Mt. Pleasant Sacred Heart vs. Fowler – – Girls Basketball Regional Final – – The Bleacher Denizen – – March 12, 2025 – – by Chuck Krafft
Tonight, the Bleacher Denizen is off to Sacred Heart High School in Mt. Pleasant where the Irish girls will play the Fowler Eagles to see who will advance to next Tuesday’s quarterfinal game.
I have seen each of these teams play earlier this season. Here are some of the top players for each team.
Sacred Heart is undefeated this season at 21-0. The Irish finished first in the MSAC.
Karis Terwilliger is the major scorer for the Irish. She is excellent slashing to the basket and she also gets a lot of fast break baskets off her many steals. She is an excellent perimeter defender who can help in the post when the situation requires it. Sophie Hauck is the Irish point guard. She is a strong perimeter defender who can also help in the post. She is a solid perimeter defender who can help in the post as well. She handles the ball well and can hit midrange or three point shots.
Chelsea Lynch is a post defender who passes really well and has shooting range out to the three point line. Savannah Jones is a great jumper who rebounds and scores well in the post. Ava Sweet is a guard who can score from all three levels. (These are at the basket, midrange and from the three point line.) Kallie Smith is a tough, physical post defender and rebounder.
Sierra Wohlscheid is a gritty, determined perimeter defender. Maddie Anderson is a good three point shooter. Brooke Neff is a talented athletic who is a great defender. Kaya Rose is a tough perimeter defender.
Fowler has a 23-2 record and finished in second place in the CMAC. Their only losses so far this year have been to Division 3 power Pewamo-Westphalia.
Katie Spicer is an all-state guard who is always one of the fastest players on the court. She is a great defender and a fine all-around athlete. On offense, she is an accurate three point shooter and very creative at finding ways to avoid having her shot blocked when she attacks the basket. She can launch an accurate close-in attempt from almost any angle and still hit the shot.
Izzy Halfmann is a sophomore defensive wizard who is coming back from a knee injury. She is a determined defender who can cause problems for Eagle opponents on the perimeter or in the post. She is a good ball handler and passer; she also is a top rebounder who gets a lot of putbacks.
Ella Hufnagel has some of the quickest hands and feet I have ever seen on a girl basketball player. Like Katie Spicer, she will also be attending college on a track scholarship. She is a major part of the Fowler press and can steal the ball from anyone at any time. ON offense, she gets a lot of fast break baskets off steals, but can also slash to the basket and has an accurate three point shot.
Brooke Weber is an excellent rebounder and defender in the post. She also has an accurate three point shot and can get really hot from out there. Paige Thelen and Neelah O’Rourke score, defend and rebound well in the post. Selena Stump is an excellent three point shooter who is always a threat to make a few of them in a row. She is also a threat to slash to the basket. Saige Miller is an excellent athlete who adds a lot of intensity to the Fowler press. Paisley Hansen gives the Eagles another dependable perimeter defender.
Today is the second day of a Fowler basketball-based road trip. Last night, I went to Houghton Lake to watch the Fowler boys earn a spot in the State semifinals at the Breslin Center.
I stayed in Houghton Lake last night. On the way home, I stopped by Mt. Pleasant where Sacred Heart Academy is hosting tonight’s Regional Final.
It is now time to review the events of this game through the somewhat open eyes of an Aging Bleacher Denizen who was never able to escape church league when he attempted to play basketball in the days of yore. It seems that he found a creative way to defend without expending too much energy by bringing a pole and holding it near the basket. Alas, this worked until the Bleacher Denizen was on the receiving end of a charging foul. It broke the pole and when teams started easily shooting layups over the Bleacher Denizen, his playing time quickly disappeared.
Fowler wins the opening tap. The Eagles misfire on a threeball from the wing. Ella Hufnagel dives and steals the ball for the Eagles. She then drives and hits a layup to give Fowler the first two points of the game. Paige Thelen knocks the ball out of bounds; the Irish retain possession. Sacred Heart misses an up and under twelve foot shot in the lane. Fowler misses a layup. Paige Thelen grabs the offensive rebound for the Eagles.
Savannah Jones blocks an Eagle layup. Izzy Halfmann knocks the ball out of bounds; the Irish retain possession. Sacred Heart misses a six foot hook shot from the baseline. Fowler misses a threeball from the wing. Sacred Heart misses a threeball from the top of the key. Fowler misses a threeball from the corner. Neelah O’Rourke hits a putback to give her Eagles a 4-0 lead.
Neelah O’Rourke gets a hand on the ball, but Karis Terwilliger is able to save the ball for Sacred Heart. Sacred Heart commits a traveling violation. Karis Terwilliger gets a hand on the ball, but Fowler is able to recover. The Eagles miss a three pointer from the wing. Izzy Halfmann hits a putback to give Fowler a 6-0 lead.
Savannah Jones grabs a loose ball and hits a ten foot shot from the side of the lane to give the Irish their first two points. Fowler misfires on a triple try from the side. Ella Hufnagel ties up the rebound. The Possession Arrow is practicing its minor scales on the piano and misses the play. Ms. Hufnagel’s hustle is unappreciated and the ball is awarded to Sacred Heart. Sacred Heart misses a jump shot off the dribble from the free throw elbow.
