By SCOTT NOVAK
Vigilant/Argus

DOWAGIAC – A 23-4 run to open Monday night’s Class B District basketball game allowed St. Joseph to roll on to a 76-56 win over Edwardsburg in the first game of a doubleheader.

In the nightcap, Lakeshore rallied to defeat Dowagiac 46-43.

The Bears now advance to Wednesday night’s semifinal where it will take on Buchanan at 7:30.

The Lancers will face Berrien Springs in the first game on Wednesday at 5:30 p.m.

Kaitlin Mavis scored a game-high 25 points, including four 3-pointers as St. Joseph defeated Edwardsburg with ease.

The Bears used that 23-4 run to start the game, which led to a 27-8 advantage after one period of play.

The Eddies did play better in the final three quarters of the game, but the damage had already been done by that point.

Edwardsburg actually outscored St. Joseph in the second quarter 13-11 to trim the lead to 38-21 at the intermission, but the Eddies were never able to seriously threaten the Bears’ advantage in the final 16 minutes of play.

The Bears were able to increase their lead by three points in the third quarter and took a 58-38 advantage into the final period.

Both teams finished with 18 points in the fourth quarter.

Besides Mavis, St. Joseph also got double digit  efforts from Erika Priebe with 12 and Lindsay Peirce with 11.

Sarah D’Amico paced the Eddies with 16 points. Emily Kozinski and Rachel Vite both finished with 14 points.

EDWARDSBURG 56
Rachel Vite 5 4-5 14; Leslie Boyles 0 0-0 0; Emily Kozinski 4 4-4 14; Jill Blough 0 0-1 0; Sarah D’Amico 6 2-4 16; Ashley Streb 4 0-2 8; Mariah Murphy 1 0-0 2; Brandi Fleischaur 0 0-0 0; Brooke Portwood 1 0-0 2; Heather Phillips 0 0-0 0. TOTALS: 21 10-16 56
ST. JOSEPH 76
Alesya Schalk 1 0-0 2; Christina Valentine 3 0-0 8; Leanne Priebe 3 1-6 7; Lindsay Peirce 3 4-4 11; Kaitlin Mavis 9 3-4 25; Courtney Caid 0 0-0 0; Sydney Weisser 0 0-0 0; Jasmine Williams 2 1-2 5; Erika Priebe 5 1-2 12; Hayley Knuth 2 2-4 6. TOTALS: 28 12-22 76

Edwardsburg 8 21 38 56
St. Joseph 27 38 58 76
3-point baskets: Edwardsburg 4 (Kozinski 2, D’Amico 2), St. Joseph 8 (Valentine 2, Peirce 1, Mavis 4, E. Priebe 1). Total fouls: Edwardsburg 16, St. Joseph 15. Fouled out:  None. Varsity records: Edwardsburg 11-10, St. Joseph 14-7