Nicole Elmblad (4), who scored 55 points in the two regional wins, drives to the hoop against Kennan Marana (42) of Negaunee and was fouled on the play. The St. Ignace Saints girls took a heavy punch, trailing by 10 points after the first eight minutes, but survived with a 56-53 win over the Negaunee Miners at Escanaba High School Thursday, March 11.

"This was a tough game against a very good Negaunee team," said Saints Coach Dorene Ingalls. "I was pleased with the way we came back. This was the first time since the 69-59 defeat [the only setback this season] to Marquette December 4 that we had to play from behind."

Nicole Elmblad scored the first eight points for the Saints. At the 4:50 mark, the teams were tied at eight before Negaunee scored 10 unanswered points for an 18-8 lead at the end of the first quarter.

During the first 1:30 of the second quarter, the Miners still held a 10 point (22-12) lead when St. Ignace turned the regional championship around with a 12-2 offensive run to send the game into halftime tied at 24.

The Saints’ Grace Wheeler (34) dribbles to run time off the clock late in the third quarter and seconds later the junior converted a four-point play to give St. Ignace a 10 point lead going into the fourth quarter. Mallory LaLonde jump-started the Saints team with her first of three triples at 3:19, followed by a Negaunee basket before Chelsea Swope scored consecutive field goals that included a trey, and Elmblad completed the first half with two straight field goals.

"The start of the second half was key for us. We needed to keep the momentum we built from the second quarter run," said Coach Ingalls. "This was a total team effort; each girl had a time when they stepped up on offense or defense."

LaLonde drained her second trey for a 27-24 margin to open the second half and the Saints never relinquished the lead.

Mallory LaLonde (40) of St. Ignace and Gabby Martin (24), with Paige Yoho (10) and Chelsea Swope (32) as back up, battle for the rebound in the regional championship game. Elmblad scored four points for a 31-30 lead at 4:16. LaLonde notched her third three-point field goal and added one free throw and Elmblad chipped in with one free throw for a 37-30 margin with 3:10 remaining in the third quarter.

One of the key moments for St. Ignace came in the closing minutes of the third quarter. The Saints, with the final possession of the quarter, ran the clock down when Grace Wheeler hit a clutch triple and was fouled with 1.4 seconds on the clock. The junior converted a rare four-point play with the free throw for a 44-34 lead going into the final eight minutes.

Negaunee cut the St. Ignace lead to four on two occasions and three to end the game. Elmblad and Wheeler combined for the Saints with 12 points each, converting on four of six free throws to close out the Saints fifth regional championship with Coach Ingalls.

Saints statistics: Nicole Elmblad, double/double with 25 points, 11 rebounds, two assists; Grace Wheeler, 16 points, five assists, five rebounds, four steals; Mallory LaLonde, nine points, two assists, two steals; Chelsea Swope, five points; Kristen Olsen, one point.

Miners statistics: Heather Moore, 14 points; Sarah MacDonald, 13 points; Gabby Martin, nine points; Kristina Mattson and Kennan Marana, six points; Charissa Johnson, three points; Kykka Marana, two points.

Quarterfinals, Final Four

Schedules

The Saints battled McBain in the quarterfinals Tuesday, March 16, at Petoskey, after press time. The semifinals are set for Thursday, March 18 at 2:50 p.m. against the Vicksburg quarterfinal winner, and the Class C state finals Saturday, March 20, 4:00 p.m., at the Breslin Center on the campus of Michigan State University.

Saints Open Regionals

With Win Over Gremlins

St. Ignace never trailed and prevailed 61-45 over the Houghton Gremlins at Escanaba High School Tuesday, March 9. In the second semifinal contest, the Negaunee Miners defeated the Stephenson Eagles 35-27.

"I was pleased with our defensive pressure. Chelsea Swope and Grace Wheeler spearheaded our defense," said Saints Coach Dorene Ingalls.

In a rematch of the regional finals from 2009, the Saints jumped out early as Grace Wheeler scored the Saints’ first four points and added five more points to lift St. Ignace to an 18-12 lead after the first eight minutes, but the junior went to the bench early in the second quarter with three fouls.

Houghton scored the first field goal of the second quarter before Nicole Elmblad took control with nine points, five of six from the free throw line, to increase the Saints lead to 29-20 at halftime.

The Gremlins scored two consecutive field goals to open the third quarter, cutting the Saints lead to 29-24 before Mallory LaLonde drained her first of two triples and Elmblad added eight points to give St. Ignace a 44-36 lead going into the final eight minutes.

“Mallory's triple was huge after Houghton gained momentum with two field goals," said Ingalls. “Each game, a different girl will step up and that is why we have been successful."

LaLonde and Elmblad scored off rebounds and put backs to open the fourth quarter. Following a Gremlin basket, LaLonde downed her second trey, freshman Sarah Cullip, who is right handed, reversed her hand and scored with her left, Elmblad scored three, and Wheeler made one of two free throws to extend the Saints lead to 57-38. The team cruised the remaining 2:38 to post the win.

Saints statistics: Nicole Elmblad, 30 points, seven rebounds, three steals, three assists; Grace Wheeler, 12 points, five rebounds, four assists; Mallory LaLonde, 10 points, two rebounds; Kristen Olsen, seven points, four assists, three rebounds, one blocked shot; Sarah Cullip, two points, four rebounds; Chelsea Swope, three rebounds, two steals; Katy LaTour, three rebounds; Emily Hepker, two steals.

Gremlins leading scorers: Joanna Carroll, 15 points; Annemarie Gerard, 12 points; Taylor Dillinger, 10 points. Coach Julie Filpus is in her 11th season with the Gremlins varsity program.