Port Huron Northern’s Olivia Ramsey makes a layup against Port Huron on Dec. 9, 2016.
Any team that plays Port Huron Northern is going to get a heavy dose of wall-to-wall pressure.
The latest team in the Huskies path was crosstown rival Port Huron, which saw Northern jump to an early lead and run to a 69-32 victory to move to 3-0 overall.
“We’re running the ball very good this year,” Northern senior Kendyl Keyes said. “We’re a really athletic team, and getting the ball up the court is what we’re focusing on. And this was a game we really did that well.”
The Huskies had 10 scorers on the night, led by Bree Bauer’s 16 points. Jenna Koppinger had 12, and Keyes and Allie Sanderson each chipped in nine.
The Big Reds – who are now 0-3 overall – were led by Madeline Trombly and her 10 points, and Nicole Mallory also had six.
Port Huron’s Kelsie Chapman looks to shoot with Northern’s Bree Bauer playing defense on Dec. 9, 2016.
After the game Port Huron head coach Becky Gilbert noted how she wants this loss to resonate with the team, making sure they learn from the mistakes made early on.
“We got to make sure that does not happen again,” Gilbert said. “It’s got to not sit well with us, and we need to come back on Monday and prepare for our next game and keep moving.”
Despite the wide margin Friday night, Gilbert has seen bright moments with her team throughout the early portion of the season. Before league play rolls around, it’s just a matter of getting everyone in sync.
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“We have a lot of good things going with our team, but we just need to work together and get it going,” Gilbert said. “You see it in little spurts with good energy … but we just need to make sure it comes together.”
Northern pushed the throttle to the limit to start the game, capping a 10-0 with a Keyes layup less than two minutes into the game. Once the Big Reds broke out a timeout Lindsey Crane hit a layup to put Port Huron on the board, but the Huskies got right back to scoring.
Port Huron Northern’s Kathleen O’Connor passes it by Port Huron’s Kelsie Chapman on Dec. 9, 2016.
“It’s a big game and emotions are high,” Keyes said. “We knew we had to come out with a lot of spirit and fire, and ultimately we did.”
With Brooke Austin hitting a 3-pointer for Northern as the first quarter came to a close, the Huskies held a 24-10 lead going into the second quarter. That lead only grew as the teams went into halftime with Northern leading 47-16
Bauer already had a solid stat line at the break, scoring 14 points in the first half. Keyes also had nine points, and Koppinger had eight points.
For Port Huron, Trombly paced the Big Reds with eight points.
The Huskies kept on pulling away in the third quarter, entering the fourth with a hefty 62-27 lead. The Huskies eventually kicked in the 40-point running-clock rule in the fourth quarter to close out the night with its big rivalry win.
Port Huron’s Alexis Cantu is swarmed by Port Huron Northern’s Jenna Koppinger and Olivia Ramsey on Dec. 9, 2016.
