Kayla Bridges takes the ball strong  against Isis Haywood.

Chiefs prevail in cross-campus tilt

BY ED WRIGHT
Jan. 16, 2010, 4  p.m.

  Plymouth girls basketball coach Ted Sturdivant knows all too well how much damage twins Kari and Sarah Schmitt can inflict on their opponents' chances of winning.
 
  You see, the Schmitts toiled for Sturdivant back in the seventh- and eighth-grade AAU days.

  "I liked it better when they were on my team," Sturdivant joked, recently.

  For good reason.

  The latest Sturdivant-Schmitts reunion unfolded Friday night at Plymouth High School, where the twins and Kayla Bridges lifted the Chiefs over Plymouth, 55-24.

  Kari Schmitt busted loose for 20 points, including 10 in the final eight minutes, and 13 rebounds to hand the Wildcats a 55-24 setback in front of a jam-packed, noisy crowd.

  The victory lifted Canton, which is ranked No. 3 in Division 1, to 8-1 overall and 3-0 in the KLAA South Division.

  The Wildcats dropped to 2-6 and 1-2.

  Canton coach Brian Samulski was impressed by the atmosphere that enveloped the game, which preceded the Plymouth-vs.-Canton boys showdown. Large student sections were organized behind both baskets and parents and other fans packed the gym's west grandstands.

  "I thought it was all pretty cool," he said. "All the boys players came to watch our game and I know our girls our sticking around to watch the boys games.

  "This is what high school basketball is supposed to be about. If we were playing over at Canton right now at the same time as the boys, you wouldn't have a crowd like this."

  As far as the action on the hardwood, Samulski praised the efforts of Kari Schmidt and Kayla Bridges, who combined for 26 points -- four more than the entire Plymouth team.

  "They both pounded the glass. I wasn't please with our defense in the first half. We were reaching to much instead of playing fundamental defense. The second half we didn't reach as much."

  Canton led 13-7 at the end of one quarter and 28-16 at the half before putting a lock and key on the win with an 18-2 fourth-quarter spurt.

  Stacey Klonowski led Plymouth with six points.