Coach says strong finish 'set the tone for years to come'

Kyle Klumpp, the second-shortest player on the Glen Lake roster, has been dunking the basketball quietly in practice for about two years.

The timing of his first slam in a game was anything but quiet, as a rocking Laker crowd erupted with expectation. And why not? Glen Lake appeared headed toward a resurrection of its storybook basketball past that very night, using runs to pull even with, and at times grab the lead from, state-ranked Charlevoix in a District semifinal match.

The Lakers finished one run short, falling 74-73 to the Red Rayders last Wednesday, Feb. 27, despite playing their best game of the season against their toughest opponent.

Charlevoix went on to claim the District title over host St. Francis, but Glen Lake also left with a prize.

"I think that game turned the corner for our program," said Glen Lake coach Todd Hazelton. "I want to thank all the people who turned out — it was electric in that gym, and it was fun."

And Klumpp was right in the middle. "He handled the ball 85 percent of the time," slashing through the dangerous Charlevoix press to find an open man or score himself, Hazelton said. He finished with 27 points, 10 assists, 7 rebounds and 5 steals.

And a dunk, something not every 5-foot-11 high school guard gets to talk about.

"I’ve been dunking for a couple years, but it’s the first one I’ve gotten in a game," said Klumpp.

It was a season of firsts for Klumpp and his three fellow seniors. All four started, leading Glen Lake to a 12-10 record — the first winning mark for their class at the middle school or high school levels.

The season didn’t always look rosy. Glen Lake won five straight games leading up to the Charlevoix loss, turning around what had been a subpar record.

"We went on a nice streak at the end, and went into the playoffs strong. We about pulled it off," said Klumpp, the son of Brian Klumpp and Kelli Klumpp.

Glen Lake, which advanced to the District semifinals by knocking Suttons Bay from the tournament, played even with Charlevoix in the first period. The Lakers fell behind by as much as seven in the second period, trailed 39-33 at halftime, and slipped back by 9 points at one time in the third period.

But they were never out of it, and only needed a few more free throws as the game wound down to pull ahead. Aaron King’s half-court bomb beat the buzzer to make it a one-point finish.

Charlevoix’s full court press, which had riddled opponents all season, was not much of a factor. Often Klumpp pushed the ball ahead to find fellow senior Ryan Dyksterhouse, who at 6-foot-4 knows how to finish a fast break. Dyksterhouse, the team’s leading scorer at 20 points an outing, finished with 22 points and 13 rebounds as the Lakers pulled down 15 more missed shots than Charlevoix.

The Glen Lake seniors were heavy contributors. Aaron King finished with 7 points, and Jack Drow scored 6.

"I don’t think the seniors had ever won at any level. I was real happy for them," said Hazelton. "They really set the tone for years to come. It was a privilege to coach those four — to have good seniors."

Freshman Matt O’Brien also started, scoring 7 points while grabbing 10 rebounds.

Glen Lake’s deep lineup allowed it not to suffer when Hazelton reached to the bench. Andrew White scored 7, while 6-foot-5 Will Hendricks finished with 9 rebounds.

"Most of the time it was one shot and done for Charlevoix, which helped us on the break, and they couldn’t press," said Hazelton.

Justin Friske, a 6-foot-4 junior, paced Charlevoix with 23 points.

With his strong finish, Klumpp said he would like to continue playing basketball for a small college, if possible. If not, he has applied to Michigan State and Central Michigan. He is also a stalwart on the Laker baseball team.

Klumpp makes string music on stage as well as the basketball court. He sings and plays guitar in Glen Lake's school musical ensemble North by Northwest, which specializes in oldies and folk songs.

But he may head in a different direction while staying in the arts field. He is considering majoring in drama in college.

"I’ve just quoted lines from movies a lot. I’d like to be an actor, and I sing a little bit, too," he said.