Breslin Bound: Girls Report Week 2
December 11, 2012
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
We're only two weeks into this girls basketball season. But there are plenty of teams that already can take pride in strong starts that either are continuing on last season's success or showing a nice turnaround after a rough run.
Some of those are highlighted in this week's report. Remember, what's below isn't any sort of statewide ranking – merely a top-10 list of notables from last week.
Records and results are through Sunday and based on those found at MHSAA.com. Click on Score Center to follow scores throughout the week and enter those of the games you attend.
1. Concord (3-0) – Most of the key pieces to last season’s Class C Semifinalist team are back, and they earned a pair of close wins. Concord edged Michigan Center 36-32 – after also beating Michigan Center in overtime in the District opener last season – and then got past Homer 37-35.
2. L’Anse (4-0) – The Purple Hornets are again off to a nice start – with a bonus. According to the Houghton Daily Mining Gazette, L’Anse’s 60-56 win over Houghton gave Houghton its first loss to a team from the state’s four northernmost counties since Nov. 2, 1999. Click to read more from the Daily Mining Gazette.
3. Westland John Glenn (2-0) – The Rockets got off to a strong start with a 66-34 win over Grosse Pointe North and then a 63-56 victory over Dearborn Divine Child. Divine Child is coming off a trip to the Class B Semifinals.
4. Grand Rapids South Christian (3-0) – Two of the Sailors four losses last season came to Grand Rapids Catholic Central. They haven’t played GRCC yet, but did edge Grand Rapids Christian 50-46 just three days after the Eagles beat GRCC by six.
5. Marshall (3-1) – This returning Class B Quarterfinalist added a strong week to a solid start. First, Marshall topped Richland Gull Lake 48-44 – Gull Lake won its Class A District last year – and then the Redhawks finished the week with a 46-33 win over Battle Creek Central.
6. Pontiac (2-0) – The Phoenix were a .500 team last season, but are off to a quick start thanks to two close wins. Pontiac beat Waterford Mott 49-45 and then Harper Woods Chandler Park 57-55.
7. Manchester (4-0) – The Flying Dutchmen have beaten every opponent by at least 10 points this season, including Onsted 59-40 and Napoleon 64-34 last week. Napoleon entered 3-0.
8. Bloomfield Hills Marian (2-0) – Marian is off to a solid start after beating annual Class A power Canton 44-30. Marian opened by beating Grosse Pointe North two weeks ago.
9. Athens (3-0) – The reigning Class D runner-up is off to a fast start again. Athens opened last week by beating Climax-Scotts 55-44, then survived a close one against Reading, 37-31.
10. Saginaw Heritage (2-2) – The Hawks bounced back from two losses during the first week to even their record by beating Arthur Hill 54-35 and Bay City Western 51-14. Heritage lost to Arthur Hill by 17 in their game last season.
PHOTO: Howell junior Meredith Wood works to get around a defender as the Highlanders pushed toward their first win of the season, 60-48 over Carrollton on Thursday. (Click to see more at HighSchoolSportsScene.com.)
Lumen Christi Rises to Historic Occasion, Marks it with Milestone Victory
By
Paul Costanzo
Special for MHSAA.com
March 21, 2026
EAST LANSING – Jackson Lumen Christi girls basketball coach Scott Stine thought the moment got to his team early Saturday during the Division 3 Final at Breslin Center.
But he knew eventually the Titans would rise to meet it, and as the moment became even bigger, they did just that.
Lumen Christi pulled away from Pewamo-Westphalia in the fourth quarter, winning 52-36 in a game that was tied after the third.
“We went in at halftime, regrouped, and did what we needed to do,” Stine said. “They’ve been challenged all year, so being tied up going into the fourth quarter, it wasn’t anything new for us. As I told them coming into the game, when we get into that moment I have complete confidence in them, because they’ve been there and done that.”
While the Titans have been there and done that this season, they had never been here or done what they did Saturday, as the title was the first in program history. Prior to this season, Lumen Christi had never been to Breslin, or anywhere else, for a Semifinal.
“I think it means a lot to all of us. We’ve dreamed of this ever since we were freshmen,” Titans senior forward Paige Lefere said. “We haven’t had the best teams our freshman and sophomore year. Last year, we got pretty close (Quarterfinals), so being able to do it this year means a lot to us. We knew if we worked together, we could get here.”
While the final weekend of the season was new for the Titans, it wasn’t new for Stine, who coached Ypsilanti Arbor Prep to three Division 3 titles over the past four years.
When he arrived at Lumen, he said the team did not shy away from big goals, as making history as the first girls basketball team to win a title was the aim.
“I think from the beginning we knew this was going to be special,” Lumen Christi senior wing Lily Ganton said. “That’s credit to Coach Stine, Coach Jibri (Taylor), Coach (Don) Ward, Coach (Andy) Hawley, Coach Brenna (Wrozek). They’re special. They’re a special group of coaches, and they really push us to be our best. You don’t get that from a lot of teams. As a senior and a three-sport athlete, I’ve been on a lot of teams and this is something special. They really came in and it was all gas, no brakes.”
Sophomores Kenna Hunt and Lucy Wrozek led the way for Lumen Christi on Saturday, playing all but the final seconds when all five starters were pulled for a curtain call. Hunt had 21 points, 10 rebounds and six assists, while Wrozek had 14 points.
They combined for 12 of the Titans’ 16 points during the fourth quarter, starting with a Hunt 3-pointer 18 seconds in that gave them a lead they wouldn’t relinquish.
“I thought it was pretty big, it really was just a momentum shift,” Hunt said. “We got momentum right off the start of the fourth quarter, which was awesome. I gotta give credit to my teammates (for) making me available for that type of shot.”
Pewamo-Westphalia coach Steve Eklund said he knew Hunt would find her points Saturday, but his Pirates were focused on not letting someone else join her. Unfortunately for them, Wrozek did.
“We knew one player wasn’t going to beat us,” Eklund said. “At halftime we went in incredibly happy; I think Wrozek had two or three points. None of their other players had really gotten involved offensively. I thought we were getting a little shaky offensively turning the ball over, but I thought, ‘We’re in a good spot.’ So, fourth quarter, Wrozek got it going a little bit. She’s a real nice complementary player to Hunt.”
The fourth quarter explosion went well beyond the sophomores for the Titans (25-3), who didn’t miss a shot (4-of-4) from the field in the final frame, and were 9-of-12 from the free-throw line, while the Pirates were 0-of-9 from the field.
Lumen Christi also had three steals and forced five Pirates turnovers.
“I think they stopped thinking so much and started playing like pitbulls,” Stine said. “The effort on the glass in the second half was much better. We just settled down a little bit. It’s hard to stop these two guards (Hunt and Wrozek) in man-to-man, so we were able to create some matchups even in the third quarter. We just stuck with it, and the kids made great plays.”
Senior Elly Bengel scored 12 points to lead Pewamo-Westphalia (26-3), which was trying to pull off the same double it did in 2019, when both the boys and girls won Finals titles in the sport. The PW boys won the Division 3 title a week ago.
“It’s been so amazing,” Bengel said. “This team is so special to me, and I’ll never take this for granted.”
PHOTOS (Top) Lumen Christi players meet on the floor in celebration of their Division 3 championship Saturday. (Middle) The Titans’ Lucy Wrozek (14) makes a move around a P-W defender. (Photos by Keionna Banks and Lilanie Karunanayake/Hockey Weekly Action Photos.)