×

Houghton girls top L’Anse 66-55

Kara Pietila of Houghton battles two L'Anse players for a rebound in Tuesday's game in Houghton. Pietila's 22 points led the Gremlins to a 66-55 win. (Paul Peterson photo)

HOUGHTON — It wasn’t textbook style for the Houghton High girls basketball team Tuesday night.

But Houghton coach Julie Filpus saw enough good things from her team to be satisfied in a 66-55 West-PAC victory over the L’Anse Purple Hornets.

“We did some good things tonight,” she said. “We’re not playing with the kind of spark we had this summer. But we played well enough to win the game.”

Both teams were operating without key backcourt players.

L’Anse was without the services of senior point guard Sarah Dix, while Houghton played minus senior swing guard Maddie Dillinger.

“I guess you could call it a wash,” Hornets coach Scott Lloyd said. “They are both good ballplayers who contribute a lot. I know Sarah (Dix) was missed tonight.”

The Purple Hornets started off strongly, thanks to the play of Taylor Brown and Maija Rice.

Each tossed in eight points to pace L’Anse to a 17-12 lead after one quarter.

But the Orange and Black found their legs in the second frame, outscoring L’Anse by a 17-7 count for a 29-24 halftime lead.

“We missed a bunch of close-in shots early,” Lloyd said. “If you give a team like Houghton some breathing room, they’re going to take it.”

Seniors Kara Pietila and Harlee Froberg prospered from the extra opportunity.

Pietila notched a game-high 22 points, including two key sequences in the final minute of play.

With L’Anse fouling to send the Gremlins to the free-throw line, Pietila grabbed a pair of offensive boards and converted them into four points.

“Those were two big plays on Kara’s part,” Filpus said. “We kept them from scoring and that put the game out of reach for L’Anse.”

Pietila had lots of help in the scoring department. In addition to Froberg’s 14 points, Kendra Monette and Cassie Ryynanen were good for 11 points each.

Monette grabbed a game-high 11 rebounds, while MacKenzie Klein had nine more rebounds.

The Hornets, 4-2 overall on the season, were led in scoring by Maija Rice with 17 points. Addison Mattson had 10 more and Brown chipped in nine points and eight rebounds.

“They (Gremlins) pounded us pretty good on the boards tonight,” Lloyd said of his team being outrebounded 44-26. ‘We’ve got to get better in that department.”

Houghton (3-2, 2-0) will travel to Westwood on Dec. 27.

The Purple Hornets journey to Calumet on Thursday.

– – –

L’Anse 17 7 15 16 – 55

Houghton 12 17 21 16 – 66

L’ANSE — M. Rice 17, Mattson 10, Voskuhl 7, J. Rice 2, Brown 9, Nankervis 4. FT: 11-14; Rebounds: 26 (Brown 8); Fouls: 18; Fouled out: None; 3-point FG: None.

HOUGHTON — Ryynanen 11, Pietila 22, Klein 8, Froberg 14, Monette 11. FT: 11-12; Rebounds: 44 (Monette 11); Fouls: 14; Fouled out; None; 3-point FG: Monette 1.

Newsletter

Today's breaking news and more in your inbox

I'm interested in (please check all that apply)
Are you a paying subscriber to the newspaper? *
   

Starting at $4.62/week.

Subscribe Today