Katy LaTour St. Ignace Saints Move Closer

To Clinch SAC Title

The St. Ignace Saints moved one step closer to clinch the Straits Area Conference (SAC) championship with a 64-32 home win over the Sault Ste. Marie Blue Devils Thursday, February 11.

St. Ignace took a 19-11 lead after the first eight minutes and opened a 36-15 halftime margin with a 17-4 advantage in the second quarter.

The Saints outscored the Blue Devils 28-17 in the second half that included 13- 8 in the third quarter and 15-9 in the final eight minutes.

Everyone scored

Everyone scored for Coach Dorene Ingalls and that made the coach feel positive as the team has five games remaining in the regular season before the Class C tournaments.

"I was pleased with our overall effort,” she said. “We continue to get playing time for everyone and that is a key to our success for the remainder of the season and into the tournaments."

Mikaela Kelly St. Ignace The Saints, 7-0 in the SAC and 14-1 overall, are two games ahead of the Blue Devils. The Saints have league games at Rudyard Wednesday, February 17, at Newberry Friday, February 19, and a home contest against Cheboygan during the "Hooping for a Cure" benefit game Thursday, February 25.

Saints statistics: Nicole Elmblad, double/double with 27 points, 13 assists, nine assists; Kristen Olsen, 12 points, six rebounds, five steals, three blocked shots; Mallory LaLonde, nine points, five rebounds, two blocks; Katy LaTour, three points, six rebounds, Mikaela Kelly, three points, five rebounds; Chelsea Swope, two points, six rebounds; Samantha Radecki, two points, three steals, two assists, two rebounds; Emily Hepker, two points, six rebounds, two assists; Grace Wheeler, two points, three assists, two steals; Anna St. Andrew, two points.

Lynzee Bigelow Engadine Saints Prepare for ‘Hooping

for a Cure’ Game

The ‘Hooping for a Cure’ charity game to benefit the Mackinac Straits Hospital oncology department will be played at LaSalle High School Thursday, February 25.

Program listings in honor or memory of loved ones are available at $15 each. Pink T-shirts are available for $10 each. Contact Kathy Marshall at 643-8145, extension 1, for more information.

Eagles Outlast Raiders

The Engadine Eagles improved to 11-6 overall and 3-4 in the Eastern Upper Peninsula Conference with a 52-33 league home win over the DeTour Raiders Thursday, February 11.

"We are playing solid defense and the girls are doing good things together to win," said Eagles Coach Dave McNeil.

Leah Wallis Rudyard Engadine led 13-11 after the first eight minutes and built a 27-19- halftime advantage with a 14-8 margin in the second quarter.

The Eagles increased the lead to 39-22 after three quarters with a 12- 3 score before both teams scored 13 points in the final eight minutes.

Engadine was led by four players in double figures and six of seven girls in the scoring column.

Eagles statistics: Krista Metcalf, 13 points, three steals, three assists; Morgan MacArthur, 13 points; Kacie Rutledge, double/ double with 10 points, 10 rebounds; Elisa Hobbs, 10 points, eight rebounds; Kayla Miller, three points; Lynzee Bigelow, two points, nine rebounds.

Raiders statistics: Darci Wilson, 13 points; Kiah Barbeaux, 10 points; Nicole Melcer, five points; Jesse Kelleghan, three points; Abby Stocking and Ashlyn Bosley, two points.

Jenna Ledy - Pickford Pickford Posts Road Wins

Over Rudyard, Escanaba

The Pickford Panthers posted road wins over the Rudyard Bulldogs 66-55 Tuesday, February 9, and downed the Escanaba Eskymos 66-46 Saturday, February 13.

Second-half Offense

Key To Win

The Panthers trailed by nine points at halftime before outscoring the Rudyard Bulldogs 42-22 in the second half to record the win.

Rudyard led 18-12 after the first eight minutes and held a 15- 11 advantage in the second quarter for a 33-24-halftime lead behind the performance on offense by Emily Jeffreys, who scored a game high 33 points.

The Panthers regrouped at halftime to outscore the Bulldogs 20- 12 in the third quarter to slice the Rudyard lead to 45-44. The Panthers closed out the non-league match-up with a 22-10 margin in the final eight minutes.

Emily Jeffreys Rudyard Balanced scoring and free throws were keys to the Panthers victory, as five players scored nine or more points for Coach Paul Griffin and Pickford held a 19-7 advantage from the charity stripe.

Panthers statistics: Justine Hatfield, 20 points; Callie Smith, 15 points; Kristine Cline, 13 points; Jenna Ledy and Olivia Smith, nine points; Abbie Andrezjak, two points.

Bulldogs remaining statistics: Leah Wallis, 11 points; Abbie LaPointe and Rebecca Malaski, six points; Leah Jarvie, four points; Crystal Brownlee, one point.

Pressure Defense Lifts

Pickford Over Escanaba

Pressure defense lifted the Pickford Panthers over the Escanaba Eskymos during a nonleague contest.

Pickford led 14-6 after the first quarter and outscored Escanaba 21-11 in the second quarter for a 35-17-halftime lead.

The Panthers built their margin to 47-27 after the third quarter before both teams scored 21 points in the final eight minutes.

"Our full court defense and rebounding was the key in the final three quarters," said Panthers Coach Paul Griffin.

Panthers statistics: Jenna Ledy, 21 points, 10 of 14 from the free line; Justine Hatfield and Kristen Cline, 16 points; Callie Smith and Melissa Stevenson, five points; Olivia Smith; Abbie Andrzejak, one point.

Second-half Effort

Key To Bulldogs Win

The Rudyard Bulldogs trailed by four points at halftime, but outscored the Cheboygan Chiefs 22-13 in the second half to post a 42-35 road Straits Area Conference (SAC) win Thursday, February 11.

The Chiefs held a 9-5 scoring edge after the first eight minutes before both teams scored 10 points in the second quarter for a 19-15 halftime score.

Rudyard, 3-4 in the SAC and 7- 8 overall, held a 14-6 advantage in the third quarter to take a 29-25 lead after the third quarter and completed the win with an 8-7 margin in the final eight minutes.

Bulldogs statistics: Emily Jeffreys, 21 points; Leah Jarvie, 10 points; Rebecca Malaski, six points; Leah Wallis, five points.