Defense leads LCN to D1 district title
L’Anse Creuse North’s basketball players took the game plan to heart.
Concerned about Port Huron’s 3-point shooting after seeing the Big Reds’ efficiency from behind the arc two nights earlier, the Crusaders focused on that phase of the MAC Red Division team’s attack in a Division 1 district championship game Friday.
It showed.
Junior guard Brooke Daniels scored 21 points and L’Anse Creuse North allowed two field goals — both 2-pointers — after halftime in a 44-29 victory at Dakota that gave the undefeated Crusaders their first district championship since 2012.
“The kids really stepped up,” coach Bob Johnston said after his team improved to 17-0. “Against Anchor Bay the other night they hit six 3s, so we wanted to take that away from them.
“It was great, great, great defense by our kids.”
L’Anse Creuse North took control with a 9-0 run for a 35-25 lead in the third quarter.
Daniels shoveled a pass into the corner to Jekiah Mack, who in turn made a 3-pointer for a 29-25 lead.
Kelsey Duffey made two free throws and then Olivia Chadwick had consecutive baskets, including one assisted by Daniels, and the MAC White champions were ahead by 10 with 1:38 left in the quarter.
“We have a lot of young people on our team, we have a lot of speed, a lot of strength,” Daniels, L’Anse Creuse North’s career scoring leader, said. “Most importantly, we have a lot of heart and that’s what keeps us in the game. We have good team chemistry.”
L’Anse Creuse North lost to Port Huron in a 2020 district game before the state tournament was shut down because of COVID-19.
“It was personal to us to come out here and score,” Daniels said. “It means a lot to us. We’ve been trying to get this since our freshman year.”
The district championship was the seventh in team history.
Duffey had 10 rebounds and Daniels had nine. Chadwick made four steals.
Daniels had 1,000 career points entering the game. She got No. 1,002 on a basket in the first quarter that cut into Port Huron’s 9-3 lead.
L’Anse Creuse North plays Lakeview in a regional semifinal Monday at Chippewa Valley. Port Huron finished 11-5.
“In the second half, we struggled to score, obviously,” Big Reds coach Becky Gilbert said. “It’s tough. It’s a goal all season
to get to this point. Thankfully, we were able to play in this game. It’s unfortunate that we weren’t able to win.”
Lakeview advanced by defeating L’Anse Creuse.
LAKEVIEW 54, L’ANSE CREUSE 23
Ari Wlodeck scored 26 points and Kayla Austin had 10 to lead Lakeview to the district championship at Roseville. Wlodeck scored nine points in the first quarter to help the Huskies build a 15-1 lead. Hannah Roberts scored seven points for L’Anse Creuse. Lakeview plays L’Anse Creuse North in a regional semifinal at Chippewa Valley on Monday.
UTICA 46, STEVENSON 18
Utica won the district championship at Ford.
Division 2
REGINA 51, HAZEL PARK 20
Reagan Stempin and Olivia Westphal each scored nine points to lead the Saddlelites to their first district championship since 2011. Stempin also grabbed six rebounds to go with three steals and two assists. Westphal added seven boards. Talyah Beard netted eight points, took down six rebounds and had four steals. The Vikings got eight points from Essence Fields and six out of Megan Mauney.
LUTHERAN NORTH 38, ST. CLAIR 31
Lutheran North won the district championship at Richmond.
EASTPOINTE DEF. CHANDLER PARK
Eastpointe won the district final at Detroit East English Village by forfeit.
Competitive cheer
Richmond led Paw Paw by three tenths of a point heading into the pivotal Round 3, but called on its experience and tradition to deliver a clutch performance and capture its third straight state Division 3 championship at the Breslin Center.
“There was not one ounce of doubt from anyone that we were going to do it,” Richmond junior Gracie Ellis told Second Half for MHSAA.com. Ellis was one of two returning all-staters for the Blue Devils, along with fellow junior Makenna Parker.
Richmond, which scored 314.8 points in the third round, took first at 771.62, followed by Paw Paw (770.72) and Notre Dame Prep (767.42), which had finished either first or second for seven consecutive years.
Boys basketball
FORD 51, STEVENSON 39
Christian Thomas scored 18 points to lead Ford to its first victory of the season in the Division 1 district semifinal at Troy Athens. The Falcons play Chippewa Valley
at noon Saturday for the championship. Jordan Ramsey, one of four football players added to Stevenson’s virus-shortened roster for the game, led the Titans with 13 points.
MEMPHIS 42, CLINTONDALE 41
Playing his first varsity game, sophomore Cody Rembowski made a 15-foot jump shot to give Memphis a 42-40 lead and the Yellowjackets held on to win the district semifinal. Junior center Josh Nim led Memphis with 13 points and 15 rebounds. The Yellowjackets play Mount Clemens at 2 p.m. Saturday for the championship.
ARMADA 61, IMLAY CITY 43
Alec Albrecht made four 3-point baskets and scored a game-high 14 points to lead Armada in the Division 2 district semifinal at Yale. Eric Keding added 12 points, Kaleb Sutton 10 and Connor Mackenzie nine with 10 rebounds. Will Tolley led Imlay City with 10 points and Ray Liu had eight. Armada (13-2) led 3015 at halftime. The Tigers play Croswell-Lexington at 7 p.m. Saturday for the championship. Both of Armada’s losses came against the Pioneers.
LUTHERAN NORTH 45, MARINE CITY 43
Ben Narr scored 15 points and Matt Stadnika had 11 points and seven rebounds to lead Lutheran North into a district championship game against New Haven.
DAKOTA 67, L’ANSE CREUSE NORTH 59
Josh Hines scored 30 points and Tyler Baron 14 to lead Dakota to the district semifinal victory. Ethan Mair and Tymias Williams scored 10 points apiece, and Williams took 12 rebounds as the Cougars advanced to play Port Huron Northern at noon Saturday for the championship at Dakota.
PORT HURON NORTHERN 64, PORT HURON 44
Tyler Jamison had 22 points and nine assists and Ryan McNeill scored 13 points to lead Port Huron Northern to the Division 1 victory at Dakota. Cass Dobrowolski added nine points and seven rebounds. Port Huron’s Jace Mullins had 16 points and Nate Oriel eight. Port Huron Northern plays Dakota on Saturday for the championship.
ROSEVILLE 63, LAKEVIEW 46
Makell Dobbs scored 21 points, Derrek Bolton 11 and Terrance Partridge 10 to lead Roseville.
ROCHESTER ADAMS 56, ROMEO 44
Tim Kewley had 12 points, six rebounds, four blocks and a steal for Romeo in the Division 1 game. Austin Radtke and Logan Rolfs scored eight points apiece and Josh Skelly seven.
MOUNT CLEMENS 52, LUTHERAN NORTHWEST 33
Tyler Banach scored 14 points, Kyree Hayes 13 and Matthew Coffey 12 to lead Mount Clemens in the district semifinal.