Houghton’s Maryellen Trewhella, right, drives to the basket past Kingsford’s Erika Malone during a MHSAA Division 2 District 33 semifinal on Monday, March 22, 2021, in Houghton, Mich. (Eddie O’Neill/The Daily Mining Gazette)

HOUGHTON — It’s been said that an athletic team should be playing its best ball at the end of the season and preferably in the playoffs as that’s when it really counts.

That certainly was the case for the Houghton girl’s basketball team on Monday as it came to play and downed the Kingsford Flivvers 65-40 in a MHSAA Division 2 District 33 semifinal.

The Gremlins (13-5) host Escanaba for the district championship today.

“I thought we were operating on all four cylinders tonight,” said Houghton head coach Julie Filpus.

We overcame some diversity in the foul department in the first with Maryellen Trewhella getting two fouls right away, but we turned it on in the second.”

On the other hand the first belonged to the Flivvers as they earned a 16-14 lead after eight minutes.

“We came out strong and we were hitting our shots and that was a good thing,” said Kingsford head coach Jon Lorenzoni. “That builds momentum. As well, I thought we penetrated and kicked the ball well in the first and our defensive intensity was good.”

However, it stopped there as the Gremlins went on a 17-2 scoring spree to start the second. It was 31-18 just before the midway point and the Gremlins never looked back.

“There was a stretch in the second quarter where our half court defense was outstanding,” Filpus said. “We were getting some five-second calls, deflections. and we were just in the right spot when we needed to be.”

Houghton led 34-20 at halftime.

The Gremlins just kept rolling in the third and fourth quarters with their pesky defense and patient offense. It was a team effort on both ends of the court.

“We are playing some good basketball at the right time,” added Filpus.

Stella Wickstrom led the Gremlins with 20 points and 21 rebounds.

Wickstrom was followed by Paige Sleeman’s 18 points, and Annika Peterson scored 16 points.

Paige had a great game,” said Filpus, “but I was so proud of the effort put in by Annika. She stepped up in a big way for us. She’s been working on her shot all season long, and it came together tonight.”

The Flivvers ended the season at 1-14. Despite the lone win, the season was a good one in the eyes of Lorenzoni.

“The best part was we got to play,” he said. “We had a season despite the pandemic and quarantines and everything else. I told the girls tonight in the locker room that they were a fun group to be around, and I know that the seniors, in particular, will go on to do great things.”