Basketball players from St. Ignace and Cheboygan varsity girls teams wearing commemorative jerseys nearly filled the LaSalle High School gymnasium Thursday, February 25. The players from both teams were escorted by their sponsors, honoring friends and loved ones who have had cancer. The pre-game ceremony drew attention to the impact cancer has had in the community. Money raised at the Hooping For a Cure basketball game was donated to the oncology departments at Mackinac Straits Health System in St. Ignace and Cheboygan Memorial Hospital of Cheboygan. A sports rivalry dating to the 1960s produced a winning result for two local hospitals last week as the basketball match-up between the Saints and the Chiefs in the "Hooping for a Cure" game benefited the oncology departments at Mackinac Straits Health System and Cheboygan Memorial Hospital. The second annual benefit game in St. Ignace, the first with Cheboygan, drew a near capacity crowd of both St. Ignace and Cheboygan fans to LaSalle High School Thursday, February 25. The Saints defeated the Chiefs 74-34 in the final regular game of the season for both teams. The team and community effort raised an estimated $10,500 for Mackinac Straits Health System; donation totals for Cheboygan Memorial were not available by press time.

A ceremonial jump ball before the hooping game includes (center, from left) Walter North and Ron Mitchell from Mackinac Straits Health System, the Saints’ Nicole Elmblad (4), and the Chiefs’ Taylor Lopiccolo (12). The St. Ignace team wore pink uniforms with black trim and the Cheboygan team wore black uniforms with pink trim. The game ball was pink and black, and the crowd dressed in pink T-shirts to give the gymnasium a festive atmosphere and show support for the cause of cancer research and awareness.

Coaches Dorene Ingalls of St. Ignace and Jason Purcell of Cheboygan have been rivals on the court for more than 10 years, but both said the benefit game meant more to their communities than typical girls hoops match-up.

Melinda (nee Horn) Porter, a cancer survivor, was the guest speaker before the "Hooping for Cure" game. "This is a great evening for both teams and everyone one in the stands," said Coach Ingalls. "The real winner is the hospitals and the oncology departments."

"We are happy to be part of this event," said Coach Purcell. "Both communities benefit from this game and we hope that we will be invited back for next year."

Girls on the junior varsity and varsity teams wore jerseys sponsored in honor or in memory of loved ones in the community. Some players carried more than one sponsorship on their jerseys, reflecting the strong community support of this effort. Special commemorative game programs listed donations made to the hospitals. The money raised by the Saints and Chiefs came from jersey sponsors, program sponsorships in honor of loved ones, and the sale of "Hooping for a Cure" T-shirts. Also raising money for the hospital in St. Ignace was the St. Ignace Kiwanis Club tail-gate picnic that preceded the game in the school cafeteria, the raffle of donated items, and a 50/50 raffle. Sponsorships and T-shirt sales from the Cheboygan community will benefit Cheboygan Memorial.

Nicole Elmblad of St. Ignace drives to the hoop for two of her 30 points in the benefit game. The pre-game ceremony started with the introduction of the St. Ignace and Cheboygan varsity and junior varsity basketball teams. Saints cheerleaders and sponsors were also introduced, followed by guest speakers.

Ron Mitchell, chairman of Mackinac Straits Health System, spoke on behalf of the hospital board, thanking both teams, volunteer workers, and fans who supported the event. The new hospital has community open house planned in early April, he said. Doctor Susan Hepker from Mackinac Straits Health System spoke about the meaning of these donations for the new hospital.

Kristen Olsen (50) of St. Ignace attempts this two-point field goal over the Chiefs’ Amy Charboneau (15) and Darcie Melching (55). Coach Dorene Ingalls honored Cheboygan High School junior Kristin Stempky, who organized football game between Cheboygan and Ogemaw Heights in her community this past fall to raise funds for cancer research, but owing to flu epidemic the game was cancelled. Mike Grisdale, director of public relations at Cheboygan Memorial Hospital, thanked the “Hooping for a Cure” teams and crowd, and thanked Miss Stempky for her hard work last fall. Melinda (nee Horn) Porter, Mackinac Island Public School alumnus, addressed the crowd about her six-year illness of breast cancer: "As every basketball game is different, though the same, by definition the same is true with every cancer diagnosis. To win a basketball game, you must play offense and defense and to win the battle against cancer, it must be fought on both the local and national level. This event is a perfect example of the local offensive fight and the Relay of Life is an example of national defensive fight. The local effort funds the care; the national effort funds the cure."

