Fowler vs. Allen Park Cabrini – – Girls Basketball – – MHSAA Division Four Regional Tournament – – The Bleacher Denizen – – March 7, 2023 – – by Chuck Krafft

Tonight, your Bleacher Denizen is making a major journey from his home in South Lansing to Petersburg, where Summerfield High School is hosting a Girls’ Regional Basketball tournament. In the first game tonight, Fowler’s Eagles will be competing with the Monarchs from Allen Park Cabrini to see who will earn a berth in Thursday’s Regional Final.

As we wait for the game to start, I hope you will enjoy this religious original tune that my father helped me to write! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JYixQ0OWsd4

Fowler is usually led by returning All-State player Emma Riley. She is a complete guard who defends the perimeter well, runs the offense well, handles the ball well, slashes to the basket well and shoots three pointers well. (Your Bleacher Denizen – – well, he may need to hit the thesaurus to find other adverbs to so he can truly describe Ms. Riley’s play well.)

Grace Epkey is a tall, strong and quick player who can defensively shut down opponents in the lane. She is also able to defend effectively (and well, I suppose) on the perimeter. She gets most of her baskets on layups and putbacks, but when she is open, she is also a threat from the three point line.

Avery Koenigsknecht and Taylor Webers are ferocious perimeter defenders who are excellent three point shooters. Quinn Watts provides energy and toughness to the Eagle perimeter defense. Grace O’Hare is tall enough to defend in the lane and quick enough to harass opponents on the perimeter. She is a good scorer with a strong three point shot. Katie Spicer is a solid ball handler who defends the perimeter well. She is able to use creativity to make shots near the basket; she also is one of the Eagles’ best three point shooters.

Cabrini Coach Kate Jabczenski was kind enough to give me this background information about her Monarch players. They enter this game with a 14-9 record. Her team competes with a lot of hustle and grit, especially on defense.

Mary Schantz is a four year starter who is a fine defensive stopper and rebounder in the post. She is agile and quick; this helps her to get a lot of layups and putbacks. Kaitlyn Jabczenski is an excellent three point shooter whose calm leadership is an asset to the Monarchs. She has a fine basketball IQ and also can slash to the basket to score.

Carly Roth is another hard-nosed post defender for the Monarchs. She is strong enough to defend in the post and quick enough to help on the perimeter defense. Elaine Teed runs the point for Cabrini. She excels on defense where her hustle and aggressiveness create a lot of problems for opponents. On offense, she is a good ball handler who runs the Monarch team well. Ava Teed is an aggressive three perimeter defender who is a threat from the three point line.

Let’s take a look at the events of this game through the cloudy lenses of an aging (but hopefully eager) Bleacher Denizen who was never able to escape church league back in the days of yore when some considered him to still be “young.” The basketball powers that be just didn’t feel the team could afford to replace all the peach baskets we used to shoot at when they were crunched by the Bleacher Denizen’s bricks.

Fowler wins the opening tap. The Eagles miss a driving layup. Cabrini throws a pass out of bounds. Fowler misses an eighteen foot shot from the side. Mary Schantz hits a fast break layup to give Cabrini the first two points of the game. Emma Riley drives from the top of the key and hits a layup for Fowler to tie the game at 2-2.

Cabrini turns the ball over. Fowler throws a cross court pass out of bounds. Cabrini misfires on a threeball from the wing. Fowler misses a three point attempt from the side. Quinn Watts steals the ball for the Eagles. Mary Schantz blocks a Fowler layup. Cabrini misses a three point shot from the side. Mary Schantz grabs the offensive rebound for the Monarchs. Cabrini misses a layup. Avery Koenigsknecht passes to Emma Riley, who hits a three point shot to make the score Emma Riley 5 Cabrini 2.

Cabrini throws a cross court pass out of bounds. Fowler misfires on a triple try from the wing. Avery Koenigsknecht’s harassment causes Cabrini to lose a pass out of bounds. Niamh O’Connell steals an Eagle pass. Avery Koenigsknecht steals the ball for Fowler. Avery Koenigsknecht stops, spins and hooks in a fast break layup to give Fowler a 7-2 lead.

Cabrini misses a layup. Niamh O’Connell hits a putback for Cabrini. Fowler is whistled for carrying the ball. Avery Koenigsknecht steals the ball and passes to Emma Riley for a fast break layup. Cabrini misses a ten foot shot from the baseline. The rebound goes out of bounds and Fowler takes possession. Fowler misses a threeball from the wing. Emma Riley steals the Monarch outlet pass; she goes in for a fast break layup to give Fowler an 11-4 lead.

