Freeland Finds Way to Season's Last Day
March 22, 2019
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
GRAND RAPIDS – Freeland was doubled up in rebounding, shot 14 fewer free throws and had one more turnover than Hamilton during Friday’s first Division 2 Semifinal at Van Noord Arena.
But the Falcons won out in experience and accuracy – and those made the differences in earning their first MHSAA championship game berth since winning the Class C title in 1998.
Hitting 60 percent of its shots during the second half, and nearly half of its 3-pointers for the game, Freeland was able to come back from a double-digit second-half deficit and down previously-unbeaten Hamilton 71-66.
The Falcons trailed from the 4-minute mark of the second quarter until 5:13 remained in the game. But they were never out, even as Hamilton 6-foot-2 sophomore A.J. Ediger went for 33 points and 17 rebounds while controlling the paint most of the game.
“We always said we would go as far as we can, go out with a bang,” said Alyssa Argyle, who with Autumn Kloha and Lily Beyer will finish her fourth varsity season in Saturday’s Division 2 Final.
“We’ve always had that mentality to finish out hard and not give up.”
That came in especially handy as the Falcons (24-2) played in their second Semifinal in three seasons.
Hamilton (25-1) was playing in its first ever, adding to the best two-year run in program history. And in addition to Ediger’s post power and a team 42-20 scoring advantage in the paint, the Hawkeyes made 9-of-13 shots from the floor during the second quarter to turn a one-point deficit into an eight-point halftime lead.
But that was nothing new for the Falcons. They also had trailed at halftime in both Regional games and the Quarterfinal.
“I can’t say enough about these three girls and this team,” Freeland coach Tom Zolinski said, referring to his four-year seniors. “They have won in their careers 92 games, which is unbelievable, and they just wouldn’t let it happen tonight.
“We fell down quite a bit. We were undersized. Everything was against us. The crowd was huge for them. And (we) did it.”
Hawkeyes senior guard Bria Schrotenboer put her team ahead 34-23 with a free throw 58 seconds into the third quarter. They led by at least 11 as late as 2:48 to go in the period.
But over the next 5½ minutes, Freeland rambled through a 24-11 run with junior Kadyn Blanchard sinking 10 points and Beyer seven.
“Obviously that little run there where they caught fire, that’s what we saw from them every single game we’ve seen,” Hamilton coach Dan VanHekken said. “We knew they’d been down a few games here at halftime and didn’t quit. They again replicated that tonight. They’ve got a lot of heart and didn’t give up. They don’t get rattled. … Their body language, they were not rattled.”
The teams traded leads one more time before Argyle put Freeland ahead for good with a 3-pointer with 4:30 left.
“We worked so hard in the fourth quarter. We came back, and we had our heart in the game,” Kloha said. “And we knew we were down in the first half, but at halftime we needed to pick it up and keep our heads up, and we came back. And we came back strong, and we stayed together as a team.”
Argyle also scored her 1,000th career point during the fourth quarter and finished with 17 on the night. Blanchard led with 23 points, seven rebounds and four steals, and Beyer added 13 points.
Schrotenboer added 13 points and six rebounds, and senior guard Riki Ediger had nine points, eight rebounds, eight assists and five steals.
Hamilton capped a three-year run with a combined 71-5 record, also making its first Quarterfinal in 2018.
“Especially just being a four-year senior, I’ve been playing with these girls a long time,” Schrotenboer said. “It’s sad to go out this way, but we had the best record Hamilton ever had, and I will remember that forever.”
PHOTOS: (Top) Freeland’s Autumn Kloha works to get past Hamilton’s Riki Ediger during Friday’s Division 2 Semifinal at Van Noord Arena. (Middle) Hamilton’s A.J. Ediger gets up a shot on the way to scoring 33 points.
Breslin Bound: 2025-26 Girls Report Week 5
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
January 12, 2026
As we start this sixth week of the 2025-26 girls basketball season, 37 teams across Michigan remain undefeated.
The list is guaranteed to be at least a little shorter as quickly as Tuesday night.
Several high-profile matchups headline the schedule as league play continues to ramp up. We take a look at a few below – but with several more candidates to be included in the “Review” portion of next week’s report.
“Breslin Bound” is powered by MI Student Aid and based on results and schedules posted for each school at MHSAA.com.
Week in Review
The countdown of last week’s five most intriguing results:
1. Grand Rapids South Christian 73, Grand Rapids West Catholic 62 South Christian (8-0) avenged last season’s Quarterfinal loss to the Falcons (7-2), but they’ll meet again Feb. 3 and also split the Ottawa-Kent Conference Gold title last season.
2. Negaunee 54, Ishpeming 44 The Miners (9-0) took a significant step in the Western Peninsula Athletic Conference East with this win over the rival Hematites (6-1), who they’ll see again Feb. 6.
3. Flint Powers Catholic 54, Pewamo-Westphalia 43 The Chargers (8-1) started off a three-win week by handing the Pirates (6-1) their lone defeat of the winter.
