected to take M-22, which was passable but not plowed. The team made it home safe and sound well after 11 a.m.

"We had two choices, and I left it up to her," said Northport coach Jeff Tropf. "She made the right decision, and did a great job."

Armed with a good night's sleep in their own beds, the team returned to Frankfort the following day - and played its best game of the season in the consolation match.