Cabrini misses a ten foot shot from the baseline. Grace Epkey hits a fast break layup for Fowler. Emma Riley knocks the ball away from Cabrini, but the Monarchs are able to recover. Taylor Webber harasses Cabrini into throwing a pass out of bounds. Fowler misses a three pointer from the wing. Emma Riley fights and hits a putback to give Fowler a 15-4 lead.

Cabrini throws a pass out of bounds. Avery Koenigsknecht is fouled on a driving layup and hits two free throws for Fowler with 30.6 seconds to play in the quarter. Ella Hufnagel knocks the ball away from Cabrini and Avery Koenigsknecht picks it up for Fowler. Fowler travels to foil its fast breaks. Cabrini is called for traveling as the first quarter buzzer sounds off.

After one quarter, Fowler has a 17-4 lead.

Cabrini inbounds the ball to open the second quarter. Ava Teed passes to Kaitlyn Jabczenski, who hits a three point shot from the top of the key for Cabrini. Fowler misses a jumper off the dribble from the free throw line. Elaine Teed saves a pass to prevent a Monarch turnover. Avery Koenigsknecht steals the ball and hits a fast break layup for Fowler. Grace O’Hare steals a Cabrini pass and passes to Avery Koenigsknecht for a Fowler fast break layup that gives the Eagles a 21-7 lead.

Mary Schantz passes to Carly Roth, who hits a layup for Cabrini. Fowler misses a three point shot from the wing. Cabrini misses a layup. Carly Roth gets the offensive rebound for the Monarchs. Cabrini misses a layup. Fowler misfires on a threeball from the corner and fouls on the rebound. Cabrini misses an eight foot shot off the dribble from the side of the lane. Fowler misses a twelve footer from the wing. Fowler shows a lot of Grace as Grace Epkey knocks the ball away from Cabrini and Grace O’Hare picks it up for Fowler.

Carly Roth knocks the ball away from Fowler and Kaitlyn Jabczenski picks the ball up for Cabrini. Grace O’Hare knocks the ball away from Cabrini. Mary Schantz hits the floor to tie the ball up. The Possession Arrow is busy having tea with royalty and misses the play. The ball is awarded to Fowler. Katie Spicer hits a fifteen foot shot from the side to give Fowler a 23-9 lead.

Cabrini misses a layup. Carly Roth hits a putback for the Monarchs. The Eagles miss a sixteen foot shot from the wing. The rebound goes out of bounds and Cabrini takes possession. Cabrini misses a driving ten foot shot from the side of the lane. Carly Roth gets the offensive rebound for the Monarchs. Cabrini is fouled on a layup and misses two free throws. With 3:32 to play in the first half, Fowler has a 23-11 lead.

The rebound from the missed free throw goes out of bounds and Fowler takes possession. Mary Schantz steals a Fowler pass. Kaitlyn Jabczenski is fouled on a driving six foot hook shot and hits two free throws to trim the Fowler lead to 23-13 with 3:05 remaining in the half.

Fowler misses a driving layup. Kelcie Pung knocks a Monarch pass out of bounds; Cabrini retains possession. Cabrini commits an offensive foul. Fowler misses a layup. Grace Epkey gets the offensive rebound. Fowler misses a layup. Grace O’Hare gets the offensive rebound for the Eagles. Fowler misses a layup. Grace O’Hare hits a putback to boost Fowler to a 25-13 lead.

Grace O’Hare steals the ball for the Eagles. Fowler misfires on a triple try from the wing. Grace Epkey knocks the ball out of bounds; Cabrini retains possession. Cabrini misses a three point shot from the side. Mary Schantz gets the offensive rebound for the Monarchs. Grace O’Hare steals the ball for Fowler. Katie Spicer hits a three point shot from the side; Fowler has a 28-13 lead.

Grace O’Hare gets her hand on a Monarch pass; the ball goes out of bounds and Cabrini retains possession. Grace Epkey steals the ball for Fowler. Fowler’s pass hits the Cabrini backboard and goes out of bounds. Cabrini takes possession. Cabrini throws its inbound pass out of bounds. Fowler misses a three point shot from the side. Mary Schantz blocks a Fowler putback.

