Yurik-led charge lifts Stoney Creek past Lake Orion
BY DAN STICKRADT
SENIOR EDITOR
dan.stickradt@northoaklandsports.com
LAKE ORION — A year ago, Rochester Stoney Creek reached the Class A district finals for the first time. In fact, it was the first time in school history that the Cougars even won a district game in girls and boys basketball combined since the school opened in 2002-03.
Stoney Creek won two district contests last season before falling to Lake Orion in the girls basketball district title game. The Cougars were able to enact some postseason revenge on the Dragons Wednesday in the second district semifinal of the night, posting a come-from-behind, 55-46, victory.
Stoney Creek, which is 9-2 in its last 11 games, advances to Friday’s district final at Lake Orion to face Romeo, a 32-25 winner over Rochester in Wednesday’s other semifinal.
Junior Gabby Yurik scored 13 of her game-high 21 points in the second half as the Cougars rallied back. Yurik was instrumental in leading her team to the same game last season with three fine district performances a year ago.
“Gabby is a competitor. I’ve known that since she was in the sixth grade,” said Stoney Creek coach Brad Crighton. “With the game on the line, she steps it up. That’s why we’re in every game, because of her.
“There were others. I thought that Keri Scipione struggled in the first half, but she stepped it up in the second half and made some big shots,” continued Crighton. “I’m very proud of my two freshman (Lauren Voss and Natalie Voss) for making some plays.”
With Yurik at the command, she led the charge in the midst of a 15-7 run in the fourth quarter, which turned a one-point deficit at the start of the period to a 51-44 lead with 2:45 to play. Yurik canned a pair of triples, the first which put her team up for good at 41-38 with 6:51 left. Scipione had five straight points in the spurt, including a 3-pointer, and both Lauren Bolhuis and Natalie Voss each hit jumpers in the run.
Stoney Creek (13-8) outscored Lake Orion 19-9 in the fourth stanza.
Scipione added 16 points, Lauren Voss had eight points and five rebounds and Bolhuis chipped in with four points, nine rebounds, four assists and three steals for the Cougars.
Lake Orion was able to keep senior sharpshooter Kara Kovack from hitting a single field goal the whole night — twice this season Kovack rang up seven three-pointers in a contest — but the Cougars had too much Yurik and plenty of counterparts down the stretch.
“That’s what great players do,” conceded Lake Orion coach Steve Roberts of the Cougars’ Yurik-led charge. “I think she just said, ‘hey, get me the ball.’ She made some key shots and just kind of took over some things. Our defense wasn’t anything different (in the first half). We were looking to get out on her face and she gets a look and scores from any spot on the floor.”
Lake Orion struggled down the stretch, going 2-for-14 from the floor in the fourth quarter and scoring five of its nine fourth-period points from the foul line. The Dragons (9-13) simply ran out of steam in trying to defeat Stoney Creek for the first time in three attempts this season.
Lake Orion held Kovack to only two foul shots and contained Yurik for much of the first half and part of the third quarter. The Dragons simply did not have enough to halt Stoney Creek’s offensive charge.
The Cougars, who finished 18-for-50 from the floor, outscored the district hosts 29-21 in the second half
Lake Orion led 15-12 after the first quarter, only to see Stoney Creek claw back for a 27-24 lead at the break, closing the second quarter on a 12-5 run.
In the third period, Lake Orion opened with a 9-0 run of its own, with junior Marissa Secontine’s runner in the lane putting the Dragons up 33-27 with 4:18 left in the frame.
Secontine finished with 15 points and seven rebounds, Dan Schrauben added 13 points and four steals, Maddie Hutchinson had six points and six rebounds and Emily Kipp supplied four points and eight boards for the Dragons, who finished the night 16-for-50 from the floor.
Roberts was pleased of his team’s defensive effort, but knew the Cougars were the district favorite.
“We ran a diamond-and-two at them and some 1-3-1 (zone),” said Roberts. “You have to kind of pick your poison when playing them. Yurik is their go-to scorer, but (Scipione) started hitting some, than we had to man-up on her.”
Stoney Creek will go after its first district championship Friday, with the hopes of playing in the regional round next week. The Cougars are playing some of their best basketball down the stretch.
“There’s not going to be a weak opponent (the rest of the way),” said Crighton. “I think in the last few weeks, I think we’ve really had some people step up (their) games. We hope to keep it going.”
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Category: High School, Lake Orion, Prep Wraps, Rochester Stoney Creek
Dan,
Nice article on Stoney Creek HS girls team. We were able to see them play twice this past season. (The proud grandparents of freshman Natalie and Lauren
Voss.)
Bob and Sally Stephens
Tellico Village
Loudon, TN