Clare girls get road victory at Standish, push win streak to four games

By BEN MURPHY

Cleaver Sports Writer

Last week was a busy one for the Clare girl’s basketball team. It was definitely a good one too, as the Lady Pioneers won all three of their contests, capping it off with a solid Jack Pine Conference win at Standish-Sterling on Friday, 47-28.

“My girls have been playing solid defense and have been moving the ball pretty well,” head coach Shane Kelly said. “We keep pushing every day to get better at the little things.  I feel the girls went out last week and pushed themselves to get better every day and they did.  It starts at practice and they are working hard and doing the right things.  This team is deep, and they all bring a lot of great things to this team.”

Five different Pioneers scored at least three points in the first quarter. Maddison Jones, Sophia Buzzelli and Tessa Kelly all scored four points, while Kendra Fouts and Addison McMillan each hit three pointers and Clare led 18-6 after one.

In the second, Kelly put in five more points, and they held a 25-13 lead at the break. In the third, McMillan sent home another three as part of her five points, Kelly added four more of her own and it was a 40-20 Clare lead entering the fourth.

The Pioneers had Kelly finish with 15 points, McMillan was able to score 11 and Fouts, Jones and Sophia Buzzelli finished with six points apiece. Syerra Mills added two points to cause as well.

Clare also won a road JPC game at Ogemaw Heights on Wednesday, Jan. 29. They claimed this one in convincing fashion, 54-14.

Seven different Pioneers got in on the scoring act in the first quarter, and they were able to take a commanding 23-0 lead after the opening eight minutes. It was more of the same in the second, and the lead grew to 42-3 at the half. A running clock ate away at much of the second half, as Clare led 50-12 after three.

Fouts and Kelly led the way for the Pioneers in this one, both scoring 14 points. Mills netted six, McMillan added five, Marlee Clark and Jones had four apiece, Fiona Mulero was able to get three points and Buzzelli and Breez Yarger were able to get two points each.

On Monday, Jan. 27 Clare began the week with a non-league road at Chippea Hills, 62-16.

Kelly scored seven first quarter points and Mulero netted five, and the Pioneers were already well in control after one, 20-6. In the second, Fouts hit three field-goals for her six points and this sparked Clare to a 35-10 lead at the half. After three it was a 51-114 advantage.

Fouts led all scorers with 17 points, while Kelly and Mulero added nine points each. Amelia Ryzyk chipped in with eight points, netting seven was Jones, with six was Clark and with two each was Buzzelli and Mills.

Clare (10-4 overall, 8-3 JPC) played at Meridian on Wednesday, heads to Bullock Creek on Friday and they’ll return home for a contest with Gladwin on Wednesday, Feb. 12.

“This week we play two very tough teams,” Kelly said. “Meridian is and has been the best in our conference for a longtime.  They have a great coach that pushes his girls to play the right way.  I am excited to play them, they will play fast and aggressive we will be looking forward to it. 

Then on Friday we play a very good defensive team in Bullock Creek, they make it very tough to score against them and they have some very good offensive players as well.  To reach the goals we want and have set we need to move our game to the next level and playing against teams like this will give us the opportunity to do so.  I am looking forward to this week.”