Blue Crew on top: Lakes smothers Mooney for another league title
BY DAN STICKRADT
SENIOR EDITOR
dan.stickradt@northoaklandsports.com
WATERFORD — As the two-time defending Class D state champions, Waterford Our Lady of the Lakes’ girls basketball team has a long list of season goals.
The third-ranked Lakers put a check box next to the first one on Thursday night.
Behind a gritty defensive effort that limited fourth-ranked Marine City Cardinal Mooney to just 21.3 percent shooting from the field, Lakes was able to capture its fifth straight win over the Cardinals with a resounding 53-40 CHSL-East Division victory.
The win gave Lakes (12-1, 7-0) its third straight divisional title.
ONE STEP AHEAD: Waterford Our Lady opf the LAkes senior guard Tori Duffey drives past Marine City Cardinal Moon senior guard Rachel Torey during Thursday's CHSL East Division contest. Staff Photo | Dan Stickradt
Junior Ava Doetsch was the keys to the ignition for both the Lakers’ offense and defense. The junior provided 18 points, nine rebounds, two assists and a pair of steals to lead the Lakers (12-1, 7-0), whose only loss is to top-ranked Mount Pleasant Sacred Heart in a game where the Lakers were missing three players, including Doetsch.
“One of our goals is to win the league,” smiled Doetsch. “Then we want to win the Catholic League tournament, then make it back to Breslin (Center) and then win (another state title.) This was our first goal.”
Lakes trailed only once at 3-2 with 6:44 left to play in the first quarter. WOLL forced nine first-half turnovers, led 16-9 after the first quarter and 27-18 at the break.
Cardinal Mooney kept the game close by going 17-for-22 from the foul line. The Cardinals (10-3, 5-2) cut the deficit down to four points twice in the fourth quarter, the last coming with 5:44 left that made it 37-33.
Mooney could get no closer, as Lakes closed with a 16-7 spurt, including going 11-for-12 from the foul line during the final 4:08.
“The girls played really well tonight and did a lot of good things,” praised Lakes coach Steve Robak, who expects to face the Cardinals in the CHSL tournament and district tournament later this season.
And the win came against the Lakers’ chief rival in girls basketball.
ON THE RISE: Waterford Our Lady of the Lakes enior guard Carlee Cottrell goes up for two againt the defense of Marine City Cardinal Mooney senior forward Sarah Thuet. Staff Photo | Dan Stickradt
“Over the last few years, it’s been pretty evenly split, and that’s what makes it fun,” added Robak. “You know that on any given night, you’re going to get their best effort. It’s a great rivalry.”
Mooney finished the night just 10-for-47 from the floor and made only 2-of-21 shots from outside the three-point arc, thanks to Lakes’ consistent pressure on the ball.
Senior guard Rachel Torey scored 16 and senior forward Sarah Thuet added 15 points with six rebounds for Cardinal Mooney
Lakes finished the night 18-for-41 from the floor and converted 13-of-18 free throws overall. The Lakers also out-rebounded the taller Cardinals, 34-30.
Senior guard Tori Duffey, a transfer from Walled Lake Central who signed with Division I New Hampshire, added 15 points and seven rebounds to the win., while senior guard Carlee Cottrell scored 11 and junior guard Lexie Robak chipped in with seven points and seven rebounds.
“I felt like we all played really good,” said Doetsch. “We made out shots. We weren’t shooting all that good earlier this season, but now we are starting to make our shots like last year, which is good. Will build on this and keep moving on. We’ll face them again and I know we can beat them again.”
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Category: Featured Articles, High School, High School (M-Z), Most Recently Updated Stories, Prep Wraps, Top Stories, Uncategorized, Waterford Our Lady of the Lakes
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