Click the thumbnails to see photos and video highlights. Also click the AUDIO buttons to hear post-game comments from Makenna Hendrickson and Coach James Fassett. Also click to hear Aubree Blackburn's player spotlight interview.
ESCANABA---The Bay College Norse women's basketball team stayed atop the MCCAA North Conference standings on Saturday with a 103-53 win over the Delta College Pioneers out of Saginaw. The game was very physical, but the Norse pushed through the multiple fouls and stoppages to improve to 16-3 on the season.
The Norse lost leading scorer Lauren Zawada to a game disqualification after a physical confrontation between her and Delta reserve player Olivia Nickson, who was also ejected from the contest. At the time of the incident, Zawada had scored 16 points as the Norse built a 40-19 lead that would never be reduced.
“Our girls don't back down from physical play,” Norse Coach James Fassett said. “So, we can kind of play through it as well. We kept extending the lead. One of their players lost their cool, and punched one of our players. You always hope that stuff doesn't happen. Rules are rules. But it's hard not to retaliate when you get punched in the face. Twice! It's a learning moment for all of us.”
Bay point guard Makenna Hendrickson of Baraga scored 24 points and grabbed a dozen rebounds as the Norse kept the petal to the metal in the second half, forcing a total of 40 Delta College turnovers. Bark River-Harris graduate McKenzie Hoffmeyer also scored 24 points as the Norse maintained a half-game lead over Mid Michigan in the standings.
“It was very physical, both teams,” Hendrickson said. “Not only was it physical, but everyone's emotions were very high, so it was hard at first to just keep cool. But we just had to focus on the game. After all that happened, we were all like, we've got to keep this up and finish this game for her (Zawada) and that's what we did.”
And the fact that she and Hoffmeyer both ended up with 24 points?
“Lauren is Number 24 (uniform number), so me and Kenzie both got 24 points for her,” Hendrickson said. “I'm happy with myself and how I played. And I think I did really good on defense.”
Indeed, she did, getting six steals to go along with her double-double.
Bark River-Harris's Nina Bower added 16 points, four rebounds, and five assists off the bench, and North Central's Gracie Kleikamp scored ten fourth quarter points.
“It took us a couple of minutes to bounce back from the incident that happened,” Fassett said. “But we really rallied, and everybody did their part and played well. And at the end of the day, our defense was too much for them to handle, whether we played half-court or full-court, they struggled to score.”
Delta College (10-9 overall, 3-2 MCCAA North) did not have a player score in double figures. Makayla Watkins and Brooke Swartz both scored nine points.
Bay (16-3 overall, 5-0 MCCAA North) holds a half-game lead over Mid Michigan, which had a game cancelled by weather last week. The two teams will meet this Saturday in Escanaba in what is expected to be two wars that will likely determine the conference championship, and a berth in the state championship next month.
“I'm really excited,” Hendrickson said. “It's going to be tough competition. They're a very good team. But I think we're pretty ready and I'm excited to see how it goes.”
But first, the Norse have a road trip this Wednesday to face the Kirtland Firebirds in Grayling. That game starts at 5:30 and will be broadcast live on Maverick 106.3 FM.
