GIRLS LACROSSE REGIONALS: Cranbrook rolls past Stoney Creek to gain rematch with Sacred Heart
HERE'S THE SCOOP: Rochester Stoney Creek's Ariel Niederhauser (left) tries to pick up the losse ball as Bloomfield Hills Crabrook Kingswood's Amanda Schimpke closes in during Wednesday's Division 2 regional semifinal.
BY DAN STICKRADT
SENIOR EDITOR
dan.stickradt@northoaklandsports.com
TROY — In its season opener, Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook Kingswood came up on the short end of the stick with a loss to rival Bloomfield Hills Sacred Heart. Now, the Cranes will have a shot at revenge on the Gazelles.
Cranbrook did its part with a resounding 19-5 victory over Rochester Stoney Creek in a Division 2 girls lacrosse regional semifinal Wednesday at Troy Athens to set up the rematch. Sacred Heart doubled up Rochester, 18-9, in the first semifinal Wednesday.
Sacred Heart defeated Cranbrook 8-7 in early April and Cranbrook has not lost since, chalking up a gaudy 16-1-1 record and a 17-game unbeaten streak. The Cranes appear ready to face thier longtime nemesis.
While Sacred Heart has held the upper hand between the two since the MHSAA adopted the sport in 2005, winning three straight D-2 state titles (2005-07) and finishing as the state runner-up in 2008, Cranbrook has knocked out the Gazelles in the regional finals each of the past two years, earning a narrow 10-9 triumph last season.
“It’s going to be a great game,” predicted Cranbrook coach Melinda Saylor. “We can’t wait.
“We’ve (anticipated playing them) because with the way its set up with the state that we have a random draw and we’ve always been paired in the same region as Sacred Heart,” continued Saylor. “There’s so much respect with the (tradition) that both teams have. It’s been inevitable that we’ll face each other until some of the other teams in this (region) get better.”
Against Stoney Creek, six players combined for the 19 goals for Cranbrook against, paced by Amanda Schimpke’s five-goal outburst, and five players notched at least a hat trick. Julia Bleznak added four goals, while Lauren Dolik, Caley Chelios and Allie Murphy all scored three goals apiece. Darby Stahl scored the 19th goal to cap the scoring for the Cranes.
Although Cranbrook led 4-0 in the game’s opening 8:55 and 8-1 at the half en route to 14-goal triumph, the Cranes never felt comfortable enough to pull its starters until the final two minutes and even kept many of them on the field for the duration.
“We’ve learned (from teams of old) that there (can’t be) letdowns,” offered Saylor. “The game is always 0-0, and we have to fight for every possession.”
Stoney Creek used a stall-tactic on offense for much of the first half to try to slow one of the state’s more potent teams and continued to battle even though the deficit swelled to double digits in the final 10 minutes.
Brianna Johnson, a senior, bowed out with the hat trick in her final game for Stoney Creek. Nina Grubba and Jacqueline Cox also scored for the Cougars (8-6-0), who scored three goals in a span of 7:07 to cut the deficit to 11-4 with 15:41 to play.
“I just told them, win lose or draw, that I just wanted to compete with them and the score doesn’t reflect the game. We definitely competed with them,” said Stoney Creek coach Haley Noonan. “We forced them to call a time out when it was 11-4. We definitely competed.
“I was happy that they felt they had to (keep their starters in) for a long time,” continued Noonan. “They have been around a long time and this was our first year being a solo program at Stoney Creek. We walked away happy with this game even though the scoreboard said 19-5.”
Stoney Creek is in its first season as an independent program after operating as Rochester United with Rochester Adams the three previous seasons. The district’s three public high schools, including Rochester High, shared the same lacrosse program for five years prior to that.
“I thought that we exceeded expectations,” offered Noonan. “We don’t have a team with as much experience as Cranbrook and we were coming off some seasons where we only won two or three games. I was pleased with how far we came this season.”
For Cranbrook, it’s a shot at a third straight regional trophy.
“We’re looking forward to playing ASH (Sacred Heart). They have a great coach in Debbe Pavle and we’ll be ready to go,” said Saylor.
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Category: High School, Prep Wraps, Rochester Stoney Creek
