E-TC hosts Panther watch party

By CHARITY SMITH

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Ewen — Around 60 Panther fans who were unable to make it to East Lansing for Ewen-Trout Creek’s boys basketball team’s state semifinal game on Thursday evening gathered at the school auditorium to watch their team play on the big screen.

“We could get this at home on the computer and hook it up to the TV, but this is so much better,” said Pat Talsma. “This is life-size, practically.”

She recalled her experience taking a group of kids down to Lansing to watch the team play in the 1982 championship.

“This is a lot more fun than sitting home,” said her husband John Talsma. “You get to visit with a lot more people here.”

E-TC math instructor and tech guru, Brandon Broniewicz came up with the idea for the watch party. He said he suggested it to the school principal, Patti Witt, while the team was playing the quarterfinal game on Tuesday in Munising and then said he got “bombarded” with texts saying that if he had all the equipment necessary, to proceed with the event.

Broniewicz projected the live-streamed event from East Lansing onto a screen that hung across the school stage. Volunteers opened the concession stand. The booster club held a 50/50 raffle to support the team, raising $85.

“This school is big-time basketball here,” said Dan Roberts, who still operates the concession stand, although his kids have long since graduated. “When I moved up here, the first question I got asked was, ‘do I like basketball?’ When Ewen plays, it’s always a good game.”

Prior to game time and again at halftime, teacher Sandra Maki rallied the group with the singing of the school’s fight song. She said the audience was mostly comprised of general members of the community, rather than parents and students.

“We have such good community support,” said Maki. She said many of the people at the watch party come to every home game.

Maki said she was excited about the team’s chances to win the state title. “If there ever was a team and year we were going to win it, this is it,” she said.

The Panthers won 62-56, much to the delight of those assembled.

Another viewing party is set for this morning at 10 a.m. EDT as the Panthers play for the Division 4 state title against Wyoming Tri-unity Christian at the Breslin Center in East Lansing.