The Schoolcraft varsity girls’ basketball team opened the season with a 46-37 win in a tough showdown with Vicksburg.
In a matchup that could have gone either way, the Eagles and Bulldogs traded the lead back and forth multiple times before Schoolcraft was finally pulled ahead for good late in the third.
“We liked to give it to the other team a lot,” Schoolcraft Head Coach Max Kulczyk said, including the Bulldog’s head coach. “Credit Tim (Kirby) for some of the pressure he put on us. But I’m happy for the girls. We had a tough year last year, it’s nice to start this year with a win.”
The first period of the game was a low-scoring affair as both teams turned the ball over and struggled to find a rhythm. Vicksburg ultimately led 9-8 after one, but Schoolcraft tied it up 18-18 at the half.
Ultimately, the Bulldogs had a hard time stopping freshman Alexis Walther, who led the scoring for the Eagles with 18 points in the contest. She knocked down three 3-pointers in the process. Vicksburg had a lot of fouls on the night, but Schoolcraft struggled to convert them into points in the first two periods. However, later in the game, Addison Sziede sank six free throws to help give the Eagles a larger cushion. Sziede and Lexi Blodgett both had nine points in the contest.
Carly Couk also sunk four key free throws on her way to six points for Schoolcraft. Val DeVries had four points, and Sydney Williams knocked down a field goal to round out the scoring for the Eagles.
“The three keys we put on the board were rebounding, taking care of the basketball, and then executing offensively,” Kulczyk said. “I think we had 18 turnovers in the first half, if we can just take care of the ball, and get shots up, we thought we could respond.
“We had a bigger lead there in the third. We’re young, we’ve got to learn how to execute down the stretch when we have a lead,” he added.
On the Vicksburg side, senior Ellie Lincoln led the scoring charge with 13 points. Eve Lincoln and Kelsie Tuinier both had six points as the next leading scorers. Lainey Wilson scored five points, and Camryn Rosier scored three. Victoria Hillard had one field goal.
“Credit to Schoolcraft, they made their shots. Ten (Walther) and two (Sziede) are good shooters, they knocked down some big threes, and they made shots when they had to, and made their free throws down the stretch,” Vicksburg Coach Kirby said. “That’s kind of the difference in the game. They’re a little more experienced than us.”
The Eagles had a 34-25 lead after three, and despite a valiant effort, the Bulldogs were unable to respond down the stretch.
“I’m proud of my girls, they fought hard and played to the end. If we can do that every day, we’ll be fine,” Kirby said. “The first game of a brand-new chapter for us. We got beat, and it’s okay.”
The Bulldogs lost several key seniors last season. Kirby said they only returned four players from varsity. Nine of the girls are fresh off the JV squad from last year. He said the first game was a learning experience, as he figures out which rotations and which players gel best together.
“We’ve got to figure out roles for people. I told them it’s new for me because I’ve got to figure out substitutions and rotations,” Kirby said. “I’ve basically had the same team for three years, and I didn’t even have to tell the girls to go in, they knew they were going in. When you’ve got experienced groups that have played with you for a long time, it’s easier. I’m learning too. I’ve got a lot to learn.”
Kulczyk expressed similar sentiments for his team that only has four seniors. He said ball control, rebounding and execution will be key areas of focus early in the season. Still, the win over the Bulldogs was a promising start to the year.
“We’re young, it’s going to depend on how quickly my young girls can adapt to varsity basketball,” Kulczyk said. “I’ve got two sophomores who start, I’ve got a freshman who starts. If we can clean things up, I think we can do some decent things.”
The proximity of the two communities has led to something of a rivalry despite the fact the two teams play different conferences.
“It’s a friendly rivalry. Max and I are friends, and we wish each other the best,” Kirby said. “I actually like that this is our first game of the season. We open against a team just down the street, and that was a pretty evenly matched basketball game.”
Kulczyk agreed with Kirby’s sentiments.
“I’ve got a lot of respect for Tim; I’ve been good friends with him over the years. It’s nice being right next door. You don’t have to travel very far, and they’ve been at the top of the mountain for the past two or three years, so it’s nice to get one back against him. I think it’s a lot of fun coming to play them.”
