NEWBERRY — Elks vs. Trojans, Round II.
That’s what’s on tap in Tuesday’s quarterfinals after both Elk Rapids and Lake City emerged with regional championships Wednesday evening.
The Elks defeated West Iron County by a 47-43 count in Wednesday’s Division 3 girls basketball regional championship game at Newberry.
The Trojans knocked off Sanford-Meridian in the Mustangs’ own gym, taking a 54-41 decision for a regional crown of their own.
The two tangle for the second time this season Tuesday at 7 p.m. at Houghton Lake. The Trojans (24-2) outlasted the Elks (24-2) 44-40 in a late December meeting, just before Christmas.
Elk Rapids survived the closer game Wednesday, playing all the way up in Newberry. The Elks made enough free throws down the stretch to hold on for a four-point victory as Kendall Standfest produced 17 points, 13 rebounds and five assists.
Morgan Bergquist added 14 points, five boards, three steals and four blocks, while Hunter Schellenbarger chipped in eight points and 10 rebounds and Rhielynn Skrocki scored eight points.
“It’s right where we wanted to be,” Elks head coach Mike Brown said, “and right where we figured Lake City would be.”
Standfest and Bergquist both picked up their third foul in the first half, but played the rest of the way without fouling out.
Both the Elks and Trojans lost to eventual state champion Hemlock in the playoffs last season, Lake City in the regional finals and Elk Rapids in the quarterfinals.
“We got there and learned,” Brown said. “One of our goals was to get to Breslin. Once you get there, anything can happen. You just have to get there.”
That starts with Lake City on Tuesday.
The Trojans also survived some early foul trouble, with Alie Bisballe picking up two fouls in the first quarter and sitting for awhile.
Her cousin, MacKenzie Bisballe, certainly picked up the slack, pouring in 31 points and grabbing eight rebounds in the 13-point win in a hostile environment in Sanford-Meridian’s own gym.
Payton Hogan added eight points and six rebounds and Hannah Allen scored six points in the game — two more than her previous season total — and four rebounds. Baylie Eisenga scored five points and Alie Bisballe came back to put up four points, 10 rebounds, five blocks and three assists.
“She got a little emotional because she knew she needed to be out there,” Trojans head coach Bill Tisron said. “She navigated it pretty well.”
Lake City came into the game to have 12 or fewer turnovers after seeing every team they scouted against the Mustangs commit at least 25. The Trojans finished the contest with 12 against Meridian’s constant full-court press.
Both teams have had quarterfinal runs in recent years. The Elks made it last year, while the Trojans played in the 2022 quarters at Traverse City Central.
Meeting up again after a very close contest earlier this season is something both had been looking forward to.
“It’ll be fun,” Brown said. “It was a long time ago we played. It was a game we had. We made some silly turnovers and handed it to them. They have some stars, for sure.”
“It was kind of a turning point in the season for us,” Tisron said. “We started the season 2-2. It was a back-and-forth game we came out with that kind of spearheaded our season.”