Breslin Bound: Girls Report Post-Break
January 4, 2016
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
Some of the most telling regular season basketball is played over holiday break.
And a number of teams expected to contend when February comes to a close made big impressions over the last two weeks with school out but hoops still in session.
Each week during the regular season, we’ll glance at four teams from each class that have caught our attention. Results and records below are based on schedules posted at MHSAA.com.
Class A
Clarkston (7-0) – After a middling 12-9 last winter, the Wolves are back on the rise with only two wins so far (by eight over Lake Orion and three over North Farmington) coming by fewer than 10 points.
DeWitt (7-0) – The reigning Class A runner-up has matched last season’s 7-0 start, with the most recent victory 67-45 over revamped Wayne Memorial at the Motor City Roundball Classic.
Marquette (7-1) – The Redettes fell to Class C contender St. Ignace in overtime during the first week, but have surged since with wins over Traverse City West (45-30) and Central (60-38) over the break.
Saginaw Heritage (6-0) – The Hawks earned the best win arguably of any team in the state, girls or boys, over the break, 39-29 over reigning Class B champion Detroit Country Day at the Roundball Classic. Heritage won its first 11 last season on the way to the Class A Semifinals.
Class B
Kalkaska (5-0) – After tying for the league championship a year ago, Kalkaska should again be in the mix for first in the Lake Michigan Conference, with only Northwest Conference contender Maple City Glen Lake coming closer than 25 points so far.
Kingsford (6-1) – The Flivvers will hope for better in the rematch against Great Northern Conference rival Marquette after losing to the Redettes 66-27 on Dec. 17, but early on Kingsford looks like the next best in the league and a possibility to do more.
Grand Rapids Catholic Central (6-0) – The Cougars’ opening run has included a 69-62 win over Class A contender Southfield-Lathrup and then three more over the break over Rockford (77-47), Grand Rapids Forest Hills Central (64-42) and Ann Arbor Huron (49-39).
Stockbridge (5-2) – The Panthers are another team on the rise after finishing 10-11 a year ago; they beat Concord 58-54 in overtime to win the Parma Western Invitational coming off a tough loss to league foe Perry.
Class C
Blissfield (6-0) – This start isn’t surprising given the team’s 22 wins a year ago, but Blissfield did have one of the best holiday runs of any girls team, regardless of class, with a 47-42 win over Waterford Our Lady and a 48-42 victory over Grosse Pointe Woods University Liggett.
Calumet (6-0) – The reigning Class C champion has won 15 straight games dating to last season and is giving up an average of only 31 points per in dominating this winter.
Ithaca (5-0) – The Yellowjackets opened with a nice 59-53 win over Pewamo-Westphalia and haven’t slowed as they seek to build on last year’s 21-3 record.
Millington (5-1) – A six-point loss to Birch Run aside, the Cardinals are cruising this season and handed Essexville Garber its only loss after having to battle back from an 0-4 start a year ago.
Class D
Ann Arbor Rudolf Steiner (6-0) – The Storm have stormed to a nice early run after having to battle back from 0-3 a year ago to win the Mid-South Conference; no opponent has come closer than 19 points this winter.
Bay City All Saints (6-1) – All Saints bounced back nicely after a 1-3 start last season, but kicked off much more quickly this time with its only loss to Class B Pinconning and a solid 40-35 win over Warren Michigan Collegiate at the Roundball Classic.
Newberry (5-0) – The Indians are off to another great start after winning nine of their first 10 in 2014-15, and this time beat Munising, 45-33, after Munising prevented the perfect first half a year ago.
Waldron (5-0) – The Spartans won by 19 and 17 in their two Hillsdale Tournament games as they prepared to provide what could be the greatest challenge to reigning Class D runner-up Pittsford in the Southern Central Athletic Association East.
PHOTO: Ithaca and Blanchard Montabella players battle for a loose ball during the Yellowjackets’ 55-26 win on Dec. 21. (Click for more photos from HighSchoolSportsScene.com.)
