Ewen-Trout Creek vs. Fowler – – MHSAA Division 4 Girls Basketball Final – – The Bleacher Denizen – – March 22, 2025 – – by Chuck Krafft

This morning, your Bleacher Denizen is at the Breslin Center at Michigan State University to cover the State Final game between the Panthers of Ewen-Trout Creek and the Eagles of Fowler. Ewen-Trout Creek enters this contest with a 27-1 record while Fowler is at 26-2.

The Eagles earned their place in this game by defeating Genesee Christian in the semifinal. https://thebleacherdenizen.com/2025/03/21/fowler-vs-genesee-christian-mhsaa-girls-basketball-division-4-state-semifinal-the-bleacher-denizen-march-20-2025-by-chuck-krafft/

The Panthers earned their place in this game by defeating Concord in the semifinal. https://thebleacherdenizen.com/2025/03/21/ewen-trout-creek-vs-concord-mhsaa-girls-basketball-division-4-state-semifinal-the-bleacher-denizen-march-20-2025-by-chuck-krafft/

Ewen-Trout Creek finished first in the Copper Mountain Conference this year and is rated #10 in Division 4. The MHSAA Playoff Preview highlights several of their top players. (Please note that all these statistics were compiled earlier this week and do not include the semifinal game.) Ewen-Trout Creek is a very young team with no seniors and only three juniors on their roster. (In fact the nine player roster includes two eighth graders. I may be writing about them in the final four next year as well!)

Bree Besonen is a freshman who averages 16.9 points and 4.5 assists per game; she also hit 37 three point baskets. She led the team with 15 points in Thursday’s semifinal game. Emma Besonen is a junior who scores 12.3 points and passes out 3.2 assists per game. She has hit 60 three point shots this year. Irelynd McGeshick is a junior post player who scores 16.5 points per game; she also grabs 10.2 rebounds and blocks 1.2 shots per game. McKayla Basel averages 8.5 points per game.

Fowler is ranked #3 in Division 2 and finished second in the Central Michigan Athletic Conference this year. Their only losses all year were to Pewamo-Westphalia, who was undefeated in the CMAC and ended their season in the Division 3 Regional Final. The MHSAA also provided some information about the Eagles’ top players. Please note that the Eagles are a deep and balanced team that plays a lot of players. Six players average at least 7 points per game.

Katie Spicer is a returning all-state player who averages 12.5 points, 4.5 assists and 3.2 steals per game. She has hit 44 three point shots so far this season. Brooke Weber is an excellent three point shooter who averages 9.8 points per game and has connected on 70 three point shots so far this year. Ella Hufnagel averages 9.9 points and 4.4 steals per game. Paige Thelen scores 7.5 points and pulls down 5.2 rebounds per game. Selena Stump scores 7.1 points per game and has hit 52 three point shots so far this season. (Again, please note that these statistics do not include the semifinal game.)

It is now time to review the events of this game through the somewhat clear eyes of an aging Bleacher Denizen who was never able to escape church league when he attempted to play basketball during the ancient times when he was considered to be “young.” He was showing a lot of promise as a dunker, but the Basketball Powers That Be ruined everything when they raised the rims from five feet to ten feet back in the days of yore.

Once the Bleacher Denizen was no longer rattling rims or scoring much at all for that matter, his playing time took a severe drop. Alas, all that time practicing windmill dunks went to waste.

The game began with the Fowler Sign Language class signing as the National Anthem was played. They did a fine job. The starting lineups were introduced and it was time to start the game!

Fowler wins the opening tap. Hannah Ferguson gets her hand on the ball, but Fowler recovers. The Eagles lose the ball out of bounds. Ella Hufnagel steals the ball and hits a fast break layup to give Fowler the first two points of the game. Brooke Weber taps the ball away from the Panthers and Paige Thelen picks it up for the Eagles.

The ball is tied up. The Possession Arrow decrees that the ball shall go to Ewen-Trout Creek. Paige Thelen knocks the ball away from the Panthers and Katie Spicer picks it up for the Eagles. She passes to Ella Hufnagel, who hits a fast break layup to make the score Ella Hufnagel 4 Ewen-Trout Creek 0.

Ewen-Trout Creek travels on a shot fake. Fowler misses a jumper from the free throw line. The Besonen Connection comes throught as Bree Besonen passes to her sister Emma, who launches and hits a threeball from the side to cut the Fowler lead to one point. Fowler turns the ball over. In a deja vu moment, the Besonen connection comes through again as Bree passes to Emma, who hits a threeball from the wing to give Ewen-Trout Creek a 6-4 lead.

