Bad Axe at Kingston – – Girls Basketball – – The Bleacher Denizen – – December 16, 2024 – – by Chuck Krafft

Tonight, your Bleacher Denizen is in Kingston where the Cardinals will host the Hatchets from Bad Axe in a Girls’ Basketball Game. Your Bleacher Denizen performed a Christmas show in St. Johns, turned right on M-21 and eventually got here!! The last time I saw Kingston basketball, they were competing in the State Final at the Breslin!
https://thebleacherdenizen.com/2024/03/23/ishpeming-vs-kingston-mhsaa-division-4-girls-basketball-state-championship-the-bleacher-denizen-march-23-2024-by-chuck-krafft/

(There is also a link to Kingston’s semifinal vs. Frankfort embedded near the beginning of the article.)

The Hatchets are entering the game with a 3-0 record and Kingston has a 1-1 record. Its loss is to Division 2 Imlay City, which has more than twice as many students as Kingston does.

Kingston Coach Jay Green provided me with this information about his Cardinal players. Kingston has only one of its top six players back from last years’ state finalists, but she is an excellent one.

Molly Walker was one of the top scorers for last year’s finalists. She is a junior in her third year of starting for the Cardinals. She is a strong, competitive defender on the perimeter, but is tall enough to help in the post when the situation puts her there. On offense, she is a fine ball handler and passer who can drive to the basket or shoot from the three point line. Her experience and competitive spirit will be a huge asset to the Cardinals this season.

Chesaney Wenzlaff was a frequent contributor last year as well. She is a fine shooter and very quick, especially on defense. Piper St. George is a fine playmaker who understands the game well. Lilah Kiley runs the floor well and is improving as a defender. Lauren Krug is a fine shooter who is improving on her defense. Grace McGarvie is a tough inside defender who is growing as an offensive player.

Meegan Flikkie is a fine athlete who is starting to make a difference on the defensive end. Hailey Seaman is a good interior defender with a high basketball IQ. Brianne Rayl and Hailey McGuire are hard workers who are becoming factors on the defensive end of the floor.

Bad Axe Coach Claire Ferency was generous with her time and her information about her Hatchet players as well.

Katelyn Copeland is an excellent, versatile scorer who is comfortable driving to the basket or shooting from the three point line. Maddie Jordan is a sophomore point guard who is a quick, formidable perimeter defender who handles the ball well and runs the offense. Madi Fields is a quick, athletic player who excels patrolling the back line of the Hatchet press. Amber Booms defends the perimeter well and is a team leader. On offense, she is good at slashing to the basket.

Lacey Newland is a fine defender on the perimeter who is another strong team leader. Jordyn Carter is a tough defender and rebounder in the post. Audrey Brining is a solid perimeter defender who excels at cutting to the basket. Trinity Galvan is a good three point shooter. Evy Stevens is unfortunately injured and will not play today. She provides good defense and rebounding in the post. Makenzi Smith is a strong mid-range shooter. Aubrey London scores, defends and rebounds well in the post.

I was able to see the entire JV game. Both teams got off to a slow start and the game was tied at 3-3 after one quarter. In the second quarter, Bad Axe got its press going and outscored Kingston 16-4 to take a 19-7 halftime lead. Bad Axe outscored Kingston in the third quarter 8-6 and held a 27-13 lead entering the fourth quarter.

Kingston came back to outscore Bad Axe 14-10 in the fourth quarter, but it was not enough. Bad Axe won the JV game by the final score of 37-27.

Josie Binder led the Cardinal JVs with 9 points. Payton King contributed 6 points. Izzy Parrott and Cyrenna Schipinski each chipped in with 4 points. Olyvia Woidan and Olivia Sherrod each scored 2 points.

Emma Bucholz had 15 points to lead the Bad Axe JV scoring. Courtney Copeland supported her teammate with 8 points. Diana Santamaria added 6 points. Hailey McCrea put in 4 points. Bo Popchan-At and Elayna Laskowski each tallied 2 points.

The Kingston third graders sang “We Wish You A Merry Christmas and signed the song in American Sign Language to open the varsity game. They then sang the National Anthem. They showed all the enthusiasm you would expect from young people in front of their families; they also did a real nice job holding their pitch. (Your Bleacher Denizen was a professional musician on the side most of his adult life and loves to salute a student musical job well done!!)

