Jamie Glenn/Daily Mining Gazette Baraga’s Rylie Koskinen drives up the floor while a Lake Linden-Hubbell defender attempts to keep her to the outside during a Division 4 District 98 quarterfinal game Monday in the Baraga Gym.

BARAGA — It would be tough for any team to battle back from a 36-3 deficit at halftime, but to try to do it against a very tough Baraga Vikings girls basketball team who was playing its Division 4 District 98 match at home proved too much for the visiting Lake Linden-Hubbell Lakes Monday.

The Vikings jumped out ahead early and then stifled the Lakes with an aggressive defense, stealing the ball at nearly every turn in the opening half and sinking in five threes for sizable advantage at the half.

“Our defense was very aggressive and the girls rotated well,” said Vikings coach Tom Goodreau. “They knew their responsibilities and they were pretty focused. (The three point shot) oppened up down the middle. Sometimes, when you hit those three-point shots, it opens it up down low and we were able to take advantage of that. We had a lot of three-point shots (which) also opened up cuts in the lane.”

Before the night was over, the Vikings hit eight from beyond the arc.

Lakes junior Megan Corrigan helped spark the visitors for their best quarter offensively in third, but the Vikings’ fast break made the game unreachable for the visitors.

“Our fast break was working well,” said Goodreau. “I told the girls before the game that every opportunity we get, we have to try and push the ball and make good decisions when we did. I think they did a really good job with that tonight.”

With three minutes to go in the third, Baraga senior Martina Jahfetson ran inside the paint for a layup, giving the hosts a 50-10 lead. Jahfetson led the Vikings (17-3 overall) with 23 points on the night.

Four inside buckets and two three-point shots sealed the game for the Vikings.

For Lakes coach Bill Rivest, the hard work that is put in during the offseason for the Vikings is what got his team in the end. The Lakes (7-14 overall) ended the season with seven wins, but Rivest would like to see his team work this summer to get more comfortable on the floor.

“They’re just a very good ball club and they play all summer long (and play) tournaments,” he said. “Even though they’re young, the experience they have playing at that level of competition is something that we’re not used to.

“We played much better against them the last time we played them, but they came out (and) were on fire. They were aggressive. They just took it to us.”

“When we were going through the season we played really well against some teams,” said Rivest. “Baraga (was) not one of them, but we came about. We ended up with seven wins in the year. We could never make that step to the next level. That was probably something that we would’ve like to have done today but it wasn’t in the cards this year.”

“The kids know that in the summertime they’ve got to play a little bit more (and will have to) shoot a lot more so that they are comfortable when they get in games that (are hard).”

Baraga will face the Hancock Bulldogs at home on Wednesday, the two have not met yet this season.

“I don’t know a lot about them. I know they can shoot the three ball. I know that they’ve got Taylor Sebbas and she’s really good inside because she’s so quick. We’ve got a lot of work defensively to be able to defend against that.”

Lake Linden 0 3 7 6 – 16

Baraga 22 17 19 15 – 73

LLH: LePage 7, Corrigan 3, Palosaari 2, Keranen 2, Perala 2; Fouls: 16; Fouled out: none; 3-point field goals: none

BAR: Jahfetson 23, Kamarainen 9, Koskinen 19, Osterman 5, Lindemann 7, Kahkonen 4, Durant 6; Fouls: 14; Fouled out: none; 3-point field goals: Jahfetson 5, Kamarainen 1, Koskinen 1, Lindemann 1