Fowler misses a layup. Paige Thelen hits a putback for Fowler to tie the game. Ella Hufnagel forces a Panther double dribble violation. Katie Spicer takes the inbound pass and drives full court. She hits a layup to give Fowler a two point lead. Ewen-Trout Creek misses a twelve foot shot off the dribble from the side. Irelynd McGeshick gets the offensive rebound for the Panthers. Ewen-Trout Creek misses a layup. Brooke Weber passes to Katie Spicer, who hits a three pointer from the wing to give Fowler an 11-6 lead.

Ewen-Trout Creek misses a layup. Bree Besonen grabs the offensive rebound for the Panthers. Emma Besonen drives from the side and hits a layup for Ewen-Trout Creek. Fowler misses a three point shot from the side. Brooke Weber taps the ball away from Ewen-Trout Creek and forces a tied up. The Possession Arrow loves her hustle and awards the ball to the Eagles. Fowler is whistled for a traveling violation. The Panthers miss a driving six foot banked shot.

The rebound goes out of bounds and Ewen-Trout Creek gets another opportunity. Ewen-Trout Creek commits an offensive foul. Izzy Halfmann passes to Selena Stump, who hits a three pointer from the wing to give Fowler a 14-8 lead.

Ewen-Trout Creek throws a pass too high and out of bounds. Fowler misses a threeball from the wing. Paige Thelen pulls down the offensive rebound for the Eagles. Fowler misses an eight foot shot from the baseline just before the first quarter buzzer announces that the period is over.

After one quarter, Fowler holds a 14-8 lead.

Ewen-Trout Creek inbounds the ball to open the second quarter. The Panthers misfire on a threeball from the wing. McKayla Basel grabs the offensive rebound for Ewen-Trout Creek. Ella Hufnagel steals the ball for the Eagles. Fowler misfires on a triple try from the side and fouls on the rebound. Ewen-Trout Creek misses a driving layup. Bree Besonen gets the offensive rebound for the Panthers. Izzy Halfmann steals a Panther pass. Ella Hufnagel passes to Brooke Weber, who hits a three point shot from the side to give Fowler a 17-8 lead.

Ewen-Trout Creek passes the ball into the lane and out of bounds. Fowler commits an offensive foul. Ewen-Trout Creek misses a driving eight foot banked shot. Katie Spicer passes to Neelah O’Rourke, who hits a layup for the Eagles. Brooke Weber steals a Panther pass. Fowler misses a layup. The rebound is tied up. The Possession Arrow looks up from its morning coffee and awards the ball to Fowler. Katie Spicer drives and hits a layup to give Fowler a 21-8 lead.

Bree Besonen drives and hits a layup for Ewen-Trout Creek. Irelynd McGeshick forces Fowler to travel on a driving layup. Ewen-Trout Creek misses a three point shot from the side. Fowler is assessed with a traveling violation. McKayla Basel passes to Irelynd McGeshick, who hits a layup for Ewen-Trout Creek. Katie Spicer is fouled on a shot and hits two free throws to boost Fowler to a 23-12 lead with 1:56 left in the second quarter.

Emma Besonen hits a sixteen foot shot off the dribble from the wing for Ewen-Trout Creek. Fowler misfires on a threeball from the wing. Izzy Halfmann grabs the offensive rebound for the Eagles. Fowler misses a layup. The rebound goes out of bounds and the Eagles get another opportunity. Fowler misses an eight foot shot off the dribble in the lane. Bree Besonen drives and hits a layup for Ewen-Trout Creek just as the halftime buzzer announces its presence.

Fowler has a 23-16 halftime lead.

Emma Besonen leads the Ewen-Trout Creek scoring at halftime with 10 points. Bree Besonen has 4 points.

Katie Spicer has 9 points and Ella Hufnagel has 4 points for Fowler.

Ewen-Trout Creek inbounds the ball to get quarter number three underway. Izzy Halfmann steals a Panther pass and passes to Ella Hufnagel, who hits a layup for the Eagles. Ewen-Trout Creek misses a driving eight foot banked shot from the side. Fowler is fouled on a layup, but misses two free throws. Katie Spicer gets her hand on the ball, but the Panthers recover.

Katie Spicer steals a Ewen-Trout Creek pass. Fowler misses a driving layup. Paige Thelen and Izzy Halfmann force the Panthers to miss a layup. The ball goes out of bounds and Fowler gets the ball. Katie Spicer gets into the lane, spins and hits a six foot shot for the Eagles. Ewen-Trout Creek misses an eight foot shot from the side. Katie Spicer passes to Brooke Weber, who hits a layup for Fowler. Bree Besonen is fouled on a layup and hits one of her two free throws to trim the Eagle lead to 29-17 with 4:51 remaining in quarter number three.

