Saginaw - Saginaw's two big Lutheran programs went at it Tuesday night.  Valley Lutheran was already out of contention for the Tri-Valley West title but MLS was still playing with the hope that they could obtain a share of the title if Ithaca would happen to fall in their last conference game.  All of that would be moot with a loss however.  With the pressure squarely on Michigan Lutheran Seminary and Valley playing at home on Senior Night, it seemed as if the cards were stacked against the visiting Cards.

MLS took the stacked deck but they were the ones dealing the blow.  The Cards exploded out of gate, going up 10-0.  8 of those 10 points were put home by Joshua Byers.  The Chargers did not have an answer for the big man down low.  With 4:18 remaining in the opening quarter, Valley Lutheran finally got on the board with a 3 ball from Darian Marsalis.  Marsalis had 5 of Valley's 7 points in first quarter.  Byers finished with 10 in the quarter, as MLS finished the 1st up 16-7. 

The 2nd quarter wasn't much better for the host Chargers.  Nothing was falling, Valley's top  players were finding the going tough and just couldn't get in a rhythm.  Joshua Byers opened the 2nd quarter with two buckets and finished the half with 16 total.  After managing 7 points in the first, the Chargers were held to single digits again, with 8.  Heading into the break, the Cardinals were in total control with a 29-15 lead.

The tempo of the 2nd half increased dramatically but MLS adapted well and continued to push the lead higher.  With 5:43 to go in the 3rd quarter, the lead had ballooned to 21 points.  The third quarter surge by the Cardinals was led by Joe Lindloff and Aaron Voss.  Byers only managed 4 points in the 2nd half but it was mainly due to his teammates getting more involved.  Rickey Hampton finally found his grove in the third but by then the game was getting out of hand.  Hampton finished the quarter with 9 but wouldn't add any more to that total in the final period.  The 3rd quarter ended with MLS now up by 18 at 50-32.  It was going to take a miracle for Valley to pull this one out.

We didn't see a miracle in the fourth quarter but we saw a lot of fresh faces.  The bench on both sides played a vital part of the final quarter.  Cardinal reserves, Jeremy Byers and Dominic Chambers both had 2 baskets a piece.  Valley Lutheran Sr. guard, Matt Holden scored the last bucket of the game, a three ball that gave the home crowd something to cheer and be happy for.  The Chargers never got closer than 17 in the final period and fell to the Cardinals in convincing fashion, 70-48. 

With the Win, MLS is still a game behind league leading Ithaca, whom they need to lose in order to capture a share of the title.  Valley Lutheran is out of the race but have a bigger goal in mind, the post-season.  MLS swept the season series with Valley Lutheran but they could meet in just a few weeks if both teams make it to the district final.  Valley Lutheran faces off against Genesee in the district opener, while MLS gets a bye and will face the Nouvel/Buena Vista winner in the other opener.  If Valley wins, they will be favored in the the district semi-final match-up against Carrollton.  For MLS, their road will be much more difficult, most likely against a tough, state ranked Nouvel squad.