Fowler misses a driving layup; the rebound goes out of bounds and the Eagles get the ball back. Fowler misses a layup. Paige Thelen is fouled on a layup and hits two free throws to boost the Eagle lead to 8-2 with 2:44 remaining in the opening quarter.
Sacred Heart misses a three point shot from the top of the key. Fowler misses a layup. Selena Stump steals the ball for the Eagles. Chelsea Lynch ties up the ball for Sacred Heart. The Possession Arrow is arguing with its piano teacher about not practicing enough and misses the play. It ignores Ms. Lynch’s great effort and awards the ball to Fowler. Fowler misses a layup.
Ella Hufnagel gets her hand on the ball, dives and causes a tieup. The Possession Arrow is pouting about its piano teacher’s tough words and awards the ball to Sacred Heart without putting much thought into it. Paige Thelen steals the ball and hits a fast break layup for Fowler to give the Eagles a 10-2 lead.
Sacred Heart misfires on a threeball from the top of the key. Fowler misses a driving layup. The Eagles briefly dominate the boards and rebound two more of their own missed shots. Katie Spicer hits a putback for the Eagles. Sophia Hauck banks in a twelve foot shot from the side to trim the Fowler lead to 12-4.
Katie Spicer throws in a threeball from the wing for Fowler. Katie Spicer steals the ball for the Eagles. Fowler throws an outlet pass too far and out of bounds. Sophia Hauck launches and hits a long threeball past the top of the key as the first quarter buzzer is stretching its lungs.
After one quarter, Fowler holds a 15-7 lead.
Fowler inbounds the ball to get the second quarter started. Katie Spicer passes to Selena Stump, who hits a three point shot from the wing for Fowler. Izzy Halfmann knocks the Irish inbound pass out of bounds; Sacred Heart retains possession. Izzy Halfmann gets her hand on the ball and Sacred Heart loses it out of bounds. Karis Terwilliger gets her hand on the ball; Fowler recovers. Ava Sweet blocks a Fowler layup; the ball goes out of bounds and Fowler gets the ball back.
Fowler misses a six foot banked shot from the side. Paige Thelen intercepts an Irish pass. Fowler misses a fast break layup. The rebound goes out of bounds and the Eagles get another possession. Fowler misses a ten foot shot off the dribble from the side of the lane. Sacred Heart misses a threeball from the wing. Karis Terwilliger snares the offensive rebound for the Irish. Sacred Heart misses a fifteen foot shot from the wing. Fowler commits an offensive foul. Karis Terwilliger hits a twelve foot shot off the dribble in the lane to shave the Fowler lead to 18-9.
Sophia Hauck knocks the ball away from Fowler and Chelsea Lynch picks it up for Sacred Heart. Sacred Heart misses a ten footer off the dribble in the lane. Paige Thelen hits a layup for Fowler. Izzy Halfmann steals the ball for the Eagles. Fowler misses a driving layup. Brooke Weber knocks the ball away from Sacred Heart, but the Irish recover. Sacred Heart misses a twelve foot shot in the lane. Fowler is assessed with a traveling violation.
Sacred Heart misses a threeball from the wing. The rebound goes out of bounds and Fowler takes possession. Fowler misses a three pointer from the top of the key. Neelah O’Rourke snags the offensive rebound for the Eagles. Fowler misses a threeball from the top of the key. Saige Miller steals the ball for the Eagles. Brooke Weber is fouled on a layup and hits one of her two free throws to give Fowler a 21-9 lead with 3:11 to play in the opening half.
Chelsea Lynch passes to Karis Terwilliger, who banks in a threeball from the side for the Irish. (We’ll assume she called “BANK!!”.) Selena Stump answers by hitting a threeball from the side for the Eagles. Sophia Hauck hits a fifteen foot shot off the dribble from the side for the Irish. Fowler misses a layup. Karis Terwilliger passes to Sophie Hauck, who hits a layup to cut the Fowler lead to 24-16.
Fowler misses a three point shot from the side. Karis Terwilliger passes the ball to Sophie Hauck, who is red hot. Sophie Hauck hits a three point shot from the corner to slash the Eagle lead to five points. Chelsea Lynch harasses an Eagle dribbler into stepping on the sideline. Sacred Heart misses a twelve footer off the dribble from the baseline. Fowler misses a layup. Chelsea Lynch passes to Karis Terwilliger, who throws in a threeball from the top of the key to chop the Fowler lead to two points at 24-22.
Sacred Heart has outscored Fowler 13-3 in the last three minutes or so.
Katie Spicer banks in a thirty foot shot from the top of the key as the halftime buzzer makes us all aware of its presence.
Fowler has a 27-22 lead at halftime.
