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Chassell is no underdog, the Panthers are meant to be here

Chassell's Jenna Pietila goes up for a layup surrounded by Waterford Our Lady defenders Thursday in Grand Rapids. (James Cook/Traverse City Record-Eagle)

GRAND RAPIDS — It was a reasonable statement to Brandi Hainault. 

“You got your own ‘Hoosiers’ story going on here,” a member of the media said to the Chassell coach after her team’s 55-51 semifinal win over Waterford Our Lady. And without missing a beat, Hainault replied, “I didn’t measure the rim, though,” referencing the iconic scene where coach Norman Dale attempts to calm his team before a state final by showing the players the rim is 10 feet high, just like the gym back at Hickory. 

There are certainly small-town parallels between Chassell and Hickory. Chassell features a population of around 2,000, while the high school has an enrollment of 83. Compare that to Waterford Our Lady, a parochial powerhouse that is located in an area with a population of 72,166, and it’s easy to label Chassell as the jump-start underdog, similar to Hickory, who is overachieving against some of the state’s best teams. That’s a feel-good story, right?

Except it doesn’t quite work. And perhaps that’s why Hainault never felt the need to measure the rim or pull off any other stunt to put her team at ease on this big stage — because this group knows it belongs here.

All year, No. 6 Chassell has been ranked in the top 10 in the state as it blew teams out by over 30 points a night during the regular season. Then, the Panthers topped some of the best teams in the state: No. 3 Munising, No. 4 Gaylord St. Mary and No. 8 Waterford Our Lady. Heck, that’s 1/3 of the top 10 teams in the state. The Panthers aren’t a Cinderella team, they’re a juggernaut. 

“In their minds, U.P. teams are underdogs,” Hainault said about the stigma attached to U.P. schools. “They think it’s crazy we lost the first game in districts (last year). It just shows the competition in the U.P. is there. Teams can play.”

They’re not the longshot, but the Panthers are just as likable and easy to cheer for as the heroes in the stories. They’re the only public school to qualify for a loaded state semifinals that included teams with rich traditions. They play with a blue-collar mentality and feature an edge to them that’s been fueled by the phrase “Prove it.” And lastly, they’re nice people. A pretty simple concept, yes. But there’s something to be said for a group that gets along as well as these girls. You won’t see any of them talk back to Hainault, pout or complain, talk trash to opposing teams or pester refs about missed calls. They’re a group the U.P. can be proud to support. 

“It’s a dream to have a team like this,” Hainault said. “It’s something every coach wants. They compliment each other, and that’s why this works. 

“They’re different personalities and know how to use each other’s strengths. They trust each other and have their backs.”

That kind of trust and chemistry comes from a group that’s been through it all. The Panthers experienced its first emotional high when they captured a district title as sophomores, only to feel the despair of defeat during their failure to defend their title last season, losing to Jeffers in a district semifinal. 

Chassell’s road to Saturday’s state title against Adrian Lenawee Christian began with that loss to Jeffers. Just like any great story, there’s an origin that serves as the motivating factor throughout, and for Chassell, in came in the form of that heartbreaking defeat.

“It was devastating to lose,” Hainault said. “But it gave them that hunger to work hard in the summer and do whatever it takes to get to this point. This has always been our goal. Win the regional, then get down here.”

The Panthers are here. On the grandest stage, for all the state to see. They’ll be on TV, and they’ll probably be looked at as the David going against Goliath, taking on an Adrian Lenawee Christian school that’s from a town of over 20,000. 

The Panthers don’t see it as a fairytale, but they wouldn’t mind a storybook ending.

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