Country Day Follows Freshman to Title
March 21, 2015
By Bill Khan
Special for Second Half
EAST LANSING — Detroit Country Day knew it had a potential star on its hands when Kaela Webb arrived as a freshman in the fall.
But regardless of her status as the latest prodigy for one of Michigan's most successful programs, Webb didn't receive preferential treatment.
She was treated just like any other ninth-grader, which meant knowing her place in the team's pecking order at the beginning of the season.
"It was weird, because freshmen had to get the water, and I just wasn't used to that," Webb said. "We had to get the jerseys and everything."
Freshman initiation didn't last long for Webb and Country Day's four other ninth-graders, who eventually blended seamlessly into the team and left their mark in the school's rich history.
Webb stepped into a leadership role on the biggest stage in the sport, scoring a game-high 20 points to lead Country Day to a 49-41 victory over Haslett in the MHSAA Class B girls basketball championship game Saturday night at the Breslin Center.
It was the 11th MHSAA title for Country Day (22-4), but its first since 2009. The Yellowjackets hadn't gone six years between titles since a similar drought between 1989 and 1995.
Some of the greatest players in Country Day history came and went without winning a championship since the 2009 title. The Yellowjackets restored their tradition by playing four freshmen, two sophomores, a junior and two seniors against Haslett.
"It's an honor to bring back the legacy after six years," senior Kristina Grace said. "It's an 'awe' moment. You wouldn't expect for a team like us who is so young to make it all the way. We were the underdogs and we did it; it's amazing."
After losing in the 2010 title game, Country Day was eliminated in the Quarterfinals each of the last five years, the first three by Goodrich, the last two by Flint Powers Catholic.
"The biggest joy of all is to see these young women be proud Lady Jackets and keep the legacy of our program," veteran Country Day coach Frank Orlando said. "I know we are so blessed to win a state championship. I don't care about the number; I care about these kids."
Country Day's all-stater is a sophomore, Destiny Pitts. She finished with 12 points, but was held to four in the second half. Webb came through with 11 points after halftime, going 6 for 6 from the line during the final 1:28 to put the game away.
"For a freshman, that's phenomenal, but for anybody that's phenomenal," Orlando said.
Haslett (22-6), which lost 57-43 to Country Day late in the regular season, was able to limit Pitts, but couldn't find an answer for Webb.
"(Webb) had a stellar night tonight," Haslett coach Bob Currier said. "Boy, for a freshman, what a nice player with quickness, control, good defense. She did a great job. They don't play like freshmen and sophomores, that's for sure, but they have such great physical attributes that it kind of makes up for that some."
Country Day broke away from a 10-10 tie after one quarter to take a 23-17 halftime lead. The Yellowjackets expanded that lead to 30-20 on a basket by Arika Tolbert with 3:02 left in the third quarter.
With the game possibly slipping away from them, the Vikings fought back to within striking distance. A layup by Kenzie DeCook off a turnover got Haslett within 37-35 with 2:52 remaining in the game. Haslett was again within two points when two free throws by DeCook made it 39-37 with 2:14 to go.
Country Day scored the next six points and went 12 for 14 from the line in the fourth quarter. Webb showed no signs of freshman jitters, hitting all six of her free throws.
"I just went up there confident I was going to make them," said Webb, a 77-percent free throw shooter who averages eight points a game. "My coaches said to stick 'em and make sure my wrist is straight. I believed them, and that's what I did."
Haslett may have worn down at the end, not using a player off the bench in the second half until DeCook fouled out with 1:28 left in the fourth quarter.
For DeCook, Makenna Ott and Adrianna Stolicker, it meant the end of four-year careers during which they helped Haslett post a 78-20 (.796) record and reach its first MHSAA Final. The Vikings' longest postseason run prior to this season was in 1995 when they lost in the Class B Semifinals. They made the 1975 and 1976 Class C Quarterfinals.
Haslett was 10-11 the season before those three arrived.
"Their record is wonderful for the four years we've had them," Currier said. "The three girls have done everything we've asked. They changed Haslett, I hope for good. I hope we're on that path. The work outside of practice, working on your game, the good attitude, the total teamwork — they brought all that to us."
Ott had 17 points and 10 rebounds, while DeCook had 17 points for Haslett.
Click for a full box score and video from the postgame press conference.
PHOTO: Detroit Country Day accepts is championship trophy to finish the girls basketball season Saturday night at the Breslin Center.
Martians Claim Class B Over Rival Powers
March 16, 2013
By Bill Khan
Special to Second Half
EAST LANSING — To coach Jason Gray’s left sat Taylor Gleason, still in her Goodrich basketball uniform, but already representing the past for the Martians’ program just moments after her final high school game.
To his right in the postgame press conference sat sophomore Tania Davis, a living, breathing reminder that Goodrich’s future could be every bit as great as the immediate past.