4. Freeland 46, Frankenmuth 42 The latest chapter in this rivalry saw the Falcons (5-2) avenge last season’s Regional Semifinal loss to the Eagles (3-4) after they also had split regular-season meetings and the Tri-Valley Conference Red title.
5. McBain 56, Evart 32 The Ramblers (6-0) moved a key step ahead of their Highland Conference rival after Evart (6-1) edged them for the league championship a year ago.
Watch List
With an eye toward March, here are two teams in each division making sparks:
DIVISION 1
New Baltimore Anchor Bay (6-0) The Tars have started their encore well after improving four wins to 17-5 last season while winning the Macomb Area Conference White title. Friday’s 59-53 victory over Macomb Dakota was their first by fewer than 15 points, and that next-closest victory came 47-32 as they handed St. Clair its only loss this season. Five of the six wins have come against opponents currently .500 or better.
Orchard Lake St. Mary’s (7-1) A 47-43 win over Warren Regina last week sent St. Mary’s into first place alone in the Catholic High School League Central West, a lead they also own thanks to a 45-33 win over Farmington Hills Mercy on Jan. 2; St. Mary’s and Mercy shared the league championship last season. A 24-point win over Clarkston also jumps out, and the only loss came to Saginaw Heritage over the break.
DIVISION 2
Grand Rapids Covenant Christian (7-0) The Chargers already have equaled last season’s 7-15 finish, avenging last-winter losses to Lowell, Big Rapids and Muskegon Western Michigan Christian and navigating three victories by six points or fewer. A 34-30 nail-biter over Kent City was arguably the most notable of the impressive opening run, and there are plenty of opportunities to shine in the near-future as they jump into the second half of an eight-game road trip.
Haslett (6-0) The Vikings have enjoyed plenty of success over the first half of this decade, finishing 22-4 a year ago, and they’re on the right track again despite playing four of their first six games on the road. A 62-56 win at Frankenmuth made a nice statement, as did a 57-36 victory over Williamston in Capital Area Activities Conference Red play Friday. They’ll hope to roll that momentum into Tuesday’s matchup against DeWitt, one of the few to down the Vikings a year ago.
DIVISION 3
New Lothrop (5-0) The Hornets also finished 22-4 a year ago and are back on the same track with all five of their victories this winter by 11 or more points – including one apiece over St. Charles and Ovid-Elsie, which have both begun 6-2. New Lothrop has reached 20 wins two seasons in a row and made the Regional Finals last winter, and the Hornets will prep for another run in part with games at Division 2 Freeland and Division 1 Midland.
Shelby (5-0) The Tigers went from 8-17 two seasons ago to 19-5 last winter, and they’re on the move again with five double-digit wins – including 49-38 over Hart, which defeated Shelby three times in 2024-25 including in their District matchup. Shelby’s first game this s season against Ravenna, scheduled for Dec. 19, was postponed, but they’ll meet twice and are the only two teams without a loss in the West Michigan Conference Rivers.
DIVISION 4
Concord (7-1) The Yellowjackets reached the Division 4 Semifinals last season at Breslin Center and finished 22-5, and they’re dominating once again. They actually opened with a loss to Morenci, but haven’t fallen since – and all but one of those victories have come by 16 or more points. The lone single-digit win came as Concord handed Adrian Lenawee Christian its only defeat, 64-55.
Morenci (6-0) As noted above, Morenci started this season in a big way by downing Concord 58-25, and they closed last week by handing Petersburg Summerfield its only loss as well, 44-20. The Bulldogs have reached the Division 4 Quarterfinals the last two seasons and will face several Division 3 opponents this winter as they prep for another run – with a 38-30 win already as well over Division 1 Temperance Bedford.
Can’t-Miss Contests
Be on the lookout for results of these games coming up:
Tuesday – Haslett (6-0) at DeWitt (7-1) These longtime rivals are again among mid-Michigan’s elite and have split their last four games, with DeWitt winning last year’s 62-50.
Tuesday – Baraga (9-0) at Ewen-Trout Creek (5-1) – E-TC finished first and Baraga second in the overall Copper Mountain Conference standings last season with the Panthers winning their lone meeting.
Tuesday – McBain (6-0) at Roscommon (7-0) – For the second-straight week, McBain will take on another undefeated Highland Conference contender.
Tuesday – Grand Rapids South Christian (8-0) at Wayland (7-0) – The Wildcats could make a move in the O-K Gold after finishing third a year ago, and that might start against one of the reigning co-champions.
Friday – Belleville (7-0) at Wayne Memorial (7-0) – Belleville has a big week ahead as it pursues another Kensington Lakes Activities Association East title, taking on undefeated Livonia Stevenson on Tuesday before this first matchup with the reigning co-champion Zebras.
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PHOTOS (Top) Gwinn's Alayna Soyring passes the ball around Ishpeming' Jenessa Eagle (left) and Ava Jo Hares (right) during their teams’ matchup Jan. 6 at Northern Michigan University. (Middle) Hemlock senior guard Victoria Hauffe (21) drives through the Saginaw Nouvel Catholic Central defense during the first quarter Friday. (Gwinn/Ishpeming photo by Cara Kamps. Hemlock/Nouvel photo by Kolleth Photo.)