KINGSLEY — Thursday proved to be the end of the road for the Kingsley varsity boys basketball team, but the Stags drove for as long as they could before seeing their season end in their home gym.
The visiting Sault Ste. Marie Blue Devils (14-9) knocked off Kingsley (10-13) by a 36-29 final in a hard-fought, fast-paced and pressure-filled Division 2 district semifinal.
Scoring was difficult to come by in the first quarter as the Blue Devils led the Stags, 6-3, after the first eight minutes of play. Kingsley’s only points came on a corner 3-pointer from Skylar Workman.
The pedal was to the metal on the defensive end for both teams and points remained at a premium in the second quarter, leading to a 13-11 Kingsley lead at the half after a spectacular up-and-under basket from Eli Graves.
The Stags led 21-17 halfway through the third quarter, but a few turnovers proved costly as the Blue Devils went on an 8-1 run to take a 25-22 advantage. The Soo would not surrender the lead the rest of the game.
The loss ends the high school hoops careers of seven Kingsley players as Workman, Graves, Ty Morgan, Jameson Stewart,
HOOPS
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Grant Kolbusz, Gavin Dear and Noah Scribner all laced up their basketball shoes for the final time as Stags.
The Blue Devils advance to Friday’s district championship game against Boyne City.
RECORD-BREAKER
Harbor Springs’ Flynn surpasses program’s all-time scoring mark
HARBOR SPRINGS — You break it, you own it.
Harbor Springs’ girls basketball sensation junior Olivia Flynn broke the school’s all-time scoring record of 1,642 points in Thursday’s 64-19 win over Inland Lakes.
Flynn sunk an easy layup in the first quarter to surpass the record and ended the night with a game-high 27 points.
“I knew going into the game I could break it,” Flynn said. “It feels amazing.”
Harbor Springs head coach Amy Flynn was happy to see her daughter break the school record.
“It’s hard to separate the mom and the coach because I am extremely proud of her,” Amy said. “She worked hard for this and has earned every second of this moment.”
The junior guard already has eight college offers. To be the best at Harbor Springs, Flynn noted she idolized Iowa women’s basketball star Caitlin Clark.
“She is a great role model for girls like me,” Flynn said. “I don’t have the range she has, but I love her fight, will and determination to not only be a leader but be a scorer.”
Flynn contributed to adding more history by helping the Division 3 seventh-ranked Rams extend their winning streak to 16 games — making it the longest winning streak the girls’ basketball program has had in decades.
The Lake Michigan Conference co-champions have just six girls on the roster and have racked up a 20-2 overall record with district semifinals set for Wednesday.
“It has been a dream come true,” Coach Flynn said. “These girls have surpassed expectations I had for them, and I have truly had six wonderful student-athletes who represent the school.”
The Rams saw contributions from Bryleigh Rummer (10 points), Stefi Reskevics (eight points), Paige Keiser (eight points), Sophie Barandyn (seven points) and Marie Richardson (four points).
BOYS HOOPS DISTRICTS
Boyne City 61
Kalkaska 42
UP NEXT: The Ramblers (13-10) play in Friday’s D2 district championship game at Sault Area against the host Blue Devils. The Blazers conclude their season at 2-22.
Elk Rapids 62
Charlevoix 46
Elk Rapids: Christian Kerfoot 19 points; Haven Somers 15 points, 4 blocks; Owen Spencer 10 points; Keagen Cotterman 8 points.
{div class=”gmail_attr”}Charlevoix: Peyton Scott 12 points, 7 rebounds; Joe Gaffney 12 points; Hudson Vollmer 9 points, 4 assists. {/div}
UP NEXT: The Elks (17-7) play in Friday’s D3 district championship game at Charlevoix against Harbor Springs. The Rayders conclude their season at 17-6.
Harbor Springs 68
East Jordan 53
East Jordan: Korbyn Russel 20 points, 15 rebounds, 3 assists; Lucas Stone 10 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists; Ellis Malpass 8 points, 5 rebounds; Ryder Malpass 6 points, 3 assists.
UP NEXT: The Rams (16-7) play in Friday’s Division 3 district championship at Charlevoix against Elk Rapids. The Red Devils end their season at 9-15.
Bellaire 48
Ellsworth 42
Bellaire: Drake Koepke 28 points; Luca Menestrina 8 points; Jayden Hanson 9 points.
Ellsworth: Evincio LaCount 19 points; Patrick Puroll 15 points.
UP NEXT: The Eagles (19-4) play in Friday’s Division 4 district title game at Gaylord. The Lancers’ season ends at 11-13.
Gaylord SM 63(OT)
Central Lake 60
Gaylord St. Mary: Daniel Jacobson 24 points, 7 3-pointers; Brett Koscielniak 25 points.
UP NEXT: The Snowbirds (18-4) host Bellaire for the D4 district championship game on Friday. The Trojans conclude their season at 10-14.
Marquette 62(OT)
Gaylord 56
UP NEXT: The Blue Devils end their season at 11-13.
GIRLS HOOPS
Muskegon 44
TC Central 42
UP NEXT: The Trojans (16-5, 10-0 Big North) begin Division 1 district play on Wednesday.
