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STURGIS — Andy Phillips and the Sturgis girls were prepared to have a good season on the court.
Their preparation proved to be worth it. Sturgis put together a very strong season which saw them compile 20 victories on the season and a spot in the regional round before the year came to a close. The Trojans won the school's first Division 1 district title in any sport, a district title that was more than a decade in the making. They had fun along the way and made some noise.
But the Trojans were upended by DeWitt, 39-38, in the regional semifinals at Holt High School. It was a game where Sturgis fell behind early, but showed resilience and tenacity on the floor in battling back. The one-point defeat was certainly one that hurt, because the Trojans were right there.
"I'm just proud of them, this group has been incredible," Phillips said following the team's final loss. "We asked them to be committed and they did that all year. I thought we played good defense tonight, probably not our best shooting night, but we fought back."
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Phillips and the Trojans have been selected as the Sturgis Journal Basketball Team of the Year for the girls.
Sturgis suffered defeat only four times this past year. Two of those losses came to rival Otsego in close games. In fact, each of the four defeats for the Trojans were tight games until the end.
The four losses for Sturgis came by a combined 15 points. The 20 victories for the Trojans saw them finish second overall in the Wolverine Conference (12-2). The Trojans averaged better than 50 points per game offensively this year, but it was the defense which proved to be instrumental to their success.
Sturgis yielded an average of just over 35 points per game to its opponents this season. The defense traveled, allowing the Trojans to know they were going to be in every game they took the court.
In the district finals, Sturgis avenged an earlier-season loss to Coldwater at The Fieldhouse in Battle Creek. The 44-38 victory for Sturgis gave the Trojans the school's first district championship in more than a decade.
"This is beautiful. This is a lifetime memory for these girls and I'm so happy for them," Phillips said. "They have bought into what we're doing. We knew winning a district was possible, but we knew it would be tough."
Four Trojans earned their way onto the Wolverine All-Conference squad for their efforts during the season.
Senior Kinder Smith was a First Team selection for SHS. Senior Sydney Bir and sophomore Cora Phillips were both named Second Team and senior Angela Cary was an honorable mention recipient.
Cary was also voted as the Sturgis Journal Female Hooper of the Year.
The seniors - Cary, Smith, Bir, Tessa Hatt and Kenzie Eicher - meant a lot to the Trojan program and all will be on the track and field team, which is expected to contend again for a state championship.
"The seniors put this program at a high level in terms of their will to win, that's where you make some strides," Phillips said. "We are going to challenge the underclassmen to step up and see that will. Our seniors will be tough to replace."
Contact Sports Editor Brandon Watson at [email protected]. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @BwatsonSJ.
This article originally appeared on Sturgis Journal: Sturgis High is Sturgis Journal Girls Basketball Team of the Year
Continue reading...
Their preparation proved to be worth it. Sturgis put together a very strong season which saw them compile 20 victories on the season and a spot in the regional round before the year came to a close. The Trojans won the school's first Division 1 district title in any sport, a district title that was more than a decade in the making. They had fun along the way and made some noise.
But the Trojans were upended by DeWitt, 39-38, in the regional semifinals at Holt High School. It was a game where Sturgis fell behind early, but showed resilience and tenacity on the floor in battling back. The one-point defeat was certainly one that hurt, because the Trojans were right there.
"I'm just proud of them, this group has been incredible," Phillips said following the team's final loss. "We asked them to be committed and they did that all year. I thought we played good defense tonight, probably not our best shooting night, but we fought back."
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PRESTON TO CHARLESTON: How Colon's Lily Preston landed at NCAA Division II rising program
TEACHER OF THE MONTH: Meet the Sturgis Journal Amazing Teacher for the month: Sherry Hibbard
Phillips and the Trojans have been selected as the Sturgis Journal Basketball Team of the Year for the girls.
Sturgis suffered defeat only four times this past year. Two of those losses came to rival Otsego in close games. In fact, each of the four defeats for the Trojans were tight games until the end.
The four losses for Sturgis came by a combined 15 points. The 20 victories for the Trojans saw them finish second overall in the Wolverine Conference (12-2). The Trojans averaged better than 50 points per game offensively this year, but it was the defense which proved to be instrumental to their success.
Sturgis yielded an average of just over 35 points per game to its opponents this season. The defense traveled, allowing the Trojans to know they were going to be in every game they took the court.
In the district finals, Sturgis avenged an earlier-season loss to Coldwater at The Fieldhouse in Battle Creek. The 44-38 victory for Sturgis gave the Trojans the school's first district championship in more than a decade.
"This is beautiful. This is a lifetime memory for these girls and I'm so happy for them," Phillips said. "They have bought into what we're doing. We knew winning a district was possible, but we knew it would be tough."
Four Trojans earned their way onto the Wolverine All-Conference squad for their efforts during the season.
Senior Kinder Smith was a First Team selection for SHS. Senior Sydney Bir and sophomore Cora Phillips were both named Second Team and senior Angela Cary was an honorable mention recipient.
Cary was also voted as the Sturgis Journal Female Hooper of the Year.
The seniors - Cary, Smith, Bir, Tessa Hatt and Kenzie Eicher - meant a lot to the Trojan program and all will be on the track and field team, which is expected to contend again for a state championship.
"The seniors put this program at a high level in terms of their will to win, that's where you make some strides," Phillips said. "We are going to challenge the underclassmen to step up and see that will. Our seniors will be tough to replace."
Contact Sports Editor Brandon Watson at [email protected]. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @BwatsonSJ.
This article originally appeared on Sturgis Journal: Sturgis High is Sturgis Journal Girls Basketball Team of the Year
Continue reading...
