EAST LANSING – It’s been nearly 25 years since Portland St. Patrick won its most recent of six MHSAA Finals championships in girls basketball. 

The Shamrocks will have the opportunity to add to their rich tradition after knocking off Onekama 49-26 in Thursday night’s Division 4 Semifinal at Breslin Center. 

St. Patrick (23-5) will meet Ishpeming on Saturday in the Division 4 Final. Tipoff is set for 10 a.m. The Shamrocks last won a Class D title in 2002, but hadn’t been to a Semifinal in 14 years before Thursday.

Freshman Macie Leonard and junior Gracelyn Rockey were key factors in the Shamrocks earning a return to championship Saturday. The pair combined for 35 points, with Leonard scoring 18 and Rockey adding 17 points and 12 rebounds.  

Second-year St. Patrick coach Michelle Smith was a member of the 1999 and 2000 Class D championship teams.

“My mom and Coach and some of the other moms played together and won championships, so our goal was always to be as good as our moms,” Rockey said. “So that’s what we work towards.” 

The Shamrocks never trailed Thursday after jumping out to an early 11-2 advantage. They outrebounded the Portagers 39-15.

“Really pleased with the way they played today,” Smith said. “We knew defensively they were a very good team and scrappy, and we prepared to handle their press. I asked them to play with poise, and I think that's what they did. I’m happy with the way they handled the pressure, and our ability to rebound really showed.”

Ava Mauntler knocked down a 3-pointer during the final minute of the second quarter to pull the Portagers within five at 21-16. 

However, St. Patrick extended its lead to double digits by holding Onekama to only five points in the third quarter.

St. Patrick ended the quarter with a 9-2 spurt to pull ahead 36-21.  

“What worked well for us was they tried to press us, but we looked ahead and really took our time,” Smith said. “We got in positions we needed to be in.”

Leonard was 7-of-11 from the field and drained two 3-pointers.

“As a freshman we put her in big moments at times, and I told her that she’s ready for this,” Smith said. “She was willing to shoot the ball and made some big shots. I thought her and Lily Sanborn’s defense at the top was fantastic.”

The Shamrocks surrendered only 10 points total during the second half and held Onekama to 25-percent shooting from the field.

It was the fifth time in the tournament that the Shamrocks held a team under 30 points.

“Throughout the season our goal is to keep the other team under 30 points,” Rockey said. “It shows that our defense works together well and we are good at communicating.” 

It had been nearly 30 years since Onekama appeared in a Semifinal. The team broke through for the first time since 1997 with a Quarterfinal win over Frankfort, which had defeated the Portagers twice in Northwest Conference play.

Onekama, which finished fourth in the league, will graduate only three seniors after concluding the season at 19-8.

“An amazing run, that’s all I can tell you,” first-year coach Dan Mesyar said. “We made a commitment last summer that, #Breslin Bound, on the first day of practice that we wanted to get here. We wanted it. To call it out as a team, and work every day and gut through tough losses and get better. … I’m just so proud of these girls."

“We have now established a standard, and you are not going to see us every 29 years. They’ve set an unbelievable standard.”

Junior Addy Zeller led Onekama with six points. 

Click for the full box score.

PHOTOS (Top) Portland St. Patrick’s Gracelyn Rockey pushes the pace as Onekama’s Callie Sinke keeps stride during Thursday’s Semifinal at Breslin Center. (Middle) The Shamrocks’ Lily Sandborn (4) makes her move into the lane with Addy Zeller defending. (Photos by Lilanie Karunanayake/Hockey Weekly Action Photos.)