Cabrini’s dribbler steps on the sideline. Fowler misses a three point shot from the wing. Grace O’Hare hits a putback for Fowler. Ava Teed passes to Elaine Teed, who hits an eight foot shot from the baseline for Cabrini. Fowler misses a three pointer from the wing. Kelcie Pung pulls down the offensive rebound for the Eagles. Fowler misses a rushed three point shot at the buzzer.

At halftime, Fowler has a 30-15 lead.

Kaitlyn Jabczenski has 5 points to lead Cabrini’s scoring at halftime and Carly Roth has 4 points.

Emma Riley leads Fowler with 11 points and Avery Koenigsknecht has 8 points. Katie Spicer has 5 points and Grace O’Hare has 4 points.

As we have no halftime entertainment, why don’t we listen to this Ragtime tune with a (hopefully) unexpected (hopefully) comedic twist near the end from my You Tube Channel!! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cUieaBvS38w

Cabrini inbounds the ball to get the third quarter underway. Cabrini fumbles a pass out of bounds. Fowler misses a three point shot from the corner. Ava Teed passes to Mary Schantz for a Cabrini layup. Grace Epkey passes to Emma Riley, who hits an eight foot banked shot in the lane for Fowler to boost the Eagles to a 32-17 lead.

Emma Riley knocks the ball away from a Monarch dribbler and out of bounds. Cabrini gets the ball back. Cabrini misfires on a threeball from the side. Mary Schantz knocks the ball away from Fowler and Ava Teed picks it up for Cabrini. Avery Koenigsknecht steals the ball for Fowler. The Eagles miss a three point shot from the corner. Grace O’Hare ties up the ball. The Possession Arrow is so impressed that it spills its tea. The ball is awarded to Fowler.

The Eagles miss a layup. The rebound goes out of bounds and Fowler gets another opportunity. Mary Schantz steals the ball for Cabrini. Katie Spicer ties up the ball. The Possession Arrow is engrossed with its conversation with the queen and misses the play. The ball is awarded to Cabrini. The Monarchs miss a three point shot from the side. Carly Roth gets the offensive rebound for the Monarchs. Cabrini misses a six footer from the side of the lane.

Fowler misses a fast break layup. The rebound goes out of bounds and Fowler gets the ball back. Fowler misses a three point shot from the wing. Grace O’Hare pulls down the offensive rebound for the Eagles. Fowler is whistled for a three second (in the lane) violation. Ava Teed drives and dishes the ball to Mary Schantz, who hits a layup to trim the Fowler lead to 32-19.

Carly Roth steals the ball for Cabrini. Cabrini misses a layup. Fowler misses a three point shot from the corner. Grace Epkey gets the offensive rebound for the Eagles. Fowler misses a threeball from the wing. Grace Epkey gets the offensive rebound for the Eagles. Carly Roth blocks a Fowler layup. The loose ball goes out of bounds and Fowler gets it back. Emma Riley drives and dishes the ball to Grace Epkey, who hits a layup to push Fowler to a 34-19 lead.

Avery Koenigsknecht steals the ball for Fowler. Fowler is whistled for a double dribble violation. Grace Epkey blocks a six foot Cabrini shot from the side. Emily Roth recovers the ball for the Monarchs. Cabrini turns the ball over. Emma Riley drives and hits a layup for Fowler. Cabrini misses a ten foot shot from the side of the lane. Mary Schantz is fouled on a putback and hits two free throws for Cabrini. With 2:08 left in the third quarter, Fowler’s lead is at 36-21.

Ava Teed knocks a Fowler pass out of bounds; the Eagles retain possession. Rebecca Smith passes to Taylor Weber, who hits a three point shot from the corner for Fowler. Mary Schantz hits a fifteen foot shot from the wing for the Monarchs. Katie Spicer hits a three point shot to give Fowler a 42-23 lead.

Cabrini misses a driving layup. Fowler misses a threeball from the wing. Grace Epkey chases down the long offensive rebound for Fowler. The Eagles miss a three pointer from the side. Katie Spicer gets the offensive rebound for the Eagles. Fowler misses a ten foot shot from the side just before the third quarter buzzer announces the end of the period.

With three quarters in the books, Fowler holds a 42-23 lead.

Fowler has the ball to open the fourth quarter. Mary Schantz knocks the ball away from the Eagles and Ava Teed picks it up for the Monarchs. Fowler misses a six foot shot from the side of the lane. The Eagles get the offensive rebound. Taylor Weber passes to Emma Riley, who hits a three point shot from the wing for the Eagles to push their lead to 45-23.