At halftime, Sophia Hauck has 12 points and
Sacred Heart inbounds the ball to get quarter number three underway. Karis Terwilliger drives and hits an eight foot shot from the side of the lane for the Irish. Chelsea Lynch taps the ball away from Fowler and Sophia Hauck picks it up for Sacred Heart. Izzy Halfmann steals the ball for Fowler. Fowler misses a threeball from the side. The Eagles get the offensive rebound and miss a jump shot from the side. Chelsa Lynch hits an up and under layup for the Irish to slash the Fowler lead to one point at 27-26.
Fowler misses a three pointer from the wing. The rebound goes out of bounds and Sacred Heart gets the ball. Paige Thelen steals the ball for the Eagles. Fowler travels. Karis Terwilliger passes to Savannah Jones, who hits a layup to give the Irish a 28-27 lead.
Fowler misses a three point shot from the wing. Sacred Heart misses a driving, scooping layup. Fowler misses a driving layup. Paige Thelen hits a putback to give the lead back to Fowler. Sacred Heart misses a layup. Chelsea Lynch gets a hand on the ball and Fowler is forced to call a timeout to avoid turning the ball over. Fowler misses a three point shot from the wing.
Ella Hufnagel gets the offensive rebound for the Eagles. Karis Terwilliger steals a Fowler cross court pass and is fouled on a fast break layup. She hits two free throws to give Sacred Heart a 30-29 lead with 4:07 to play in quarter number three.
Katie Spicer hits a three point shot off the dribble near the top of the key to give Fowler a two point lead. Sophia Hauck hits a twelve foot shot off the dribble from the side of the lane for Sacred Heart to tie the game. Katie Spicer drives and hits a layup for Fowler. She is fouled on the play, but misses her free throw. With 2:49 remaining in quarter number three, Fowler holds a 34-32 lead.
Kallie Smith passes to Karis Terwilliger, who hits a layup for the Irish to tie the game. Fowler misses a three point shot from the wing. Kallie Smith passes to Chelsea Lynch, who is fouled on a layup and hits two free throws to give Sacred Heart a 36-34 lead with 2:17 left in quarter number three.
Katie Spicer hits a three point shot from the top of the key to retake the lead (by one point) for the Eagles. Sacred Heart misses a three point shot from the wing. Selena Stump passes to Katie Spicer, who hits a three point shot from the wing to give Fowler a 40-36 lead.
Izzy Halfmann forces Sacred Heart into a traveling violation as a player shoots. Fowler misses a jump shot from the free throw elbow. Sacred Heart misses a driving six foot banked shot. Fowler misses a three pointer from the wing just before the buzzer decides to end quarter number three.
With three quarters in the books, Fowler has a 40-36 lead.
Fowler inbounds the ball to open the fourth quarter. The Eagles have a twelve foot basket from the baseline negated because Sacred Heart fouled before the shot. Brooke Weber hits a ten foot shot from the side of the lane for the Eagles. Brooke Weber steals the ball for the Eagles. Ella Hufnagel drives and hits a layup to give Fowler a 44-36 lead.
Katie Spicer forces a Sacred Heart dribbler to step on the baseline. Izzy Halfmann passes to Brooke Weber, who sinks a threeball from the wing for Fowler. Sacred Heart misses a ten foot shot from the side. Ella Hufnagel passes to Katie Spicer, who hits a three point shot from the side to give Fowler a 50-36 lead.
Paige Thelen gets a hand on the ball and Brooke Weber picks it up for Fowler. Fowler misses a driving layup. The rebound goes out of bounds and Sacred Heart gets the ball. The Irish misfire on a threeball from the corner. Paige Thelen passes to Ella Hufnagel, who is curring to the basket. Ella Hufnagel hits a layup for Fowler. Katie Spicer gets her hand on the ball and forces a tieup. Just to be difficult, the Possession Arrow awards the ball to Sacred Heart. Ella Hufnagel steals the ball and hits a fast break layup to give Fowler a 54-36 lead.
Sacred Heart misses a three pointer from the wing. Fowler commits an offensive foul. Paige Thelen steals an Irish pass. Fowler is fouled, but misses two free throws. With 2:33 left on the clock, Fowler’s lead remains at 54-36.
Selena Stump pulls down the offensive rebound for the Eagles. Chelsea Lynch knocks the ball out of bounds; Fowler retains possession. Katie Spicer is fouled and hits one of her two free throws for Fowler. Katie Spicer knocks the ball away from Sacred Heart and Brooke Weber picks it up for Fowler. Katie Spicer is fouled and hits two free throws to give Fowler a 57-36 lead with 1:17 remaining.
Sacred Heart loses the ball out of bounds. Fowler commits an over and back violation. Selena Stump steals the ball for the Eagles. Fowler runs out the clock.
Fowler wins this game 57-36 and will play Frankfort in Monday’s quarterfinal.
Karis Terwilliger and Sophia Hauck each had 14 points to lead the Sacred Heart scoring. Savannah Jones and Chelsea Lynch each had 4 points.
Katie Spicer led the victorious Eagles with 25 points. Ella Hufnagel and Paige Thelen each contributed 8 points. Selena Stump and Brooke Weber each chipped in with 6 points. Neelah O’Rourke and Izzy Halfmann each scored 2 points.