Marion 52
Bear Lake 33
Bear Lake: Olivia Buckner 18 points, 7 rebounds, 3 steals; Lily Artman 10 points, 11 rebounds, 1 steal, 2 blocks; Natalie Brown 5 points, 7 rebounds, 3 steals, 1 block; Cassidy Brown 8 rebounds, 2 assists.
UP NEXT: The Lakers (4-14, 2-10 West Michigan D) face Forest Area in the D4 district quarterfinals on Monday at Mesick.
BR Crossroads 53
Mesick 24
Mesick: Cassie Sexton 11 points; Adriana Winters 5 points.
UP NEXT: The Bulldogs (5-15, 5-11 West Michigan D) host Walkerville on Saturday.
Boyne City 48
Bellaire 23
Bellaire: Genevieve Massey 14 points, 6 rebounds; Brooklyn Fischer 4 points, 5 rebounds; Brooklynn Stevens 4 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists.
UP NEXT: The Ramblers (9-13, 5-9 Lake Michigan) face Grayling in the D2 district quarterfinals on Monday at Petoskey.
Brethren 41
Manistee CC 26
Brethren: Alice Amstutz 15 points, 4 steals, 3 rebounds; Maddy Biller 11 points, 1 block, 7 rebounds.
Manistee Catholic Central: Regan Leiffers 11 points, 12 rebounds.
UP NEXT: The Bobcats (17-5, 14-0 West Michigan D) begin D4 district play on Wednesday at Mason Country Central. The Sabres (14-8, 11-3 West Michigan D) begin D4 district play on Wednesday at Mason Country Central.
Buckley 53
Mackinac Island 23
Buckley: Alison Moyer 11 points, 4 rebounds; Mikayla Kulawiak 8 points, 3 rebounds, 2 steals.
UP NEXT: The Bears (8-14, 3-11 Northwest) play in the D4 district quarterfinals on Monday at Mesick against the host Bulldogs.
Cheboygan 49
Kalkaska 43
Kalkaska: Lucy Hall 24 points, 8 rebounds; Alyssa Colvin 6 points, 9 rebounds; Aly Sutton 6 points, 11 rebounds, 3 blocks.
UP NEXT: The Blazers (1-18, 0-14 Lake Michigan) face Cheboygan in the D2 district quarterfinals on Monday at Petoskey.
Lake City 71
Benzie Central 31
Lake City: MacKenzie Bisballe 35 points, 10 rebounds, 5 steals, 4 assists; Alie Bisballe 15 points, 9 rebounds, 5 assists, 4 blocks; Lauren Booms 7 points; Baylie Eisenga 6 points, 4 assists; Payton Hogan 5 points, 5 rebounds.
UP NEXT: The Trojans (20-2, 15-1 Highland) begin D3 district play at McBain on Wednesday. The Huskies (11-10, 8-6 Northwest) face Mason County Central in the D3 district quarterfinals on Monday at Manton.
Frankfort 44
Leland 26
Frankfort: Savina Anhalt 16 points; Addison Chownyk 10 points
Leland: Elli Miller 11 points, 4 rebounds; Mallory Lowe 8 points, 6 rebounds, 3 steals.
UP NEXT: The Panthers (17-5, 9-5 Northwest) begin D4 district play on Wednesday at Mesick. The Comets (10-12, 4-10 Northwest) face Suttons Bay in the D4 district quarterfinals on Monday at home.
Manistee 57
Pine River 49
Manistee: Jayna Edmondson 19 points; Libby McCarthy 13 points; Alayna Edmondson 10 assists, 8 steals.
UP NEXT: The Mariners (8-13, 5-6 West Michigan Lakes) face Pine River in the D3 district quarterfinals on Monday at Manton.
Petoskey 49
Gaylord 25
UP NEXT: Petoskey (11-10, 4-6 Big North) begins D2 district play at home on Wednesday. The Blue Devils (9-12, 2-8 Big North) play in the D1 district quarterfinals at Alpena on Wednesday against the host Wildcats.
Lake Leelanau SM 61
Onekama 42
Lake Leelanau St. Mary: Kyla Barnowski 15 points, 14 rebounds; Delana Kirt 16 points, 10 rebounds; Leah Fleis 10 points, 11 rebounds; Della Bunek 10 points.
Onekama: Ava Mauntler 12 points; Callie Sinke 10 points.
UP NEXT: The Eagles (15-2) face Grand Traverse Academy in the D4 district quarterfinals on Monday at Leland.
Essexville 50 Cadillac 40 UP NEXT: The Vikings (13-9, 5-5 Big North) face Midland in the D1 district quarterfinals on Monday at Midland Dow.
Joburg 53Pellston 6UP NEXT: The Cardinals (17-5, 13-3 Ski Valley) begin D3 district play on Wednesday at home.
Gaylord SM 53East Jordan 31UP NEXT: The Snowbirds (14-8, 12-4 Ski Valley) begin Division 4 district play at home on Wednesday. The Red Devils (11-11, 5-9 Lake Michigan) face Traverse City St. Francis in D3 district quarterfinals on Monday at Johannesburg-Lewiston.