It is now time to review the events of this game through the occasionally accurate lenses of an Aging Bleacher Denizen who was never able to escape church league in the ancient times when he was considered to be “young.” He never did master the concept that you should only share the ball with people wearing the same color of shirt as yours. To the Bleacher Denizen, only being able to throw the ball to half the players on the floor stunted his creativity. To his coach, there was quite a bit of grumbling about “turnovers” and he decided to vastly reduce your Bleacher Denizen’s playing time!

Kingston wins the opening tap, but is whistled for a traveling violation. Bad Axe misses a ten foot shot from the side. Katelyn Copeland pulls down the offensive rebound for the Hatchets. Chesaney Wenzlaff and Bri Rayl double team the Hatchet ball handler and force a traveling violation. Madi Fields gets her hand on a Cardinal pass, but Kingston is able to recover. Kingston misfires on a threeball from the side. Meeghan Flikkie hits a putback to give Kingston the first two points of the game.

Amber Booms drives and dishes the ball to Katelyn Copeland, who hits a twelve foot shot from the baseline for the Hatchets to tie the game. Meeghan Flikkie passes to Chesaney Wenzlaff, who throws in a threeball from the side to give Kingston a 5-2 lead.

Bad Axe misses a jump shot from the free throw elbow. The Hatchets get the offensive rebound, but commit an offensive foul. Molly Walker drives and hits a ten foot shot from the side of the lane for Kingston. Molly Walker steals the ball for the Cardinals. Kingston misses a fast break layup. Bri Rayl hits a putback to give the Cardinals a 9-2 lead.

Bad Axe misses a jump shot from the free throw elbow. Katelyn Copeland pulls in the offensive rebound for the Hatchets. Chesaney Wenzlaff ties up the ball. The Possession Arrow was organizing its Christmas list, misses the play and ignores Ms. Wenzlaff’s gritty hustle. It decrees that Bad Axe shall have the ball. The Hatchets commit an offensive foul. Meeghan Flikkie passes to Chesaney Wenzlaff, who is cutting to the basket and hits a layup to give Kingston an 11-2 lead.

Meeghan Flikkie knocks a Hatchet pass out of bounds; Bad Axe retains possession. In a deja vu moment, Meeghan Flikkie knocks another Hatchet out of bounds; Bad Axe again retains possession. Molly Walker steals the ball for the Cardinals and passes to Bri Rayl for a Cardinal fast break layup. Bad Axe misses a ten footer from the side of the lane. Madi Fields grabs the offensive rebound for the Hatchets. Madi Fields is fouled on a driving layup and hits one of her two free throws to trim the Kingston lead to 13-3 with 3:09 to play in the opening quarter.

Meeghan Flikkie finds Molly Walker cutting to the basket and passer to her for a layup. Bad Axe misses a ten foot shot from the side. Kingston throws a bad pass; Bad Axe misses a fast break layup. Amber Booms steals the ball for the Hatchets. Chesaney Wenzlaff ties up a Hatchet pass. The Possession Arrow and its Christmas party committee look up from their “nice list” and award the ball to Kingston. Amber Booms gets her hand on the ball and knocks it out of bounds; Kingston retains possession. Molly Walker is fouled on a driving layup. She hits one of her two free throws to give her Cardinals a 16-3 lead with 1:12 left on the opening quarter clock.

Chesaney Wenzlaff pulls down the offensive rebound for Kingston. Katelyn Copeland blocks a Cardinal layup. Chesaney Wenzlaff retrieves the loose ball for the Cardinals. Molly Walker hits a layup for Kingston. She is fouled, but misses her free throw. Katelyn Copeland throws in a threeball from the wing for the Hatchets to chop the Kingston lead down to 18-6.

Audrey Brining harasses Kingston into a traveling violation. Lilah Kiley ties up the ball for Kingston. The Possession Arrow and the Christmas committee are polishing silver and miss the play. The ball is awarded to Bad Axe with just .4 of a second left in the quarter. There is no time for the Hatchets to shoot before the buzzer lets us all know that it is here.

After one quarter, Kingston holds an 18-6 lead.

Kingston inbounds the ball to start out the second quarter. Trinity Galvan’s tough defense forces Kingston into a traveling violation. Bad Axe misfires on a triple try from the side. Kingston misses a layup. Bri Rayl pulls down the offensive rebound for the Cardinals. Kingston misses a layup. Bad Axe misses a fast break layup. Lauren Krug hits a layup for Kingston. Bad Axe misses a layup. Molly Walker passes to Chesaney Wenzlaff for a Kingston layup that gives the Cardinals a 22-6 lead.

