Blue Streaks show growth in tight loss to Jackson

The 2025-26 iteration of the Lake boys’ basketball team is much improved from last season. It may not always show up in the win-loss column – and a moral victory plus $2.65 will buy you a tall black coffee at Starbucks – but that doesn’t change the fact that the Blue Streaks can hang with the better teams in the Federal League.

Case in point: Lake’s Dec. 16 road loss to Jackson. Last season, the Polar Bears swept the Blue Streaks in league play, collecting 20- and 28-point wins. Not this year, however, as Jackson needed to scrape its way to a 58-55 victory.

The Blue Streaks trailed by only one as the whistle sounded to end the first period. The situation looked a bit dicey in the second quarter as the Polar Bears went on a run to end the first half with a 28-21 advantage.

Lake made adjustments, however, and clawed its way back into the contest, outscoring Jackson by four in the third quarter to make it a 38-35 game. Give credit to the Polar Bears (2-1, 1-1), though. Both teams opened it up as the Blue Streaks tried to get over the hump, but to no avail, as the two teams combined for 40 points over the final eight minutes of play.

Lake (3-3, 0-2) was led by sophomore guard Lucas Draher, who scored 16 points, while senior guard Gavin Salzwimmer added 15 points and two steals. On the boards, junior Logan Miller led the Blue Streaks with six offensive and six defensive rebounds, while Salzwimmer added nine.

Girls basketball

The Lake girls’ basketball team ran into a buzz saw when the Blue Streaks visited Jackson Dec. 17 in a Federal League matchup, as the Polar Bears raced to a 69-28 win.

Lake dug itself a hole early as Jackson, behind the hot shooting of Talia Russell, went on an 11-2 run to open the game. The Blue Streaks shook off the funk and hung with the Polar Bears the rest of the opening quarter to trail 18-10 as the whistle sounded.

The wheels fell off in the second period as Jackson outscored Lake 20-5 to take a 38-15 lead into the locker room and never looked back.

Lake (3-5, 2-2) was paced by senior guard Hayden Croyle, who scored 13 points and grabbed eight rebounds. Fellow guard Savanna Horning added 10 points and four boards. Maddie Lepley led both teams with 20 points for the Polar Bears (5-1, 4-1), while Russell finished with 17 points, including five 3-pointers.