Hornets' Finish Regular Season With Win on Senior's Night

From the opening tip-off until the final buzzer, Friday’s “senior’s night” game against Monroe was one of the Saline varsity girls’ basketball team’s best efforts of the season.

The Hornets honored their seniors, Emily Everett and Jessica Brown, in their final home game. Everett finished with a team-high 14 points, including 12 points in the third quarter that gave the Hornets the buffer they would need to survive a fourth-quarter surge by the Trojans.

“It meant a lot. I’ve been working toward tonight for four years. It was just great to come out as a team and win it together,” said Everett.

Brown, the 6’2 center, has spent the year recovering from an injury. She played quite a few minutes, especially in the first half, and was rewarded when she grabbed a loose ball and dropped it in the basket for two points.

“It was a big deal for me. I didn’t play much during the season. I’ve been working for four years to get here,” said Brown, who likes the way this team gelled this year. “I think we’re playing really well. We call ourselves the sisterhood and we did that tonight.”

Coach Jason Pickett said he’s been talking to his seniors about the mark they’ll leave on the team.

“They’re both quiet leaders. They lead by example. But they’re fierce competitors, and we saw some of that tonight,” Pickett said.

He noted that Brown was coming back from an injury and doesn’t have the mobility she had before.

“She got knocked down tonight and she popped right back up. She doesn’t give an inch. She stays up to fight,” Pickett said. “Out team took their lead tonight and followed the strong senior leadership tonight.”

While Everett led the Hornets with 14 points, the offense was a team-effort, with several girls carrying the team on their shoulders at various points of the game. Britten Clark added eight points. Caitlin Ellis scored seven points. Jill Borowski scored six and Katie Crysler scored five points. 

In the opening minutes, the Hornets had trouble with the Monroe press, but a stiff defense kept Monroe from converting turnovers to points. Saline didn’t penetrate deep into the Monroe zone until the 2:40 mark of the first quarter, when Everett was fouled on her way to the hoop. On the resulting inbound pass, Everett found Crysler, who made no mistake for a 2-0 lead.

Monroe’e Emily Firchau, who finished with 16 points, gave the Trojans a lead, 3-2, with a three pointer. Monroe enjoyed the lead for 20 seconds, when Crysler ran in from midcourt and scored a layup for a 4-3 lead. From that point on, Saline never relinquished the lead.

Clark chipped in with a 14-footer and then, during a scramble for a rebound, Brown came up with the ball and put it back for an 8-3 lead.  Not even a minute later, Clark hit another 14-footer from the same place she scored from 68 seconds earlier, and Saline held a 10-3 lead.

Monroe got consecutive baskets from Alexis Sortor and Jordan Strauss, but Saline’s Borowski made a layup just before the buzzer for a 12-7 lead after the first quarter.

The first four minutes of the second quarter were the Caitlin Ellis show. At the 1:22 mark, she made a layup while being fouled, and then sunk her free throw for a 15-7 lead. After another three from Monroe’s Firchau, Ellis put back an offensive board for a 17-10 lead at the 3:06 mark.  Less than a minute later, Ellis put back another offensive board for a 19-10 lead. Allison Rentschler gave Saline an 11-point lead with two free throws midway through the quarter. The only points in the final four minutes of the quarter came on two free throws by Monroe’s Danyel Strauss and Saline led 21-12 at halftime.

If the second quarter was the Caitlin Ellis show, then the third quarter belonged to Emily Everett. The senior opened with a layup and the, after two free throw baskets from Monroe, sank a three-pointer. Firchau replied with a three of her own to keep the pace. Everett went back to work, drawing a foul and sinking her two shots. Jordan Strauss replied for Monroe.

With 2:08 to play, Clark got into the act, powering through two Trojans to make a 10-footer and restore the 11-point lead.

Monroe’s coach Gretchen Elliot was assessed a technical foul after complaining about a call. Everett made two more free throws and then, when Saline got the ball back, she dropped another three-pointer, and Saline led 35-19. Monroe added a late basket to cut Saline’s lead to 14 going into the fourth stanza.

In the fourth, Monroe got a bucket from Jordan Strauss. Borowski replied by scoring in close after an inbound pass by Alli Cope.  A few seconds later, Borowski added to the lad with a free throw to make it 38-24.

But Monroe owned the next three minutes, with Firchau and Jordan Strauss taking turns scoring. With 2:03 left, Clark scored a big basket for the Hornets, powering through two Trojans, and hitting a shot jump shot for a seven-point lead. On the Trojan’s way up the floor, Borowski drew a charge and she made one of two free throws for an eight-point edge. Crysler and Everett each scored free throws down the stretch.

Saline finishes 6-10 in the Southeastern Conference Red Division and 6-14 overall.

JV Hornets Win

Saline won the junior varsity match, 52-41. Melanie Moeller scored 12 points and Melissa Needham scored 11.

District Playoff Schedule

Saline plays in the MHSAA 13-A District at Ypsilanti High School.

Monday 5 p.m., Lincoln vs. Ypsilanti

Monday, 7 p.m., Monroe vs Saline

Wednesday, 5 p.n., Bedford vs Lincoln or Ypsilanti

Wednesday, 7 p.m., Adrian vs Saline or Monroe

Friday, 7 p.m., District Championship game