Bri Rayl knocks a Bad Axe pass out of bounds; the Hatchets get another opportunity. Bad Axe misses a drving six foot shot. Meeghan Flikkie passes to Chesaney Wenzlaff, who is fouled as she shoots a layup. Chesaney Wenzlaff hits one of her two free throws to give Kingston a 23-6 lead with 6:18 remaining int he second quarter.

Bad Axe misfires on a threeball from the top of the key. Maddie Jordan pulls down the long offensive rebound for the Hatchets. Bad Axe misses a driving layup. Maddie Jordan steals the ball for the Hatchets. Bad Axe commits an offensive foul. Kingston misses a ten foot shot from the side of the lane. Meeghan Flikkie grabs the offensive rebound for the Cardinals. Molly Walker drives from the side and hits a layup to give Kingston a 25-6 lead.

Lauren Krug steals the ball for the Cardinals. Maddie Jordan steals the ball for the Hatchets and hits a fast break layup. Kingston misses a layup. Lacey Newland drives and hits a layup for Bad Axe. Lacey Newland ties up a Kingston pass. The Possession Arrow and the Christmas Committee stop icing cookies long enough to see the play and award the ball to Bad Axe. Molly Walker steals the ball for Kingston. The Cardinals miss a fast break layup. Lacey Newland passes to Katelyn Copeland, who hits a layup to shave the Kingston lead to 25-12.

Kingston is whistled for a traveling violation. Bad Axe misses a three pointer from the corner. Kingston misses a driving layup. Bad Axe misses a ten foot shot in the lane. Trinity Galvan gets the offensive rebound for the Hatchets. Bad Axe misses a twelve foot shot from the side. Audrey Brining is fouled on a putback and hits two free throws to chop the Kingston lead to 25-14. (Bad Axe has scored eight consecutive points!)

Kingston misses a driving ten foot shot. Gracie McGarvie gets the offensive rebound for the Cardinals. Chesaney Wenzlaff drives and hits a ten foot shot from the side for Kingston to break the Bad Axe eight point scoring run. The Hatchets are whistled for a traveling violation. Kingston misses a twelve foot shot from the side. Meeghan Flikkie hits a putback for the Cardinals as the halftime buzzer sounds off.

At halftime, Kingston has a 29-14 lead.

Chesaney Wenzlaff has 10 points at halftime for Kingston and Molly Walker has 9 points.

Katelyn Copeland has 7 points at halftime for the Hatchets.

Kingston inbounds the ball to get quarter number three underway. Meeghan Flikkie passes to Molly Walker for a layup; she is fouled on the play and sinks her free throw. Katelyn Copeland hits a driving hook/layup for Bad Axe. Jordyn Carter tips a pass out of bounds; Kingston retains possession. Chesaney Wenzlaff drives the lane and hits a ten foot shot to boost the Cardinal lead to 34-16.

Gracie McGarvie steals the ball for Kingston. The Cardinals miss a ten foot shot from the side. Gracie McGarvie pulls down the offensive rebound for Kingston. Kingston misses a three pointer from the wing. Molly Walker grabs the offensive rebound for the Cardinals. Kingston is assessed with a traveling violation. Maddie Jordan passes to Katelyn Copeland, who hits a layup for Bad Axe. Meeghan Flikkie makes an alert save to prevent a Kingston turnover. Molly Walker passes to Meeghan Flikkie, who hits a layup to give Kingston a 36-18 lead.

Molly Walker steals the ball for the Cardinals. Kingston misses a fast break layup. Meeghan Flikkie ties up a Bad Axe pass. The Possession Arrow stops its wrapping bee long enough to quickly award the ball back to the Hatchets. Bad Axe misses a ten foot shot from the side. Madi Fields snares the offensive rebound for the Hatchets. Chesaney Wenzlaff steals the ball for Kingston. Molly Walker hits a layup to push the Cardinals to a 38-18 lead.

Bad Axe misses a twelve foot shot in the lane. Chesaney Wenzlaff passes to Lilah Kiley, who hits a layup for Kingston. Maddie Jordan passes to Madi Fields, who hits a layup for the Hatchets to trim the Kingston lead to 40-20.

