Hurons edged by Cheboygan in girls basketball action

A cold-shooting second half cost the Hurons (7-3) as the Cheboygan Chiefs took a 48-21 win from Rogers City in Cheboygan. Both teams played tight man-to-man defense intent on limiting the other’s opportunities to score. That led to a low scoring affair which went into the third quarter as anybody’s game.

Ashley Fleming’s free throw tied the score at 14-14 with 4:11 left in the third quarter. It was the first score of the quarter for either team, as each team kept up defensive pressure tight enough to force bad shots on each end. Dana Fairbanks hit a short jumper one minute later to tie the score at 16-16, then the net at the Huron end fell silent until Fleming hit both ends of a one-and-one with five seconds left in the quarter. In the meantime, Cheboygan had offensive troubles of its own as constant pressure from the Hurons limited the Chiefs to only three more points in the quarter as they led 21-18 heading into the final frame. “I thought we played really hard defensively and we really had some opportunities, especially in the third quarter. The ball didn’t fall,” said coach Karl Grambau.

THEN, SPARKED by three three-pointers, the Chiefs went on a 24-2 run to cruise to the win. The Hurons got off to a 3-0 lead in the first qu

arter, with Jess Konieczny hitting a free throw and Fleming connecting on a short jumper. Laura Konieczny fed Fleming for a bank shot, then Jess hit a shot from the corner to give the Hurons a 9-8 lead. Cheboygan led 14-13 at halftime. “Cheboygan took us out of what we wanted to do. I thought we had two great defensive teams out there,” Grambau said. “We have some things to work on and we know it. But with this group of girls, they want to work on them.”

The Hurons hit only five of 16 free throws in the contest. Fleming’s 13 points led the Hurons while Jess Konieczny scored four.

THE JV team lost 57-17 to the Chiefs. A 15-1 first quarter lead grew to a 33-7 halftime lead for the Chiefs. The Hurons managed eight points in the third quarter, but Cheboygan’s lead grew to 45-16. Jenny Fleming scored eight points to lead the team. Both teams are back in action tonight as they host Newberry. St. Ignace comes to town Tuesday, then the Hurons travel to Alcona October 14.