Nicole Elmblad (4) of St. Ignace hits this short jumper in the Saints win over the Indians. Saints Stay Perfect

In SAC With Home Win

The St. Ignace Saints stayed perfect at 4-0 in the Straits Area Conference after a 66-28 home win over the Newberry Indians Friday, January 15.

"I was pleased that nine girls scored and we had just nine turnovers," said Saints Coach Dorene Ingalls. "Our defense played a big factor and that is one key to our success."

The Saints, 8-1 overall, led 15- 8 after the first eight minutes and exploded in the second quarter with a 27-5 advantage in the second quarter for a 42-13-halftime margin as Nicole Elmblad scored 19 points and Mallory LaLonde added nine.

Both teams scored 12 points in the third quarter for a 54-25 score and the Saints completed the league contest with a 12-3 advantage in the final eight minutes.

Cortney Wilson Brimley Saints statistics: Nicole Elmblad, 24 points, 17 rebounds, seven steals, seven assists; Kristen Olsen, 13 points, nine rebounds, five steals; Mallory LaLonde, nine points, five rebounds; Grace Wheeler, six points, six rebounds; Chelsea Swope, six points; Emily Hepker, four points; Mikaela Kelly, four rebounds; Samantha Radecki, two points.

Indians statistics: Caryn Ducsay, 11 points; Rachael Marsh, five points; Shelby Duflo and Ashlee Henry, four points; Hannah Dake and Malorie Ellis, two points.

St. Ignace will be on the road for their next five games. The schedule is: Wednesday, January 20, at Cedarville; Friday, January 22, at Cheboygan; Tuesday, January 26, at Pickford; Thursday, January 28, at Rudyard, and Wednesday, February 3, at Manistique.

Saints JV Drop Heartbreaker

Kiah Barbeaux DeTour The St. Ignace Saints dropped a 40-39 overtime heartbreaker to the Newberry Indians Friday, January 15.

Saints statistics: Sarah Cullip, eight points; Kayla Fulgenzi and Samantha Gugin, seven points; Lauren Goldthorpe and Alexa Thibault, six points; Sophie Peters, three points; Brooklyn Chambers, two points.

Bulldogs Fall to Blue Devils

In SAC Match-up

The Rudyard Bulldogs dropped a 68-37 Straits Area Conference (SAC) decision to the Sault Ste. Marie Blue Devils Friday, January 15.

The Blue Devils outscored the Bulldogs in every quarter, including 14-7 in the first eight minutes and 17-10 in the second quarter, for a 31-17 halftime margin. The Blue Devils held a 37-20 advantage in the second half. Rudyard fell to 4-4 overall and 2-2 in the SAC.

Bulldogs statistics: Emily Jeffreys, 23 points; Rebecca Malaski and Leah Jarvie, four points; Brittany Brown, Abbie LaPointe, and Lindsie LaPointe, two points.

Mallory LaLonde (40) drains this outside shot against the Indians. Bays Down Blue Devils In Benefit Hoops Game Senior Cortney Wilson scored in the closing seconds to lift the Brimley Bays to a 41-40 non-conference road win over the Sault Ste. Marie Blue Devils during the “Rivals vs. Cancer” benefit game for the oncology department at War Memorial Hospital Tuesday, January 12.

The Blue Devils held a ninepoint lead during the contest before the Bays slowly cut into the lead and tied the game at 36 in the closing three minutes.

Sault Ste. Marie took a 40-36 lead before Jessica Graham hit a triple to close the margin to 40-39 with 20 seconds left in the game.

Brimley sent the Blue Devils to the free throw line for a one-onone situation, but the charity shot was missed. The Bays rebounded and Graham found Wilson for the winning shot.

Emily Hepker (54) of St. Ignace and Caryn Ducsay (14) of Newberry battle for the ball during the Saints win over the Indians. Sault Ste. Marie led 26-21 at halftime before the Bays outscored the Blue Devils 20-14 in the second half to post the win.

Bays statistics: Jessica Graham, 18 points; Lynnette Carrick, eight points; Whitney Frazier and Stephanie Lynn, four points; Cortney Wilson, three points; Sydney Beaune and Shelby Leapley, two points.

Blue Devils top scorers: Alex Perry, 11 points; Kaitlin James, nine points.

Bays Down Raiders in EUPC

The Brimley Bays remain undefeated with a 3-0 record in the Eastern Upper Peninsula (EUPC) and 9-0 overall after defeating the DeTour Raiders 58-40 Friday, January 15.

Justine Hatfield Pickford The victory sets up the matchup with the Pickford Panthers for first place in the EUPC Friday, January 22, on the Panthers home court.

DeTour, 0-3 and 4-5 overall, held a 12-11- scoring edge after the first eight minutes before the Bays outscored the Raiders 15-4 in the second quarter for a 26-16-halftime lead and completed the game with a 32-24 second half advantage.

Bays statistics: Jessica Graham, 16 points; Lynnette Carrick, 12 points; Stephanie Lynn, 10 points; Whitney Frazier, nine points; Sydney Beaune, five points; Becca Carruthers, two points.

Raiders statistics: Kiah Barbeaux, 20 points, five triples; Nicole Melcer, six points, Abby Stocking and Jesse Kelleghan, five points; Staci Wilson and Ashley Bosley, two points.

