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No. 2 Chassell routs Jeffers 62-24 for Copper Mountain Conference lead

Meg Hokenson (10) shoots during Chassell’s 62-24 win over Jeffers, Tuesday at Jeffers. (Eden Laase/Daily Mining Gazette)

PAINESDALE — It’s no secret what kind of defense the Chassell Panthers will run. They’ve been using the same scheme since Brandi Hainault took the head coaching job six years ago, and they will use it for as long as she remains at the helm. The players, she said, always have to mold themselves into the system, never the other way around.

So when Jeffers hosted Chassell on Tuesday for a battle of the Copper Country Conference’s two unbeaten teams, the Jets were prepared. They spent two weeks practicing for Chassell’s pressure.

They weren’t expecting any surprises, and they didn’t get any.

But Chassell did what Chassell does, and the Panthers coasted to a 62-24 victory over the Jets (5-4, 5-1).

“They played very strong defense and focused on the little things, Hainault said. “They made it hard for Jeffers to score and they are a good team.

“This system is what works and the girls understand that it makes our team what we want it to be.”

Chassell (9-1, 8-0) has been suffocating teams with intense pressure all season, but those opponents didn’t mean nearly as much as Jeffers. Going into Tuesday night’s game, the Panthers knew a victory would place them atop the conference. That was enough to get the team excited, but throw in a little revenge, and the stakes got even higher.

Last season Jeffers topped Chassell in the district tournament, so this season the Panthers have been waiting for a shot at the Jets.

“It has been in the back of our minds all season, and we had a lot to prove,” Hainault said. “There was a lot of pressure. Jeffers is always hard to begin with and then you throw in the fact that they were undefeated and we were undefeated. It was a high-stakes game. The girls knew it and I’m happy with the way they responded, because it is those pressure games where you have to know how to play.”

The Panthers didn’t waste any time getting their revenge. They opened on an 8-0 run, forcing Jeffers’ coach Joe Romano to call two quick timeouts in the first quarter. But no amount of talking could save Jeffers from Chassell’s quick feet, two-player traps on the sideline and the constant presence of hands in the passing lanes.

Chassell jumped out to a 14-2 first-quarter lead, and from there, the Panthers were in complete control.

“Our kids were trying to be too perfect, and we can’t do that,” Romano said. “We had nothing to lose. Chassell is the team that has to stay undefeated. Jeffers doesn’t because nobody thinks we are going to win.”

This time, all those naysayers were right, but Romano thinks the loss is good for his team. Now, the Jets can be even more prepared for Chassell.

“It ain’t over,” he said. “We get two more shots at them. We are two points down chasing them for the conference, but I think we will do better when we play them in Chassell. I think this time our kids panicked.”

While Jeffers panicked, Chassell remained collected, swinging the ball and finding the open player. Milly Allen led the way with 19 points and Jenna Pietila provided an extra spark with 17 points of her own.

When the game opened, Pietila passed up numerous shots, choosing instead to feed her teammates. But midway through the first quarter, she fired up her first 3-pointer, and it was like something clicked. She drained four more before the game ended.

“I think she started to figure it out, but usually I have to tell her to shoot,” Hainault said. “She is a giving kind of person, so she is always looking for someone. That is a great quality, but she is a shooter. She spends a lot of time in the gym, so she should shoot.”

Next up Chassell hosts Hancock on Thursday a 7:15 p.m. Jeffers welcomes Baraga on Friday at 7:20 p.m.

– – –

Chassell 14    17    20    11    —    62

Jeffers 2    6    11    7    —    24

Chassell — Pietila 17, Hokenson 5, Huhta 5, Allen 19, Danison 6, Rautiola 4, Goddard 6. F: 12. Fouled out: None. Free throws: 5-6. 3-point field goals: Pietila 5, Hokenson, Allen 3.

Jeffers: Klemett 5, Hillstrom 3, Stevens 2, Asiala 2, Johnson 2, Pietila 5, Kinnunen 5. F: 14. Fouled out: None. Free throws: 9-14. 3-point field goals: Klemett, Hillstrom, Pietila.

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