Saints Turn Back Gussert, Trojans In Quarterfinals
ESCANABA---The most-hyped Upper Peninsula girls high school basketball game in recent memory saw the St. Ignace Saints overwhelm the Forest Park Trojans Tuesday night at the jam-packed Escanaba High School Gym. The Saints won the Class D state quarterfinal game, 70-54, despite 30 points from Trojan junior Lexi Gussert. St. Ignace returns to the Final Four at Michigan State University, where the Saints finished as Class C state runners-up last year. Many of the people in attendance were not from either of the schools participating in this game. Most were there to see Gussert, the Trojans junior who has shattered scoring and other records this season. Gussert is being recruited by numerous NCAA Division One schools, including several national powerhouse teams. Gussert was named the Class D Player of the Year by the Associated Press on Tuesday. But the Saints have an experienced team, having dropped down from Class C to Class D for this season. And the veteran coaching duo of Gladstone native Doug Ingalls and his wife Doreen devised a game plan to make sure that Gussert did not singlehandedly beat them. It worked. Gussert managed only five points in the first half. Still, the first quarter was a wild back-and-forth affair, with the Saints holding a 19-16 lead after the first eight minutes. The second quarter was a nightmare for the Trojans, as they were outscored 16-8, and Gussert had very few scoring chances. It was 35-24 Saints at halftime. The Trojans got a couple of three's early in the third quarter to close to within 37-32, but the Saints had too much depth and eventually pulled away on the scoreboard.
CFFP junior Lexi Gussert (22) is covered by Saints junior Kelley Wright (20).
The Saints had four girls finish in double figures in scoring. Sarah Cullip led the way with 18 points. Kelley Wright chipped in 16 points and Margo Brown scored 12. St. Ignace faces Climax-Scotts (20-5) in the state semifinals Thursday night. Climax won Tuesday's other quarterfinal over Gaylord St. Mary, 42-40. The Saints' game from MSU starts at 6:00 Thursday, and you can hear it live on WCHT-AM (600). It will also be streamed at rrnsports.com. Click the thumbnails in the "ARTICLE HIGHLIGHTS" box to see photos and video highlights from the St. Ignace-Forest Park game.
St. Ignace co-coach and Gladstone native Doug Ingalls is intense during Tuesday's quarterfinal game.
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Date | Time | Opponent | Score | Record |
11/27 |
8:00 PM |
North Central Jets
|
50 - 37 (W)
|
1-0
|
11/30 |
8:00 PM |
Bark River-Harris Broncos
|
63 - 57 (W)
|
|
12/4 |
8:00 PM |
at Carney-Nadeau Wolves
|
57 - 38 (W)
|
|
12/11 |
7:30 PM |
at Mid Peninsula Wolverines
|
54 - 44 (W)
|
|
1/7 |
7:30 PM |
Mid Peninsula Wolverines
|
77 - 41 (W)
|
|
1/11 |
7:45 PM |
at Bark River-Harris Broncos
|
85 - 59 (W)
|
10-0
|
1/18 |
8:00 PM |
at North Central Jets
|
46 - 44 (W)
|
11-0
|
1/24 |
7:30 PM |
at Rapid River Rockets
|
91 - 30 (W)
|
|
1/28 |
8:00 PM |
Carney-Nadeau Wolves
|
78 - 35 (W)
|
|
2/20 |
7:45 PM |
Rapid River Rockets
|
65 - 22 (W)
|
|
3/5 |
8:00 PM |
Lake Linden-Hubbell Lakes
|
65 - 25 (W)
|
|
3/7 |
7:00 PM |
at North Central Jets
|
73 - 38 (W)
|
|
3/12 |
7:00 PM |
St. Ignace Saints
|
54 - 70 (L)
|