Breslin Bound: Girls Report Week 6
January 9, 2017
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
Generally, our Breslin Bound reports – powered by MI Student Aid – emphasize the week that was across the state in either girls or boys basketball.
But this week, it’s easy to jump to the bottom of this report and prep for what could be one of the season’s most exciting runs, starting with a Monday night rivalry game in the Upper Peninsula and ending with one of a number of great Friday matchups downstate.
Week in Review
The countdown of last week's five most intriguing results:
1. Warren Cousino 53, Port Huron Northern 51 – Reigning Class A champion Cousino opened with arguably the toughest first-half schedule in the state, and with the dust settled has emerged 7-2 and with this key Macomb Area Conference Red win over previously-undefeated Northern.
2. Lansing Waverly 55, DeWitt 47 – The Warriors’ three losses this season came against solid teams, but handing previously-undefeated DeWitt its first defeat could signal Waverly is ready to take a step into elite.
3. St. Ignace 80, Charlevoix 41 – Charlevoix entered as the undefeated team of the two, but both now have one loss as the Saints reasserted themselves as the north’s Class C measuring stick.
4. Norway 44, Ishpeming 42 – These two entered undefeated as well, but finished with Norway alone atop the Mid-Peninsula Athletic Conference standings.
5. Flint Hamady 43, Flint Beecher 31 – Hamady remained a step ahead of the rival Bucs as both are now in the Genesee Area Conference Red; their only meeting last season was a Hamady win in the District Final.
Watch List
With an eye toward March, here are two teams in each class making sparks:
CLASS A
Battle Creek Lakeview (5-2) – A District champion a year ago, Lakeview has rebounded from a rough opening night against Mason to win five of its last six and its last four. The Spartans tied for second last season in the Southwestern Michigan Athletic Conference East, but earned a 70-56 win over reigning champion Kalamazoo Central in their final game before the break.
Caledonia (7-1) – The Fighting Scots are a one-point opening-night loss to Richland Gull Lake from perfection this winter. They should be a contender in the Ottawa-Kent Conference Red moving over after winning the O-K White last season.
CLASS B
Ida (7-0) – The Bluestreaks are another District winner from a year ago off to a great start, with six wins by double figures. They are tied for first with Blissfield in the Lenawee County Athletic Association, with the two teams that finished ahead of them last season – Brooklyn Columbia Central and the Royals – coming up this week.
Marine City (7-0) – A strong 16-4 season came to a first-round halt last winter against MAC Gold rival Marysville in the District. But the Mariners are off to a stronger start this winter thanks to Friday’s win over Vikings, who beat Marine City three times total during 2015-16.
CLASS C
Harbor Beach (8-0) – After going 12-9 with a first-round District exit last season, the Pirates have simply dominated winning all of their games by double figures and all but two by at least 25 points. The second victory this season was by 30 over Elkton-Pigeon-Bay Port Laker, which ended Harbor Beach’s 2015-16 season.
Sandusky (9-0) – Like Harbor Beach, Sandusky is pacing the Greater Thumb Conference East. The Redskins finished second last year but already have avenged two losses to reigning league champion Marlette, and get the chance Tuesday to avenge their other 2015-16 regular-season defeat, to Reese.
CLASS D
Baraga (5-1) – The Vikings are coming off a 12-10 season but lost seven of their last 10 last winter; they’re looking good to avoid that misstep this time, with four wins so far over teams they fell to during that streak, including last week’s victory over Lake Linden-Hubbell (50-42).
Rogers City (6-0) – The Hurons are halfway to last season’s win total and have avenged their District Final loss to Posen; downing solid Lincoln Alcona by 11 gives them nice footing in the North Star League’s Big Dipper division after tying with Alcona for second a year ago.
Can't-Miss Contests
Be on the lookout for results of these games coming up:
Monday – Marquette (8-1) at Kingsford (6-1) – These two finished first and tied for second last season, respectively, in the Great Northern U.P. Conference, which includes the Upper Peninsula’s biggest schools.
Tuesday – Sandusky (9-0) at Reese (7-1) – These very well could be two of the best in the state in Class C and end the season as champions of their respective divisions of the Greater Thumb Conference.
Wednesday – Detroit Country Day (8-0) at Flint Hamady (7-0) – This one hardly needs an explanation; fans of girls basketball are used to seeing both of these teams in March at the Breslin Center.
Thursday – Detroit Martin Luther King (7-1) at Detroit East English (7-1) – East English will see how it measures up with the annual Public School League power in a matchup for first place in the East Division 1.