Grace Epkey blocks a six foot Monarch shot from the side of the lane. Elaine Teed ties up the ball. The Possession Arrow sets its crumpet down long enough to award the ball to Cabrini. The Monarchs miss a ten foot shot from the side of the lane. Fowler misses a three point shot from the wing. Quinn Watts ties up the rebound. The Possession Arrow is impressed with her determination and awards the ball to Fowler. The Eagles miss a fourteen foot shot in the lane. They get the offensive rebound. Emma Riley passes to Taylor Weber, who launches and hits a three pointer from the corner to give Fowler a 48-23 lead.

Cabrini loses a pass out of bounds. Grace O’Hare passes to Quinn Watts, who is fouled on a six foot shot in the lane and hits one of her two free throws to give the Eagles a 49-23 lead with 5;18 left on the clock.

Cabrini misses a sixteen foot shot from the wing. The rebound goes out of bounds and Cabrini gets another opportunity. Grace O’Hare knocks the Cabrini inbound pass out; Cabrini retains possession. Cabrini misses a threeball from the corner. Carly Roth hits a putback to cut the Fowler lead to 49-25.

Fowler misses a driving layup. Taylor Weber steals a Cabrini pass. Kaitlyn Jabczenski steals a Fowler pass. Cabrini misses a fast break layup. Mary Schantz hits a putback for Cabrini. Avery Koenigsknecht passes to Katie Spicer, who hits a three point shot from the wing to boost Fowler to a 52-27 lead.

Emma Riley knocks a Cabrini pass into the lane out of bounds; the Monarchs retain possession. Emma Riley steals the Cabrini inbound pass; she hesitates to let the defense go by her and hits a fast break layup for Fowler. Cabrini misses a twelve foot shot in the lane. Ava Teed gets the offensive rebound for the Monarchs. Katie Spicer steals a Monarch inbound pass. Fowler misses a three point shot from the side. Carly Ross passes to Kaitlyn Jabczenski, who is fouled on a layup and hits one of her two free throws for Cabrini. With 2:53 remaining in the game, Fowler has a 54-28 lead.

Fowler misses a jumper from the free throw line. Grace O’Hare gets the offensive rebound for the Eagles. Fowler misses another jumper from the free throw line. Katie Spicer gets the offensive rebound for the Eagles. Fowler is fouled on a layup, but misses two free throws. Grace O’Hare gets the offensive rebound for the Eagles. Kelcie Pung is fouled and hits both free throws in a one and one opportunity to give Fowler a 56-28 lead with 2:10 remaining in the contest.

Katie Spicer knocks the ball away from Cabrini and Grace O’Hare picks it up for Fowler. Kelcie Pung passes to Brooke Weber, who hits a fifteen foot shot from the side for Fowler. Kelcie Pung and Ella Hufnagel tie up the ball. The Possession Arrow sees the play on the croquet court’s monitor and awards the ball to Fowler. The Eagles miss a three point shot from the top of the key. Fowler is fouled, but misses the first shot of a one and one free throw opportunity. With 1:03 to go, Fowler’s lead is at 58-28.

Cabrini misses a reverse layup. Carly Roth gets the offensive rebound for the Monarchs. Cabrini misses a layup. Fowler runs out the last thirty or so seconds left in the game.

Fowler wins the game by the score of 58-28 and will play in the Regional Final Thursday night.

Mary Schantz led the Cabrini scoring with 12 points. Kaitlyn Jabczenski and Carly Roth each scored 6 points. Niamh O’Connell and Elaine Teed each tallied 2 points.

Emma Riley scored 20 points to lead Fowler. Katie Spicer joined her teammate in double figures with 11 points. Avery Koenigsknecht scored 8 points and Taylor Webber contributed 6 points. Grace O’Hare and Grace Epkey each added 4 points. Brooke Weber and Kelcie Pung each put in 2 points. Quinn Watts had 1 point.

Petersburg Summerfield won the night’s second game and will face Fowler in the Regional Final Thursday night. https://thebleacherdenizen.com/2023/03/08/southfield-christian-vs-petersburg-summerfield-girls-basketball-mhsaa-division-4-regional-semifinal-the-bleacher-denizen-march-7-2023-by-chuck-krafft/