Fowler Takes Final Steps to 'Finish' Best in Division 4 for 3rd Time in 5 Seasons
By
Dean Holzwarth
Special for MHSAA.com
March 22, 2025
EAST LANSING – Fowler’s Katie Spicer recalled all season the disappointment of losing in the Division 4 Semifinals to finish the past two.
She didn’t want to relive that emotion to close her final year in an Eagles uniform.
Spicer and her teammates ended their season on top again after downing Ewen-Trout Creek 53-29 Saturday morning in the Division 4 Final at the Breslin Center.
It was the third Division 4 title over the last five years for Fowler (27-2).
“That feeling of getting so close and not being able to finish, it hurts a lot,” said Spicer, who led Fowler with 17 points on 5 of 9 shooting.
“Obviously it felt great that we made it here, but it hurt falling short. So we used that a lot as motivation throughout the whole year. It helped a lot.”
It was another dominating performance for the Eagles, who won every MHSAA Tournament game by more than 21 points.
“These seniors have been locked in,” Fowler head coach Nathan Goerge said. “We talked about some preseason goals, and I had open communication about what we wanted. And the message all season has been ‘Finish’ because we knew where we got last year, and the girls didn’t like that feeling of losing in the Semis.
“Every time they broke a huddle, every time they left a locker room, it was always ‘finish’ and I'm just so happy that they were able to do that this year.”
Fowler forced eight turnovers during the first quarter, but led only 14-8 as Ewen-Trout Creek junior guard Emma Besonen scored all of her team’s points, including burying two deep 3-pointers.
Fowler went ahead by double digits (19-8) in the second quarter when Spicer lofted a perfect pass down court to Neelah O’Rourke for a lay-in.
A driving lay-up by freshman Bree Besonen during the waning seconds of the first half closed the gap to 23-16. The Besonen sisters combined to score 14 of the Panthers’ first-half points.
Fowler scored the first six points of the third quarter to push the lead to 29-16. Paige Thelen’s offensive rebound and put-back during the closing seconds gave the Eagles a commanding 42-19 advantage as they outscored E-TC 19-3 during the period.
“Very proud of the girls, especially in the second half,” Goerge said. “We had some defensive lapses in the first half, and to their credit they had some good looks and made some shots.
“The girls really picked it up and played our style of Fowler girls basketball, and I thought that was the difference in the second half. We played with so much more energy and did a fantastic job.”
Senior Elizabeth Hufnagel added 10 points, five rebounds and three steals for Fowler, while Brooke Weber also had 10 points.
“Coming back here and winning it my senior year is a great feeling,” Weber said. “I think our ability to run and stay focused and locked in really helped us. This is amazing.”
The Panthers (27-2) played in their first championship game since the Class D Final in 1985 and had no seniors on their roster.
“They have a place in history at our school, and I’m super proud of them,” Ewen-Trout Creek head coach Jacky Besonen said. “Fowler is very balanced, they are very physical and strong and their defense caused some problems for us tonight.
“I was crying during the ceremony, but they were not tears of sadness. They were tears of joy that I’ve been holding in for days because I’m just so happy that they got to experience this being here at the state championships. I told them many times that you are living a dream that a lot of little girls hope to get to.”
Emma Besonen led the Panthers with 13 points, including three 3-pointers, while Bree Besonen had nine points and Irelynd McGeshick finished with seven points and 11 rebounds.
PHOTOS (Top) Fowler’s Elizabeth Hufnagel drives toward the lane during her team’s Division 4 Final win over Ewen-Trout Creek on Saturday. (Middle) The Eagles’ Neelah O’Rourke (12) gets up a shot from the post. (Below) E-TC’s Bree Besonen (20) works to get to the basket with Fowler’s Selena Stump defending. (Photos by Adam Sheehan/Hockey Weekly Action Photos.)