Bays Down Trojans,

Kacie Rutledge Engadine Swordsmen The Brimley Bays defeated the Cedarville Trojans 72-46 during a home Eastern Upper Peninsula Conference contest Friday, January 8, and turned around to down Harbor Light Christian 31-25 in a low scoring road match-up Saturday, January 9.

Bays Down Trojans in EUPC

Cedarville held a 16-15 scoring edge in the first eight minutes before Brimley outscored the Trojans 18-9 in the second quarter for a 33-25-halftime advantage and Brimley continued to build on their lead with a 39-21 margin in the second half.

Bays statistics: Jessica Graham, 15 points; Stephanie Lynn, 14 points; Cassie Wilcox, six points; Becca Carruthers, five points; Whitney Frazier, three points; Shelby Leapley, two points.

Trojans statistics: Jillian Collins, 19 points; Kharizma Labinski, 13 points; Hope Wittmus, six points; Mary Eberts, five points; Chelsea Grove, two points.

Jennifer Jaenicke Mackinaw City Bays Edge Swordsmen

The Bays led 20-12 at halftime before the Swordsmen held a 13- 11-scoring edge in the second half.

Bays statistics: Jessica Graham, 10 points; Stephanie Lynn, eight points; Lynnette Carrick, six points; Becca Carruthers, Sydney Beaune, and Whitney Frazier, two points; Cortney Wilson, one point.

Panthers Edge Eagles

In EUPC Battle

Pickford outscored Engadine 15-10 in the fourth quarter to lift the Panthers to a 40-39 Eastern Upper Peninsula Conference (EUPC) road win over the Eagles Friday, January 15.

"This was a big win, especially on the road and it keeps us tied for first place with Brimley," said Panthers Coach Paul Griffin. "Our fourth-quarter defense was a key for us and we are playing well as a team."

Pickford, 3-0 in the EUPC, will entertain Brimley for first place in the league Friday, January 22.

"We are still a solid team that doesn't quit," said Eagles Coach Dave McNeil. "Pickford's intensity on defense was the difference in the fourth quarter."

Pickford, 7-3 overall, held an 11-10-scoring edge after the first eight minutes before Engadine outscored the Panthers 12-6 in the second quarter for a 22-17- halftime lead.

The Panthers cut the Eagles lead to 29-25 with an 8-7 margin in the third quarter before Pickford held a five-point advantage in the deciding final eight minutes.

Panthers statistics: Justine Hatfield, 18 points, seven in the fourth quarter; Callie Smith, eight points, three in the fourth quarter; Jenna Ledy, seven points, three in fourth quarter; Kristen Cline, six points, two in the fourth quarter; Kelcie Brown, one point.

Eagles statistics: Morgan MacArthur, 13 points, three assists; Elisa Hobbs, six points, 15 rebounds; Kacie Rutledge, five points, five rebounds; Lynzee Bigelow, four points, seven points; Jessie Davis, four points; Kayla Miller, three points.

Defense Lifts Eagles

To Win Over Rockets

The Engadine Eagles held the Rapid River Rockets to singledigit scoring in each quarter en route to a 46-26 non-conference home win Tuesday, January 12.

Both teams scored eight points in the first eight minutes before the Eagles held a 7-5 scoring edge in the second quarter for a 15-13- halftime advantage.

"We turned up our defensive pressure in the third quarter that jump started our offense," said Eagles Coach Dave McNeil.

Engadine outscored Rapid River 17-6 in the third quarter to increase their lead to 32-19 and closed out the contest with a 14- 7 margin in the final eight minutes.

Eagles statistics: Krista Metcalf, 14 points;

Morgan Mac- Arthur, eight points, 10 steals, five rebounds; Kacie Rutledge, seven points; Elisa Hobbs and Lynzee Bigelow, six points, six rebounds; Kayla Miller, two points, four rebounds; Jessie Davis, two points.

Engadine will host Big Bay de Noc Friday, January 22.

Panthers Breeze Past Comets

Four players scored in double figures for Coach Paul Griffin to lift the Pickford Panthers to a 69- 16 home non-conference win over the Mackinaw City Comets Wednesday, January 13.

The Panthers raced out to a 48- 8 lead at halftime and outscored the Comets 21-8 in the second half.

Panthers statistics: Melissa Stevenson, career high 18 points; Jenna Ledy, 14 points; Kristen Cline, 12 points; Justine Hatfield, 10 points; Callie Smith, eight points; Marlee Malaski, four points; Abbie Andrzejak, three points; Kelcie Brown, two points.

Comets statistics: Kristina Heilman, Jennifer Jaenicke, Jessica Sefton, Kim Jaenicke, four points.

Mackinaw City Girls

Fall to Wolverine

The Mackinaw City Comets girls basketball team fell to the Wolverine Wildcats 30-25 during a Northern Lakes Conference home game Friday, January 8.

The Wildcats led 10-7 at halftime and held a 20-18-scoring edge in the second half.

Comets statistics: Jennifer Jaenicke, eight points; Kristina Heilman, six points; Amber Wallis and Sarah Rogala, four points; Kim Jaenicke, three points.