Dragon Ladies can Celebrate District Crown

Written Saturday March 6th, at 12:55 AM

In a phase a few weeks ago that wasn't even possible, the Lake Orion girls basketball team can finally celebrate their third district crown in four years. But the week wasn't that easy for the ladies if they wanted to get the prize. They had to go through the Rochester schools to gain the prize that they desired.

On Monday the ladies took on Rochester Adams in the first round of the district tournament and the first of the Rochester schools. Adams entered the game, at 12-8, and 9-5 in the OAA White. Adams proved to be no match as the Dragons outscored the Highlanders 29-9 in the first half, in rout to a 29-9 halftime lead. The Dragons went on to defeat the Highlanders 57-41 thanks to small forward Jackie Hood's 15 points, power forward Marisa Secontine added 13 points along with center Alexis Haan also adding 13 points. Shooting guard Jessica Lang scored 17 points to lead the Highlanders in the defeat.

On Wednesday if there wasn't a day the Dragons were looking forward to, it was Wednesday night and it was the Rochester Falcons in the district semifinals, the second of the Rochester schools. Earlier in the season the Falcons, who entered the game 10-10 and 9-5 in the OAA Red beat the Dragons twice, 47-32 at Rochester and 60-53 at Lake Orion. Things got crazy before the game even started, when the Falcons coaching staff demanded that they sit on the home side of the bench, because they were the home team in the bracket, and were wearing the white jerseys to prove it. However since the game was played at Lake Orion, the Dragons chose to sit on their normal bench, which would also help the clock, there is also a rule that the host school is always the home team even if they are the visitor on the scoreboard because of the home court. Both Rochester's Athletic Director and Orion Athletic Director Bill Reiss settled it, by making Lake Orion the home team in the book and have the bench, despite the fact that they were wearing their road green jerseys.

Rochester also had the returning Megan Heiden playing in just her second game back from a suspension for walking out on her coaching staff and teammates during their game against the Troy Colts. Many people thought it would be a distraction since she was on the court. In her first game back from suspension she torched Pontiac, scoring 18 points in a 49-39 win over the Phoenix on Senior's night at Rochester, but that was then now to the game. The Dragons were on fire early, outscoring the Falcons 10-4 in the first quarter, but the Falcons hung in there only trailing 20-17 at the half. The Dragons then went on a 13-7 run and ended the third quarter up 33-24 on their hated OAA Red rivals. Rochester then had an answer for the Dragons run, led by their point guard Ashley Keyes. The Falcons went on a 8-2 run and cut the Dragons lead to 35-32 with 3:07 left in the game, but that is how close the Falcons got to the Dragons. Orion then went on a 11-6 run to close out the game and get sweet revenge by knocking the Falcons out of the playoffs with a 46-38 victory. Hood led the Dragon attack with a double-double, 17 points and 12 rebounds, Haan added 12 points and eight boards for Orion. Keyes had 15 points, and Heiden added ten points for the Falcons in the defeat.

On Friday night the Dragons were back in the a familiar place, the district championship game and it was against an old foe the Dragons beat earlier in the season 61-51, the Stoney Creek Cougars, the third and final Rochester school remaining in the districts. Stoney Creek came into play with a 15-7 record and 11-3 in the OAA White. The Cougars were also the co-OAA White division champions along with Auburn Hills Avondale and Troy Athens. Also it was the Cougars first ever trip to the district finals, so they hope it would be a memorable one for them. Stoney Creek was also led by super sophomore Gabby Yurik, who in the game at Stoney Creek torched the Dragons with 27 points, most her shots coming from the three point line.

The Cougars are a team that likes to shoot three pointers, and do them very well, but they also have an inside game in center Lauren Vagt, and she played well early in the district finals. Stoney Creek fed her the ball and she made them. Vagt scored the Cougars first eight points of the game, and also all the first quarter points for the Cougars. However the Dragons had an answer in the form of power forward Marisa Secontine. Secontine was hot early for the Dragons, scoring their first eight points to match Vagt. However a three pointer, and the only three pointer of the game by shooting guard Maddi Gagen and a added 9-0 run gave the Dragons some breathing room as they took an early 17-8 lead after the end of the first quarter.

Stoney Creek then made a run in the second quarter, quickly getting the Dragon lead back down to single digits, lead by Yurik. The Cougars outscored the Dragons 16-12 in the quarter but still trailed the Dragons 29-24 at the half. The third quarter was all Dragons, the Cougars went ice cold, especially with their three point shooting. The Dragons lead then increased from five back to 12 to start the fourth quarter. The Dragons lead 39-27 after three quarters. In the fourth quarter the Cougars started to get hot, with the three ball, but the Dragons matched them point for point in a six minute span, then Orion started missing shots, and saw their lead dissipate from 12 to three points at 49-46 with two minutes remaining in the game. The Dragons responded by going five for six at the free throw line late, and escaping with the district championship with a 54-48 victory over the Cougars in the process. Secontine lead all scorers with 19 points, Haan added eight points, and Hood added 14 points for the Dragons. Yurik added 15 points, and Vagt added 12 points for the Cougars in the defeat.

The Dragons are now the 2010 District 30 Champions, and are now 15-8 overall. The team is now in a brutal regional with state powerhouses fourth ranked Detroit Renaissance, second ranked Birmingham Marian, and also add Waterford Mott in that region, it's loaded. The Dragons will take on second ranked Birmingham Marian Tuesday night at 8 PM at Troy Athens High School. The Mustangs come in 21-1, with their only loss to Plymouth Canton, so this should be an interesting game between the OAA and the Catholic League. GO GREEN.