Cedarville Girls Clinch EUPC Championship During Snowcoming Contest
By David Latva

This year's Cedarville High School Snowcoming queen and king are Kate Koster and Micah Lindberg. Both seniors were crowned between the junior varsity and varsity girls basketball games Friday, February 1.

The Cedarville Trojans girls basketball team clinched the Eastern Upper Peninsula Conference (EUPC) title with a 61-55 win over the Brimley Bays Friday, February 1.

Earning the title proved to be difficult for the the Trojans (7-0 in the EUPC, 14-1 overall), as they and the Bays (3-3 in the EUPC, 11-3 overall) battled to two overtimes during the first game December 21that the Trojans won.

This time around, the outcome was not decided until the final minute of play. The game was played before perhaps one of the largest crowds at the John Duncan Gymnasium to witness a girls basketball game, said athletic director Dave Duncan.

"I was pleased with the way we played in a big game," said Trojans Coach Sonja Duncan. "We rebounded well, with more than 30 total rebounds. Ashley Sweeney played an all-around good game."

Jessica Graham (14) of Brimley drains a second quarter two-point field goal.

Free throws made the difference on the scoreboard for the Trojans, who were being slightly outshot from the field by the Bays, 42-41. The Trojans outscored the Bays 20-13 from the free throw line, shooting 10 of 12 in the closing 1:29 to seal the league title.

The Trojans led 18-12 after the first eight minutes as six players scored for Cedarville. The Trojans held a 30-22 halftime lead, owing to a12-10 scoring edge in the second quarter. Ashley Sweeney and Billie McLeod scored eight points each for Cedarville, and Jessica Graham scored seven points and Amber Aikens chipped in six for Brimley.

Cedarville took a 44-35 lead into the final eight minutes with a 14-13 scoring run in the third quarter. The Bays cut into the Trojans' lead 44-41 with 6:42 left in the game.

The Trojans made a scoring surge with McLeod's three-point play, followed by Sweeney's two free throws, but Brimley answered with nine points to take a 50-49 lead, its first lead since early in the opening quarter at 2:19.

Caitlin Wright (20) hits a baseline jumper to give the Trojans the lead with 1:43 left in the game to clinch the EUPC championship over Brimley Friday, February 1.

Caitlin Wright hit a baseline jumper at the 1:43 mark to give the Trojans the lead for good. Cedarville's Jessie Duncan scored six points at the free throw line, Sweeney two, and Wright and McLeod one each, down the stretch, to secure the win and clinch the league title.

Trojans statistics: Ashley Sweeney, 16 points, seven rebounds, five steals, four assists; Billie McLeod, 16 points, seven rebounds; Jessie Duncan, 15 points, four assists, four rebounds, three steals; Caitlin Wright, nine points, seven rebounds, three steals; Jillian Collins, four points, six rebounds, three steals; Katie Bowlby, one point.

Bays statistics: Jenna Somes, 18 points; Amber Aikens, 14 points; Jessica Graham, 11 points; Ashtyn Cameron, eight points; Sydney Wilson, three points; Kelly Graham, two points.

Bays Edge Trojans in JV Game

Brimley edged Cedarville 37- 35 during the junior varsity game.

Bays statistics: Cassie Wilcox, 10 points; Stephanie Lynn, eight points; Lynette Carrick, six points; Shelby Leapley, five points; Jessica Noyce, three points; Courtney Wilson, Megan Carrick, two points; Becca Carruthers, one point.

Trojans statistics: Jenna Arnold, nine points; Stephanie Leach, eight points; Danielle Weaver, six points; Shanda McCord, five points; Anna St. Andrew, three points; Amber St. Andrew, Logan Smith, two points.