Molly Walker passes to Chesaney Wenzlaff, who throws in a threeball from the top of the key for Kingston. Bad Axe misfires on a triple try from the side. Audrey Brining pulls down the offensive rebound for the Hatchets. Bad Axe misses a fourteen foot shot from the side of the lane. The rebound goes out of bounds and Kingston takes possession. Madi Fields blocks a Cardinal layup, but Kingston recovers. Molly Walker is fouled on a layup and hits one of her two free throws. With 2:14 to play in the third quarter, Kingston has a 44-20 lead.

Katelyn Copeland drives and hits a layup for Bad Axe. She is fouled on the play and sinks her free throw. Lacey Newland gets her hand on a Cardinal pass, but Kingston recovers. Chesaney Wenzlaff passes to Molly Walker, who hits a layup for Kingston. She is fouled on the play and hits her free throw to extend the Cardinal lead to 47-23 with 1:54 left on the third quarter clock.

Bad Axe misses a fifteen foot shot from the side. Kingston misses a fast break layup. Piper St. George gets the offensive rebound for Kingston. Audrey Brining steals the ball for Bad Axe. Amber Booms hits a layup for the Hatchets. Lilah Kiley passes to Molly Walker, who hits a layup for Kingston. Jordyn Carter hits a layup for Bad Axe. Kingston misses a twelve footer from the side as the third quarter comes to an end.

After three quarters, Kingston has a 49-27 lead.

Bad Axe inbounds the ball to get the final quarter started. Molly Walker steals the ball and hits a layup for Kingston. Bad Axe misses a six foot shot in the lane. Kingston misses a layup. Molly Walker steals the ball and hits a fast break layup for Kingston; the Cardinals now have a 53-27 lead.

Bad Axe misses a fifteen footer from the side. Jordyn Carter grabs the offensive rebound for the Hatchets. Bri Rayl knocks the ball away from Bad Axe, and Meeghan Flikkie picks it up for Kingston. The Cardinals miss a ten foot shot from the side of the lane. Bad Axe loses the ball. Lauren Krug apsses to Molly Walker, who is fouled on a layup and hits two free throws to give Kingston a 55-27 lead with 5:37 left on the clock.

Bad Axe misses a three pointer from the side. Chesaney Wenzlaff drives and hits an eight foot banked shot for Kingston. Katelyn Copeland drives from the side and scoops in a layup for Bad Axe. Kingston misses a layup. Bad Axe misses a fifteen foot shot from the side. Jordyn Carter grabs the offensive rebound for the Hatchets. Bad Axe misses a shot. Trinity Galvan steals the ball for Bad Axe.

Bad Axe misses a fast break layup. Madi Fields gets the offensive rebound for Bad Axe. The Hatchets miss a fifteen footer from the side. Kingston is whistled for a traveling violation. Trinity Galvan passes to Madi Fields, who hits a layup for Bad Axe. The Cardinal lead is now at 57-31.

Madi Fields steals the ball for the Hatchets. Bad Axe misses a fast break layup. Maddie Jordan knocks a Cardinal pass out of bounds; Kingston retains possession. Madi Fields blocks a Cardinal layup. Bad Axe misses a fifteen footer from the baseline. The rebound goes out of bounds and the Hatchets get another opportunity. Piper St. George knocks the ball away from Bad Axe and Lilah Kiley picks it up for the Cardinals. Kingston misses a layup.

The Cardinals get the offensive rebound. Piper St. George passes to Hailey Seaman, who hits a jump shot from the free throw elbow for Kingston to give the Cardinals a 59-31 lead.

Bad Axe misses a layup. Kingston misses a layup. Gracie McGarvie gets the offensive rebound for the Cardinals. Kingston misses a layup. Gracie McGravie gets the offensive rebound. The ball is knocked out of bounds; Kingston retains possession, but there are only a couple seconds left and the Cardinals do not shoot.

Kingston wins this game by the final score of 59-31.

Katelyn Copeland led the Bad Axe scoring with 16 points. Madi Fields supported her teammate with 5 points. Maddie Jordan, Amber Booms, Audrey Brining, Lacey Newland and Jordyn Carter each tallied 2 points.

Molly Walker led Kingston with 24 points. Chesaney Wenzlaff joined her teammate in double figures with 17 points. Meeghan Flikkie and Bri Rayl each pitched in with 6 points. Lilah Kiley, Lauren Krug and Hailey Seaman each put in 2 points.