DANSVILLE — Throughout their 21-2 run to the MHSAA Regional Finals, the Dansville Aggies torched teams by getting to the bucket for easy, inside hoops.
No go here. Not opposite Ovid-Elsie. In the biggest game of the season, on the Aggies’ home floor, no easy bunnies. Only hotly contested looks, no matter where on the court.
Coach Ryan Cunningham’s Lady Marauders unloaded a withering defensive effort — nothing came easy for the Aggies — and made Ovid-Elsie basketball history with a 35-12 stunner over top-rated Dansville. The win advanced the Marauders to the Quarterfinal round in the MHSAA tournament — the first time since coach Mary Hudecek’s 1983 and 1984 O-E girls’ teams — with a sterling 22-4 overall record.
Ovid-Elsie opened with a 10-2 lead in the first quarter, then advanced it to 22-4 at halftime … as jaws dropped in Dansville’s home gymnasium. “We knew we had to slow down their top scorers and we are certainly okay with keeping the game in the 30’s,” said Cunningham. “Our girls played great defensively all the way around but I give a ton of credit to Hailee Campbell and Izzy Loynes.
They were tasked with stopping their best players (who combined for 41 points in a Regional semifinal win over Springport). Our girls held them to 10 total points tonight. That won’t show up in the scoring column, but those girls are a huge part of our success.”
Braeden Tokar had a game-high 16 lints to go along with 5 rebounds, 2 blocks and 3 steals — while Evalyn Cole added 10 points and 8 assists. Kiah Longoria added 6 points, 4 rebounds and 4 assists; Ava Bates contributed two free throws and Ellyanna Carman one charity toss.
“This was a very physical game and when Dansville got frustrated, it got more physical. But our girls didn’t back down. We showed some real toughness tonight and our kids stayed locked in.”
Ovid-Elsie will to travel to Springport HS this Tuesday evening to take on Blissfield (25-1) at 7 p.m. The Lady Royals beat last year’s champion, Ypsilanti Arbor Prep, 50-38 in their Regional Final.