Brooke Weber passes to Izzy Halfmann, who hits a three point shot from the side for Fowler. Ewen-Trout Creek misses a sixteen foot shot from the side. Fowler misses a layup. Paige Thelen pulls down the offensive rebound for the Eagles. McKayla Basel steals the ball for the Panthers. Ella Hufnagel ties up the ball. The Possession Arrow looks up from washing its breakfast dishes and awards the ball to Fowler.

Bree Besonen gets a hand on the ball, but the Eagles recover. Fowler misses an eight foot shot in the lane. Leona Schutz grabs the defensive rebound for the Panthers. Ewen-Trout Creek misses a threeball from the top of the key. Irelynd McGeshick hits a putback for Ewen-Trout Creek. Izzy Halfmann passes to Paige Thelen, who hits a layup to give Fowler a 34-19 lead.

Ewen-Trout Creek misses a three point shot from the wing. Katie Spicer is fouled on a fast break eight foot shot in the lane and hits two free throws for Fowler. Ewen-Trout Creek commits an offensive foul. Katie Spicer gets into the lane and hits a ten foot shot for Fowler. Ewen-Trout Creek misses a ten foot shot off the dribble from the side. Fowler travels while executing a post move. Izzy Halfmann steals the ball for the Eagles. Katie Spicer is fouled on a fast break layup and hits two free throws to give Fowler a 40-19 lead with 1:01 to play in quarter number three.

Izzy Halfmann ties up the ball. The Possession Arrow broke its coffee mug in the sink and missed the play while cleaning up the mess. The ball is awarded to the Panthers. Katie Spicer partially blocks a Panther three pointer from the side. Fowler misses a three point shot from the side. Ella Hufnagel gets the offensive rebound for the Eagles. Fowler misses a threeball from the side. Paige Thelen hits a putback just before the buzzer ends quarter number three.

Fowler has a 42-19 lead entering the fourth quarter.

Fowler has the ball to open the final quarter. Izzy Halfmann passes to Ella Hufnagel, who hits a fifteen foot shot from the baseline for the Eagles. Ewen-Trout Creek misses a layup. Fowler is whistled for a traveling violation. Bree Besonen drives and hits a layup for Ewen-Trout Creek to trim the Fowler lead to 44-21.

Fowler misses a threeball from the top of the key and fouls on the rebound. Ewen-Trout Creek misses a three point shot from the side. Ella Hufnagel hits a fast break layup for the Eagles. Ewen-Trout Creek misses a three point shot from the corner. Bree Besonen steals a Fowler home run pass. Irelynd McGeshick hits a fast break layup for Ewen-Trout Creek. Izzy Halfmann is fouled on a driving layup and makes two free throws to give Fowler a 48-23 lead with 5:16 left on the clock.

Bree Besonen drives and hits a layup for the Panthers. She is fouled on the play, but misses her free throw. Ella Hufnagel passes to Brook Webber, who makes a pump fake, takes a hard dribble and sinks a sixteen foot shot from the wing for Fowler. Ewen-Trout Creek misses a layup. Irelynd McGeschick hauls down the offensive rebound for the Panthers and is fouled on a putback. Irelynd McGeshick hits one of her two free throws. With 3:07 to play, Fowler has a 53-26 lead.

Fowler misses a layup. Bree Besonen passes to Emma Besonen, who hits a three point shot from the corner for the Panthers. Emma Besonen gets a hand on the ball, but Fowler recovers. Fowler runs about a minute off the clock and then calls timeout to put in subs. Selena Stump, Saige Miller, Paisley Hansen, Neelah O’Rourke and Cali Thelen all enter the game for the Eagles.

Hannah Ferguson ties up the ball for the Panthers. The Possession Arrow loves her hustle and awards the ball to Ewen-Trout Creek. The Panthers miss a three point shot from the side. Neelah O’Rourke pulls down the rebound for the Eagles and Fowler dribbles out the clock.

Fowler wins the game and the girls Division 4 Basketball Championship by the final score of 53-29.

Emma Besonen led the Ewen-Trout Creek scoring with 13 points. Bree Besonen supported her teammate with 9 points. Irelynd McGeshick added 7 points.

Katie Spicer led the Fowler scoring with 17 points. Ella Hufnagel and Brooke Weber joined her in double figures with 10 points each. Paige Thelen contributed 6 points. Izzy Halfmann scored 5 points. Selena Stump put in 3 points and Neelah O’Rourke had 2 points.