Inland Lakes girls thump Onaway, win fourth straight district title
· Yahoo Sports
ONAWAY – There’s just something about facing Onaway that brings out the best in Inland Lakes.
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And if the Bulldogs play like they did against the Cardinals on Friday, March 6, they’re more than capable of hoisting a first-ever regional title soon.
The Bulldogs delivered an elite performance and captured a 64-20 victory over the Cardinals, sealing a fourth consecutive MHSAA Division 4 district girls basketball championship for the program.
Here’s some takeaways from Friday's final.
Another gear
Early on, it looked like the Bulldogs (20-3) were going to be in for a battle against the Cardinals (8-16), who clawed back to tie the game in the first quarter after quickly falling behind 5-0.
But then came the first-half explosion for the Bulldogs, who closed out the quarter on a 16-0 run that was fueled by a smothering defense that forced several turnovers and got Inland Lakes in transition.
After Onaway tied the game at 7-7, the Bulldogs outscored their M-68 rivals 33-5 for the rest of the half to take complete control. It didn’t matter if it was the I-L starters or a bunch of efficient players coming off the bench – it was a basketball masterclass on both sides of the floor from the Bulldogs.
“I think (that run) was just because they were staying with us from the start, and we were thinking that if we don’t get going, this could be a neck-and-neck game,” Inland Lakes senior Chloe Robinson said.
It was another outstanding night for Robinson, who scored a game-high 18 points – with 16 of those in the first half – and celebrated her fourth district crown as a part of the I-L program.
“It means a lot, especially because it’s my last one, and especially with my four senior teammates,” Robinson said. “We take a lot of pride in our defense, so it just means a lot to our program, honestly."
Robinson was one of nine players to score for the Bulldogs, who received 11 points from Ava Belford, eight from Addison Byrne, seven from Mary Myshock, six from Faith Lehre, five from Kalli Williamson, four from Josephine Furman, three from Andrea Vigneau, and two from Mackenzie Biesel.
Not enough to hang
The Cardinals showed positive signs early with their defense and being able to break the I-L pressure. But just as they started to build momentum, they were undone by turnovers and could never recover following a 26-0 I-L run that carried over from the first quarter to the second.
“They just have a bunch of length, and we struggle with that, not to mention they were really good under the hoop,” Onaway coach John George said. “Rebounding is obviously an issue with us and our size a little bit, and they finish well under there. My hats off to Daryl (Vizina) and his program. What can I say? They were the better team all year, and it showed tonight.”
In her last game for Onaway, senior Marley Szymoniak scored 11 points, while fellow senior Andrea Ruppert recorded six.
“Marley’s going to go down as a top-20 scorer that’s come through this school, and Andrea improved from a freshman on through and became a factor both defensively and offensively for us,” George said of his top two seniors.
Coaching milestone
Friday wasn’t just a special night for the Inland Lakes players.
It was a milestone game for head coach Daryl Vizina and assistant Jason Vizina, two cousins who guided the Bulldogs to win No. 100 since both started coaching in the program six seasons ago.
“I was coaching boys in middle school, and there was an opening available, and I reached out to Jason to see if he was interested in coaching varsity girls, and I had never experienced coaching varsity girls, and he was the first person I called, and he’s just a great guy,” Daryl Vizina said. “His steadiness and relationships with the girls have been a huge part of this journey for me. I’m kind of the bad cop, and he’s the good cop. I’m yelling and maybe sometimes I’ll be pushing too hard, and he’s right there behind me, letting the girls know that we care. Terry McNitt has already been around this for a few years, so he’s equally a part of it.”
Inland Lakes plays a 7 p.m. regional semifinal against Ellsworth at Boyne Falls on Monday, March 9. The Lancers topped Burt Lake Northern Michigan Christian Academy 46-41 in a district title clash on Friday.
Contact sports editor Jared Greenleaf at [email protected]. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter @sportsCDT
This article originally appeared on Cheboygan Daily Tribune: Inland Lakes girls basketball earns fourth consecutive district crown