Elite Status

Red-hot Canton earns spot in Class A quarterfinals for first time since '94

BY ED WRIGHT
March 11, 2010, 10:15 p.m.

  To paraphrase Rhianna, you'd better go hard when you play Canton's girls basketball team these days, or else you'll be going home.

  On Thursday night at Ann Arbor Pioneer High School, the Chiefs persevered through some early struggles before sending Ann Arbor Huron packing, 54-37, in a Class A Regional final.

  The victory propelled the 23-1 Chiefs into Tuesday's 7 p.m. quarterfinal showdown against Midland Dow at Davison High School. The Chemics nipped Flushing, 43-42, in Thursday's Regional final.

   Canton reached the "Elite Eight" for the first time since 1994 by following its season-long method of operations: crash the boards for every missed shot, hit the floor for every loose ball and keep the foot on the accelerator for 32 minutes.

  "This group has very high expectations and they have a lot of drive," said Canton coach Brian Samulski, who was a senior at Canton the last time the Chiefs girls hoop team reached the quarterfinals. "Once this team gets a little momentum like we did tonight in the third quarter, it keeps pushing.

  "Win or lose, it's a great group to coach. They not only play hard, compete and get after it on the floor, but most importantly, they're great kids, not just great players. I couldn't ask for a better group of girls."

  The quick, athletic River Rats provided a stiff test for the Chiefs throughout most of the first half, building a 17-13 lead three minutes into the second quarter on a pair of free throws from Charlise Slater.

  Canton seized the momentum for good moments later when it reeled off eight straight points on two Sara Schmitt free throws, a Kari Schmitt jumper, a fast-break lay-up from Alyssa Cottrell and an uncontested lay-up by Cottrell, who found herself wide open underneath the basket thanks to a trap-busting pass from Robyn Mack.

  After taking a 22-19 lead into the half, the Chiefs seized control for good in the third quarter, scoring the first six points on a Kayla Bridges putback and a pair of buckets from Kari Schmitt: the first a putback, the other a deep jumper.

  A perfect snapshot of the Chiefs' relentless pursuit of the ball unfolded with 5:29 to play in the third quarter when Kari Schmitt wrestled an offensive rebound away from Huron's  Jasmine Magee and was fouled by Magee a half-second later.

  After Schmitt missed the second free throw, three Canton players hustled after the ball, eventually forcing Slater to dribble it off her foot and out of bounds.

  Following an inbounds pass, the Chiefs grabbed three straight offensive rebounds off missed shots with Bridges finally getting fouled after the third.

  "It's our competitive nature," Cottrell said, when asked how the Chiefs manage to control so many loose balls and up-for-grabs boards. "We want to win so badly every time we step on the court.

  "In the first half tonight, it took us a while to get our nerves calmed, but we really came together as a team in the third quarter.  We just worked well off each other."

  Kari Schmitt notched an impressive double-double, netting 13 points and 11 rebounds (both team highs). Junior guard Melanie Pickert tallied 12 points -- eight coming from the free throw line -- and Sara Schmitt added 10 points and five boards.

  Cottrell also had a solid night, scoring eight points.

  The Chiefs lived at the line in the fourth quarter, shooting 18 free throws, nine of which found the net.

  The River Rats took advantage of Canton's aggressive defense in the first quarter, utilizing back-door passes to convert five of nine shots. However, the Chiefs buckled down the rest of the night, holding Huron to seven-of-26 shooting.

  DeVonyea Johnson was the lone River Rat to hit for double figures, scoring 10. Yonica Dupress also played well, netting nine points.

  Canton dominated the glass, outrebounding Huron, 30-15. Mack, Bridges and Sara Schmitt complemented Kari Schmitt's 11-rebound night with five boards a pierce.

  "Last year we got knocked out in the Regional semis, but with everybody coming back this year, we knew we could get farther this year," Cottrell said, flashing a huge smile. "We want to go soooo far with this team. We're happy we won the Regional, but we're not satisfied yet."

  Ed Wright can be reached at (734) 453-1980 or info@plymouthcantonsports.com.
 

Lindsey Winters pushes the ball up court Thursday night. (photo by John Kemski)