SACRED HEART FACES FRANKFORT IN D4 QF
They’re one of the final eight looking to be one of the final one.
On Tuesday night the Mt. Pleasant Sacred Heart girls basketball team competes in the MHSAA Division 4 quarterfinal round when the Irish take on Frankfort at 7 p.m. from Mcbain Northern Michigan Christian.
The Irish (23-3) are competing in their first Division 4 quarterfinal since 2018 and have won seven straight games coming into the contest.
The Panthers (21-5) are playing in their first quarterfinal since 2017 when they lost to Sacred Heart Academy 48-37 at Buckley High School.
Frankfort brings in a 10-game winning streak.
So far this postseason the Irish have been exceptionally good on both ends of the floor as they average 46 points per game while allowing only 23.
“We have gotten better on both sides of the ball this season,” said SHA head coach Andrew Doerr, whose Irish advanced to the quarterfinal by besting Breckenridge 40-27 last week.
Offensively, the Irish are a balanced bunch, led by freshman Karis Terwilliger who averages 14 points per game.
Chelsea Lynch and Sophie Hauck both average seven points per while Ella Mcdonnell averages six and Savannah Jones four.
The Panthers advanced to the quarterfinals via a 64-37 win over Gaylord St. Mary’s last week.
They also defeated 2023 Division 4 state champion Maple City Glen Lake in the regional semifinal round.
Post player Evelyn Vantol led the Panthers with a career-high
30 points in the regional championship game.
Doerr said his team was inspired by last week’s boys basketball run to the D4 state title game and the goal is to do the same.
“They want to get down to the Breslin Center,” Doerr added. “We’re enjoying the opportunity we have.”
The winner of Tuesday’s quarterfinal will advance to Thursday’s Division 4 semifinal round at the Breslin Center in East Lansing.
Morenci (21-3) takes on Kingston (25-1) on the other side of the bracket.