PETOSKEY — Petoskey doesn’t know exactly where the game is going to be, but that isn’t anything new.
The girls basketball teams played in regional final at Traverse City Central on short notice after a power outage at Gaylord last Thursday.
Tuesday’s Division 2 quarterfinal is slated for Houghton Lake, but with much of that county without power after an ice storm similar to the one hitting Gaylord last year, the location is very much up in the air.
“It’s just another thing to work around,” PHS coach Brooke Carlson said. “Nothing has stopped us or slowed us down yet, so we’ll just figure out how to make things work.”
While the game’s location is up in the air, one thing that’s been on target this postseason has been Petoskey, winners of 11 consecutive games.
The team comes in with a diverse offense featuring five averaging 7.1 points a game or more, led by freshman Eliana Flynn at 13 per contest, along with 4.6 rebounds, 3.4 steals and 2.8 assists.
Coming off the program’s first regional championship in 27 years, Petoskey (22-3) also features Lyla Janes (10.3 points, 2.9 assists, 2.0 steals), Ella Sulitis (10.0 points, 7.2 rebounds), Haidyn Wegmann (9.5 points) and Lauren LaHaie (7.1 points, 4.2 rebounds), plus Leah Sulitis (4.0 points, 6.8 rebounds).
Portland held Miss Basketball finalist Kendyl Smith to eight points in the regional finals. Powers was led by 5-foot-10 forward Paige Ringwelski with 18 points and Bella Harley at 12.
Smith averages over 20 points a game (along with 4.5 assists and 3.3 steals) and committed to Liberty University. The 5-7 point guard one of only eight documented players in MHSAA history with over 1,500 points, 500 assists, 500 rebounds and 300 steals. Ringwelski is a Davenport University commit.
“They’re a pretty dominant program through the years,” Carlson said. “They’ve also played really good competition.”
Petoskey practiced Friday and Saturday, but gave players Sunday off as a storm blanketed northern Lower Michigan in snow. Carlson wasn’t even sure the team would be able to get together for a practice Monday evening.