Friday – East Kentwood (7-1) at Caledonia (7-1) – See above for more on Caledonia; these two could be the best of an outstanding O-K Red this winter and have the best overall records so far.
PHOTO: Sandusky charges ahead during a 63-16 win over Deckerville on Dec. 28. (Photo by Varsity Monthly.)
Kent City Shooting for Long Tourney Run
March 7, 2019
By Tom Kendra
Special for Second Half
RAVENNA – As Zara Weber explains it, part of growing up in Kent City is learning how to properly shoot the basketball.
“They start us young at camps, working on our form and things like that,” said Weber, one of two senior starters for Kent City (18-4), which rolled over Holton 55-13 on Wednesday and into Friday’s Division 3 District Final against Muskegon Western Michigan Christian at Ravenna.
“They get us started, and then it’s up to all of us to put in the time. We spend a lot of time in the gym. A few of us made it our goal to shoot 10,000 3-pointers over the summer.”
So, for Weber, the 3-pointer that she made late in the first quarter on Wednesday was just another shot – but it was also the shot that tied the team state record for most 3-pointers made in a season.
It was fitting that the record-breaking trey, which came less than a minute later, was made by a reserve, senior Janelle Krueger – because all of these Eagles can shoot.
“Almost every girl on the team can shoot it,” said 10th-year Kent City coach Scott Carlson, who knows something about scoring as the all-time leading scorer in school history with 1,263 career points. “I don’t think the record really mattered. We knew we were getting close. I just have a great shooting team.”
Kent City, which was ranked No. 8 in the final Associated Press Division 3 poll, finished with eight 3-pointers on Wednesday, pushing its season total to 244 – and breaking the old record of 237 triples by Monroe St. Mary Catholic Central set in 2005.
The boys state record is 356 by Whitmore Lake in 2009-2010.
Carlson did not make a big deal about the state record. The game was not stopped after Krueger’s record-setting shot, and no announcement was made; in fact, most of the Eagles did not know until after the game.
Earlier this year, Kent City broke the state record for 3-pointers in a single game, making 25 in a home win over Holton. Kent City had the previous record of 23 in a single game, set during the 2012-2013 season, when current assistant coaches Kendal Carlson and Aleah Holcomb were on the roster.
How do they do it?
The Eagles’ motion offense normally features four players spotted up at different points along the 3-point arc, with players taking turns driving and kicking it back out to one of those players, who are always ready to shoot. KC shoots 32 percent from 3-point range and averages 11 treys per game.
The “big three” for KC all season long has been Weber and sophomore standouts Jenna Harrison and Kenzie Bowers – who have all made more than 50 3-pointers this season. The other starters for the Eagles are sophomore Audrey Dreyer and senior Lauren Freeland, an all-state track and cross country standout who will run at Michigan State next year.
“Shooters got to shoot,” explained Harrison, who led all scorers on Wednesday with 13 points, including two 3-pointers. “We know that we have to shoot if we are open; that’s the way our offense works. If the defense comes out on us, then we have to drive.”
The Eagles know their games will keep getting tougher, starting with Friday’s District championship game against Western Michigan Christian. If the Eagles prevail, it could set up a blockbuster Regional Semifinal matchup at home Monday against top-ranked Pewamo-Westphalia.
“That’s the game everyone in town is talking about, but we’re just taking them one at a time,” Harrison said.
The Eagles’ outstanding season has been a pleasant diversion for Carlson, who has experienced more family tragedies resulting from car crashes than any one man should ever have to endure.
In 1989, his younger brother Todd was paralyzed in a car accident. One year later, his younger sister Shannon was paralyzed and suffered a closed head injury in a car accident. In 2009, his mother, Jane, died in another car accident (Todd lost his right leg in the same accident).
Then last August, Todd – who served as an assistant coach for the Eagles and helped run Kent City’s youth basketball program for 15 years – died in yet another crash at the age of 49.
“It’s been tough because he was such a big part of this team,” said Carlson. “I’ve learned you just have to keep going forward. Basketball is something we have always had to focus on and work on.”
Tom Kendra worked 23 years at The Muskegon Chronicle, including five as assistant sports editor and the final six as sports editor through 2011. E-mail him at [email protected] with story ideas for Muskegon, Oceana, Mason, Lake, Oceola, Mecosta and Newaygo counties.
PHOTOS: (Top) Kent City’s Jenna Harrison lines up to shoot a 3-pointer against Cedar Springs during a Feb. 19 win. (Middle) Mikayla Loew (21) looks for an opening around the perimeter. (Photos courtesy of the Kent City athletic department/Sue Harrison.)