Click the thumbnails to see photos and videos, and listen to post-game comments from Grayson LaMarche and from both teams' head coches.
ESCANABA---The Escanaba High School girls basketball team went on a 19-0 run to break open a close game to defeat the Bark River-Harris Broncos, 66-54, Thursday night in Escanaba. It was one of the only games played in the U.P., with most other contests cancelled because of the winter storm that rolled through other areas of the region.
After the Broncos closed to within 26-22 midway through the second quarter, the Eskymos' 1-3-1 defense caused multiple turnovers late in the second and early in the third quarter, building a 45-22 Escanaba lead.
The Eskymos improved to 7-0 on the season under new head coach Tracy Hudson, who coached the Eskymo boys team for 26 years before stepping down and taking over the girls' team.
Hudson substitued freely after his team got ahead by 23 points, and the Broncos made some outside shots late, including two triples by Nina Bower, to close the gap.
"We're very proud of our girls," Hudson said. "We played a really good Bark River team. They're improving Coach (Matt) Richer does a great job. But I'm happy with our girls. We're 7-0, and we'll take a couple of days off until we get ready for Gladstone (on December 27th)."
Escanaba played without its best player, Keira Maki, who suffered a foot injury and was walking around the gym with a large boot on her right foot.
Grayson LaMarche, in Maki's absence, led the Eskymos with 21 points. Carney Salo added 15 points and Mari Bink chipped in with 11.
"We just all really wanted to play for Keira until she's healthy," LaMarche said. "I think I played better (offensively), but it all starts with passing the ball around. And on our 1-3-1 (defense), we just tried getting deflections, and in our 2-3 (zone), also."
Lauren Zawada led Bark River-Harris with 25 points.
"We've got to get her some help," BR-H Coach Matt Richer said. "She's kind of adjusting to being 'the guy'. She's not used to that yet. Other teams set up their defense to stop her. Tonight, she played pretty good and kept us within (striking) distance. But, we need help for her. She kind of carried us."
"I like her," Hudson said. "She's a tough girl. She goes downhill. We kind of had a plan for her, but we kind of lost her in a lot of the subbing, but she's going to get her 15 points and eight or nine rebounds no matter what. She's a nice player. They've got a lot of good players on that team. They're solid."
Richer says that 19-0 run killed his team, after they otherwise hung in there.
"That really kind of put it out of reach," Richer said, "They've got a lot of firepower. Even missing their best player, they have a lot of firepower. They're fun to watch."
The Broncos fell to 3-3 on the season, having played their third Great Northern Conference team in their first six games (Kingsford, Menominee, Escanaba).
"It's going to make us a better team in the long run," Richer said. "I told the girls in the locker room, when the polls come out, Escanaba will be at the top of the poll. We did pretty good tonight. I like playing teams like this. I want to get ready for tournaments."
Bower added eleven points to go along with Zawada's 25 for the the Broncos.
"We were in control for about two and a half quarters, we were up big, and I kind of subbed in because I didn't want to rub anything in (score-wise)," Hudson said. "We backed off of our press, but we were fine. I thought our 2-1-2, three-quarter press did a lot of danage tonight. Very happy with our effort. We're not where we want to be with our 1-3-1, but we'll get there."
The evening started with a marriage proposal at half court, as one of the referees, Dustin Hogue, proposed to one of the other refs, Escanaba graduate Michelle Carne. Dhe said "yes", much to the delight of the 300-or-so fans who were in the stands for the game.
"I met you in this gym, so I thought I would do this here," Hogue said with the PA mic in his hand, before dropping to one knee and taking a ring from his pocket. He then put it on Carne's hand, and they embraced, as the crowd cheered. A quick kiss later, and it was on to basketball.
ESCANABA---The Escanaba High School girls basketball team went on a 19-0 run to break open a close game to defeat the Bark River-Harris Broncos, 66-54, Thursday night in Escanaba. It was one of the only games played in the U.P., with most other contests cancelled because of the winter storm that rolled through other areas of the region.
The Eskymos improved to 7-0 on the season under new head coach Tracy Hudson, who coached the Eskymo boys team for 26 years before stepping down and taking over the girls' team.
Hudson substitued freely after his team got ahead by 23 points, and the Broncos made some outside shots late, including two triples by Nina Bower, to close the gap.
"We're very proud of our girls," Hudson said. "We played a really good Bark River team. They're improving Coach (Matt) Richer does a great job. But I'm happy with our girls. We're 7-0, and we'll take a couple of days off until we get ready for Gladstone (on December 27th)."
Escanaba played without its best player, Keira Maki, who suffered a foot injury and was walking around the gym with a large boot on her right foot.
Grayson LaMarche, in Maki's absence, led the Eskymos with 21 points. Carney Salo added 15 points and Mari Bink chipped in with 11.
Lauren Zawada led Bark River-Harris with 25 points.
"We've got to get her some help," BR-H Coach Matt Richer said. "She's kind of adjusting to being 'the guy'. She's not used to that yet. Other teams set up their defense to stop her. Tonight, she played pretty good and kept us within (striking) distance. But, we need help for her. She kind of carried us."
"I like her," Hudson said. "She's a tough girl. She goes downhill. We kind of had a plan for her, but we kind of lost her in a lot of the subbing, but she's going to get her 15 points and eight or nine rebounds no matter what. She's a nice player. They've got a lot of good players on that team. They're solid."
Richer says that 19-0 run killed his team, after they otherwise hung in there.
The Broncos fell to 3-3 on the season, having played their third Great Northern Conference team in their first six games (Kingsford, Menominee, Escanaba).
"It's going to make us a better team in the long run," Richer said. "I told the girls in the locker room, when the polls come out, Escanaba will be at the top of the poll. We did pretty good tonight. I like playing teams like this. I want to get ready for tournaments."
Bower added eleven points to go along with Zawada's 25 for the the Broncos.
"We were in control for about two and a half quarters, we were up big, and I kind of subbed in because I didn't want to rub anything in (score-wise)," Hudson said. "We backed off of our press, but we were fine. I thought our 2-1-2, three-quarter press did a lot of danage tonight. Very happy with our effort. We're not where we want to be with our 1-3-1, but we'll get there."
The evening started with a marriage proposal at half court, as one of the referees, Dustin Hogue, proposed to one of the other refs, Escanaba graduate Michelle Carne. Dhe said "yes", much to the delight of the 300-or-so fans who were in the stands for the game.
"I met you in this gym, so I thought I would do this here," Hogue said with the PA mic in his hand, before dropping to one knee and taking a ring from his pocket. He then put it on Carne's hand, and they embraced, as the crowd cheered. A quick kiss later, and it was on to basketball.
