The Engadine Eagles show off the first girls basketball regional trophy after defeating Harbor Light Christian 50-39 Tuesday, November 22. Team members (front, from left) Kristyn Emery-32, Whittney Kerridge-12, Desi Derusha-14, Nicole Benoit-33; (back) Autumn Rose-31, Lauren MacArthur-5, Rose Paquin-30, Assistant Coach Ty Vaughn, Chloe Fletcher-4, Tristina Browning-23, Shannon Browning-3, Kristen Derusha-22, Shauni Rutledge-15, Elicia Derusha-21, and Head Coach Joel Schultz.

The Engadine High School girls basketball team captured the school’s first girls regional championship with a 51-40 decision over Harbor Light Christian Tuesday, November 22, at the Lake Superior State University Ronald "Bud" Cooper Gymnasium. The victory brings another trophy to the Eastern Upper Pensinula, and Eagles fans are a proud group, wearing T-shirts with the inscription, Small School-Big Program.

"This is a great group of girls who have worked hard to reach this level," said Eagles Coach Joel Schultz. The only other regional title that Engadine has won was by the boys in 1988 with Joel Schultz the leading scorer on the team.

Above right photograph: Shauni Rutledge (15) sets up the offense and looks to pass inside to either Whittney Kerridge (12) or Elicia Derusha (21). Engadine, 20-4 on the season, was led by Elicia Derusha with 22 points and 11 rebounds. Nicole Benoit added 13 points, 11 boards, and five steals, Shauni Rutledge chipped in 10 points and five rebounds, Rose Paquin notched four points and three boards, Kristyn Emery tallied two points and six rebounds, and Whittney Kerridge charted six boards and two steals.

Jessica Hass scored 13 points with 11 rebounds, Hannah Hewitt notched 13 points and four steals, Torie McCray added seven points, Sydney Kleinhenz chipped in five, and Lisa Newenhouse marked two for the Swordsmen.

Paquin scored at the 3:02 mark of the third quarter to give the Eagles their largest lead of the game at 33-18, but Hewitt drained consecutive triples for a 33-24 score before Rutledge scored in the closing seconds to send Engadine into the final period with a 35-24 advantage.

Referee Joel Peffers of Pickford has a watchful eye on the defensive play of Kristyn Emery (32) on the Swordsmen’s Kaylee Hewitt (20). "In the semifinal game against Posen, Harbor Light Christian trailed by 14 and posted a huge comeback to win. At halftime we talked about their offense and felt they would make a run," the coach said.

Benoit scored to open the fourth quarter for a 37-24 lead when the Swordsmen rally came true with a 10-0 run to slice the Eagles lead to 37-34 at 5:14 as Hass scored five, Hewitt chipped in three, and McCray tallied two.

Rutledge converted a three-point play to end the bleeding for Engadine and, following possession changes, the Swordsmen held a 4-2 scoring edge to pull within four (42-38) with 2:22 left in the game.

Harbor Light missed one free throw before Derusha made two free throws and Benoit connected on one charity shot to extend the lead to 45-38 at the 1:12 mark.

Kleinhenz hit a two-point jumper for the Swordsmen with 49 seconds on the clock and Coach Clark Hewitt immediately called time-out, trailing 45-40.

Middle right photograph: Engadine seniors (from left) Whittney Kerridge, Kristyn Emery, and Desi Derusha with the school's first girls regional basketball trophy. Harbor Light needed the possessions and was forced to foul. The Eagles answered as Derusha made two free throws and added one field goal and Benoit scored in the final seconds before the celebration began with the regional championship.

Engadine jumped out to a 10-2 lead at 1:45 of the first quarter as Derusha scored eight points, but the Swordsmen recorded the final six points to slice the Eagles lead to 10-8 after the first eight minutes. In the second quarter the Eastern Upper Peninsula Conference (EUPC) champions outscored HLC 15-4 for a 25-12 halftime advantage.

Coach Schultz reflected on the last three victories for the Eagles. "We defeated three outstanding teams in Rapid River, Engadine, and Harbor Light Christian to reach the quarterfinals. Our goals were to win the EUPC, defeat Rapid River, and capture the districts, and win the first regionals. This has been a total team effort from the top to bottom. All season we have had different girls step up and make that crucial play that it takes to win."

Lower right photograph: Missy Schultz, wife of coach Joel Schultz, was all smiles with the regional trophy. Elicia Derusha, who earned unanimous selection to the Class D first team by the Associated Press, has been the main cog in the makeup of the Eagles squad, but it takes everyone to earn the respect and reach the next level.

Shauni Rutledge and Nicole Benoit have been keys on offense and defense all season, Kristyn Emery handles the basketball and runs the offense, Whittney Kerridge played tough defense and rebounded at both ends of the court, and Rose Paquin, Desi Derusha, Tristina Browning, Autumn Rose, and Chloe Fletcher played key roles during the entire season.

Engadine scored 21 field goals and nine of 14 from the free throw line and Harbor Light Christian made 15 field goals, four triples, and six of 12 from the charity stripe.

Eagles To Battle Panthers in Q-Finals

Elicia Derusha (21) slides to the hoop and scoops the ball to the basket for two second-half points in the Eagles win over the Swordsmen in the regional finals at LSSU. Engadine, 20-4 on the season and champions of the Eastern Upper Peninsula Conference, will battle Ewen-Trout Creek, also 20-4 on the year and co-champions of the Porcupine Mountain Conference Tuesday, November 29, in the Class D quarterfinals at Escanaba.

The winner will tangle with either Frankfort or Leland from the Traverse City quarterfinal in the state semifinals at the Breslin Center on the campus of Michigan State University Thursday, December 1, at 7:50 p.m. In the first semifinal match-up, the quarterfinal winners from Michigan Center and Imlay City will face-off at 6 p.m.

Cheboygan, 24-1, advanced to the quarterfinals in Class B and will face Muskegon Orchard View at Houghton Lake. Petoskey will host a Class C quarterfinal between Kingsley and Houghton.

The December Dreams continue with the state finals Saturday, December 2, to the Breslin Center. Class D is set for 10 a.m., Class A at noon, Class C at 4 p.m., and Class B at 6 p.m.