Davis scored a game-high 20 points, as Goodrich became only the fourth school to win back-to-back MHSAA Class B Finals championships with a 51-34 victory over local rival Flint Powers Catholic on Saturday night at the Breslin Center.
Gleason, the Miss Basketball runner-up who has signed with the University of Illinois, capped a spectacular four-year career with 14 points, six steals and five assists. Goodrich never advanced beyond the Quarterfinals until Gleason came along. The Martians lost in double overtime in the Semifinals two years ago before joining traditional heavyweights Powers, Detroit Country Day and Dearborn Divine Child as the only schools with consecutive Class B titles.
Asked what to expect from Goodrich in the coming years, Davis didn’t hesitate to offer this prediction: “More championships, of course.”
Why not?
Davis emerged as a team leader ahead of schedule when Penn State recruit KeKe Sevillian missed the entire season with an injury. Davis, who started as a freshman, averaged 17.6 points as the number two scorer behind Gleason’s 21.6 average.
“I think I’ve grown up a lot,” Davis said. “I learned from KeKe and Taylor. When (Sevillian) went down, I knew I had to step up tremendously and be a leader and take her position on the team, and
also do my part.”
In Gleason and Davis, Gray said Goodrich had the best backcourt tandemin the state.
Their chemistry was evident on one play in particular. Gleason stole the ball and led a full-court break, dishing a behind-the-back pass to Davis, who caught the ball in stride and made the easy basket with
4:46 left in the second quarter.
“I love playing with Taylor,” Davis said. “I’ve played with her basically my entire life. I know everything she’s going to do. She knows everything I’m going to do. The behind-the-back passes, she knows when they’re coming and I know when they’re coming. It’s awesome.”
Goodrich had a strong program before Gleason arrived, but went to a higher level under her watch. The Martians were 101-7 during her career, making three trips to the Breslin Center. Perhaps just as
important as the MHSAA championships in the psyche of long-suffering Goodrich fans, the Martians beat Powers in the postseason all four years.
The Chargers had been a perennial roadblock for Goodrich, beating the Martians in all eight of the rivals’ tournament meetings over a 12-season span from 1997-2009. Goodrich eliminated Powers in the
Districts the last three seasons before new District boundaries separated the Flint-area schools until the Finals.
“I’ve been very fortunate to play with a team as talented as I have these last four years,” Gleason said. “I couldn’t imagine playing with anybody else. The experiences I’ve had with this team and this program
have been unforgettable.”
As for playing Powers in the MHSAA Finals instead of the Districts, Gleason said: “It was really cool, knowing that Powers has been here multiple times before. My aunt (all-stater Aimee Pearson) carried that
on. It was really cool for my family.”
Powers has four MHSAA Finals championships on its resume, but this was a surprise postseason run for the unranked Chargers after a 3-5 start. Powers (21-7) beat two state-ranked teams along the way in Freeland and Detroit Country Day, but No. 3 Goodrich (25-3) took control immediately, building an insurmountable lead.
Goodrich led 15-2 after one quarter and 28-6 at halftime, as Powers shot 3 for 31 (9.7 percent) from the field. The Chargers didn’t get closer than 14 points in the second half.
“The first quarter kind of defined the tone of the game,” Powers coach Thom Staudacher said. “Once we got down that big, it was difficult for us to dig out. Going into halftime, at Powers it’s not really a guideline; it’s a rule that we’re never going to give up.”
Powers’ quest for its first MHSAA title since 2001 will continue next year with a squad that should return virtually intact. The Chargers lose only two seniors, starters Darbie Barkman and Kim Berry.
“This year was definitely one to remember,” said junior guard Ally Haran, who had nine points and five steals. “No one expected us to even make it this far. We were expected to lose in Districts. We kept pushing and pushing, knowing we could make it. We made it this far. It’s going to stay in the back of our mind that we lost this game tonight, but that’s going to push us to keep playing well and to be ready for next year.”
Junior Michela Coury grabbed 19 rebounds for Powers, while junior Sarah Ruhstorfer had nine points.
While Goodrich and Powers have a huge local rivalry, only two of the 12 postseason meetings between the teams have been decided by fewer than 15 points. The most memorable edition of the rivalry came in the
2002 Regional championship game at Imlay City, when power forward Erin Carney hit the only 3-pointer of her four-year career to beat the buzzer in Powers’ 42-41 victory.
“These last four years we’ve defeated Powers, but there’s a lot of heartbreak in a lot of Goodrich girls basketball alumni in the 10, 12 years prior to this,” Gray said. “Tania made a point that this one was for those alumni who scratched and clawed. Sometimes they challenged them, sometimes they got beat down good. It makes me happy they’re thinking big picture.”
PHOTOS: (Top) Goodrich's Taylor Gleason works to drive past Flint Powers' Darbie Barkman (1) during Saturday's Class B Final. (Middle) Powers' Hannah VanAlst goes up for a shot over a Goodrich defender. (Top photo by Hockey Weekly Action Photos; middle photo by HighSchoolSportsScene.com).