The Saints’ Chelsea Swope (32) drains this first-quarter threepoint field goal over the Chiefs’ Taylor Lopiccolo (12). The game began with a ceremonial opening tip off by Mr. Mitchell and Walter North of the hospital board, the Saints’ Nicole Elmblad, and the Chiefs’ Taylor Lopiccolo.

Saints Complete Perfect

The "Hooping for a Cure" St. Ignace Saints and Cheboygan Chiefs teams pose together Thursday, February 25. Members include (front, from left) Chelsea Swope-32, Bree Franz- 23, Amy Charboneau-15, Annie Bryers-44; (middle) Samantha Radecki-20, Jessica Beaudien-33, Kristen Olsen-50, Kali Hancock-5, Anna St. Andrew-11, Hailey Rozek-22, Emily Hepker-54, Taylor Charboneau-12; (back) Darcie Melching-55, Nicole Elmblad-4, Molly Warren-24, Mallory LaLonde-40, Megan Charboneau-10, Grace Wheeler-34, Saints Coach Dorene Ingalls, Chiefs Coach Jason Purcell, Rachel Fernelius-11, Mikaela Kelly-22, Tonya Jennings-32, Katy LaTour-10 and Saints Assistant Coach Doug Ingalls. Season In SAC

The Saints completed a perfect season in the Straits Area Conference with a 10-0 record and an 18-game winning streak for a 19-1 overall mark with this win over the Chiefs.

The St. Ignace traditional style of strong defense and balanced offense was the key to the Saints win.

At left: Before the game (from left) Saints coach Dorene Ingalls and Mike Grisdale, public relations director for Cheboygan Memorial Hospital, honor Kristin Stempky of Cheboygan High School for her efforts to organize a fundraising “Pink Football” game that was to benefit Cheboygan Memorial Hospital this past fall, but was canceled owing to an outbreak of flu. Nine players scored for the Saints and Chiefs, but the St. Ignace defense held the Cheboygan players to single-digit scoring, while Nicole Elmblad continued her standout season with 30 points and Chelsea Swope added 12 for the Saints. Hailey Rozek and Tonya Jenning scored eight points each to lead the Chiefs.

St. Ignace led 21-11 after the first eight minutes and outscored Cheboygan 21-18 in the second quarter for a 42-19 halftime lead. The Saints closed out the SAC match-up with a 32-15 advantage in the second half.

“Putting a full court press on cancer,” the game's theme, LaSalle High School students cheer on the girls varsity basketball team Thursday evening, February 25. LaSalle fans pictured are (front row, from left) Landon Marshall, Cole Christiansen, Curtis Gustin, Luke Thurston; (middle) Grant Simmons (with thumb up), Gerrit Mortensen; (back) Caleb Litzner, Lauren Winkelman, Amanda Dixon, Dana Schieding, Britni Gahn, Alexa Thibault, Kelly Marshall, and Abby Chambers. Saints remaining statistics: Nicole Elmblad, 11 rebounds, five assists, three steals; Chelsea Swope, five rebounds, four assists, four steals; Samantha Radecki, eight points; Kristen Olsen, six points; Mallory LaLonde, six points, three assists; Emily Hepker, four points; Katy LaTour, four points, six rebounds; Grace Wheeler, two points, five rebounds, four steals, three assists; Mikaela Kelly, two points.

Students watch the transformation of Rick Boston, LaSalle High School custodian, as his shoulderlength hair is shaved off during halftime by stylist Mandy Fenlon. He went months without a haircut, raising $360 for the oncology department at Mackinac Straits Health System in St. Ignace. Chiefs remaining statistics: Jessica Beaubien, five points; Molly Warren, four points; Kali Hancock, three points; Amy Charboneau and Megan Charboneau, two points; Darcie Melching and Bree Franz, one point.
Saints and Chiefs action under the basket at LaSalle High. The players wore commemorative jerseys for the charity game.
At left: Girls just want to wear pink, say three St. Ignace Elementary School students of their favorite color. Wearing their bright pink game shirts and with pink designs painted on their cheeks are (from left) Kylee Peters, 5, Brooke Brandstrom, 6, and Lyla Horn, 6, having fun at the Saints girls basketball game.