Braves Beat Eskymos With Defense, Three-Pointers

GLADSTONE---The Battle of Delta County brought a huge crowd to the Gladstone High School Gym as the Gladstone Braves hosted the Escanaba Eskymos in girls basketball.

It was a tournament atmosphere as the girls played 32 minutes of sometimes-physical basketball. And the student sections from both schools were loud and enthusiastic.

The Braves pushed out to a 14-point lead in the second quarter and held off the Eskymos to post a 54-43 win inside the Gladstone High School Gym.

The Braves made eight three-point baskets, and EHS star forward Michelle LaFave was kept in check for most of the night.

Gladstone led, 13-8, after the first quarter, as Ashley Edwardsen nailed two three-pointers, and Alexis St. Cyr also drained one from beyond the arch. In the second quarter, Leigha Woelffer made two three's, and St. Cyr also hit a long triple.

Those six three-pointers in the first half helped Gladstone to build a 27-13 lead, and it was 28-15 at halftime. Michelle Lafave, one of the U.P.'s top players who ahs committed to play college ball at Michigan Tech University, was frustrated.

She had numerous shots hit off of the rim throughout the first half, and LaFave missed seven of her nine free throw attempts in the first half.

But in the second half, LaFave was able to get something going. LaFave scored 14 points in the second half, and Callie Heller scored nine points in the second half.

Escanaba managed to cut the lead to seven points in the fourth quarter, but never could put together that big run that could tighten the game down the stretch.

Edwardsen made two more three-pointers for Gladstone in the third quarter, and then, holding a ten-point lead in the fourth quarter, the Braves waited to be fouled.

And Gladstone did well at the line, making 12 of 19 foul shots in that final quarter.

Gladstone got 13 points from St. Cyr, 12 from Edwardsen, and 1o from Woelffer.

The Eskymos got 18 points from LaFave and nine points from Heller.

Escanaba (2-6) hosts Marquette Tuesday night, and the Eskymos will be at Kingsford on Thursday. Gladstone (6-2) will travel to Manistique next Friday, Jan. 16.

Click the thumbnails in the ARTICLE HIGHLIGHTS box to see photos taken by Lori Jurek, and videos taken by Mike Dagenais and Nate Bellville.

Date	Time	Opponent	Score	Record

12/2	7:30 PM	at Negaunee Miners	54 - 39 (W)	1-0

12/5	7:30 PM	Gwinn Model Towners	38 - 44 (L)	1-1

12/9	7:30 PM	Marquette Redmen	33 - 38 (L)	1-2

12/11	7:40 PM	at Ishpeming Hematites	38 - 36 (W)	2-2

12/16	8:00 PM	at Kingsford Flivvers	49 - 43 (W)	3-2

12/27	3:00 PM	Houghton Gremlins	36 - 32 (W)	4-2

1/6	8:00 PM	at Stephenson Eagles	66 - 58 (W)	5-2

1/9	7:30 PM	Escanaba Eskymos	54 - 43 (W)	6-2

1/16	7:30 PM	at Manistique Emeralds	58 - 23 (W)	7-2

1/19	7:20 PM	at Marquette Redmen	46 - 64 (L)	7-3

1/27	8:00 PM	at Menominee Maroons	41 - 38 (W)	8-3

1/29	7:15 PM	Rapid River Rockets	61 - 12 (W)	9-3

2/3	7:15 PM	Negaunee Miners	43 - 37 (W)	10-3

2/6	7:15 PM	Menominee Maroons	40 - 49 (L)	10-4

2/10	7:15 PM	Ishpeming Hematites	43 - 33 (W)	11-4

2/12	7:15 PM	Westwood Patriots	PPD - PPD (T)	PPD

2/16	7:30 PM	at Escanaba Eskymos	51 - 44 (W)	12-4

2/21	2:30 PM	at Sault Ste. Marie Blue Devils	59 - 54 OT (W)	13-4

2/24	7:15 PM	Kingsford Flivvers	39 - 46 (L)	13-5

2/26	7:30 PM	at Iron Mountain Mountaineers	45 - 28 (W)	14-5

3/4	7:00 PM	Escanaba Eskymos	27 - 46 (L)	14-6