Photo courtesy of MHSAA.

EAST LANSING---The Baraga Vikings had their season come to an end one game short of the ultimate goal. The Vikings lost to Maple City Glen Lake in the MHSAA Division Four state championship game on Saturday, 60-43, to end their season at the Breslin Center for a second straight year. The girls lost in the semifinals last year to Fowler.

Maddy Bradford led the Lakers with 28 points, and Ruby Hogan added 19 points.

Baraga led by five at halftime before Bradford and Hogan took over in the second half, and the Vikings went on a long dry spell offensively.

In that first half, Baraga's Corina Jahfetson scored 14 points, including four triples, to give the Vikings that halftime lead. But she missed 13 of the 15 shots she took in the second half as the Lakers ramped up the defense. Jahefson finished with 20 points.

“It was not really the attention factor, I was just not feeling it in that second half,” Jahfetson told MHSAA.com. “I kept trying to push it through and do what I had to do.”
 

“We came out better than we usually do in the first half,” Baraga coach Tyler Larson added. “We’re used to playing from behind in a lot of games. I thought we had a great start, things were falling in our favor. We came out in the second half, they made some good adjustments, credit to them. Some of the size factor played in there."

"I think we needed to do a better job boxing out, and transition points that we didn’t want to let up. That’s a good ballclub right there that we just played, and our girls fought to the end. Just really proud of what they’ve done this game and all season long."

Baraga finished its season 23-6. Makenna Hendrickson scored 14 points to go along with Jahetson's 20 points.

“It means so much to be here sitting with these girls and coach Ty,” Jahfetson said. “I’m happy that we’re state runner-up. It would have been amazing to be No. 1, but not everything works out that way.”