EAU CLAIRE — There were two big runs in Wednesday’s Class C district semifinal girls basketball game between second-ranked Brandywine and Cassopolis.

The Bobcats were happy their run lasted longer.

Brandywine went on a 29-0 run in the first half and beat Cassopolis, 61-41. The Bobcats (20-1) advance to play either New Buffalo in the district championship game Friday at 7 p.m. at Eau Claire High School.

“I’m disappointed about the second half, but the bottom-line is that half the Class C teams in the state tournament are going home tonight,” Brandywine coach Josh Hood said. “The Bobcats are playing for a championship Friday. I told the girls that they did good job, but in the big scheme of things nobody remembers a district runner-up. I made it really clear to them that we don’t have a trophy from last year in our case that says, Brandywine Bobcats district-runner-up. We’re excited to be moving on, but we know we’ve got a lot of work to do and we’ve got to get better if we’re going to win Friday night.”

The 29-0 run gave the Bobcats a 34-5 lead with 3:57 left in the second quarter. Brooke Smith scored 12, Makenna Hartline had eight and Michaela Hartline added seven during that stretch. Makenna Hartline finished with 21 points, 10 rebounds and four steals, Smith totaled 20 points, 12 rebounds and three steals and Michaela Hartline had 10 points three rebounds and three steals.

“In the first half we did a really good job of getting the ball inside,” Hood said. “We had eight days of preparation and our message was to pound the ball into the post. I thought we did an excellent job of entering the ball inside and then finishing.”

Trailing 42-14, Cassopolis went on a 13-0 run to pull within 42-27 with 1:53 left in the third quarter. Kortenei Suggs’ basket for the Rangers cut Brandywine’s lead to 49-36 with six minutes remaining in the game, but Cassopolis wouldn’t get any closer.

“That’s the theme,” Hood said. “We’ve gotten up in games throughout the year and kind of coast in the second half and don’t come out with the same energy. We did that again tonight. Luckily, we were able to hold on. We put together a good spurt in the fourth quarter.”

Brittney Prestly scored 13 points, Suggs added 12 and Kaylynn Forrest added 10 to lead Cassopolis, which finishes at 9-13. Forrest also grabbed eight rebounds. Janye Butts pulled down 12 rebounds to go with her six points.

“We had too many turnovers and not enough rebounding and you’ve got to put the ball in the basket,” Cassopolis coach Nat Pittman said. “But I’m proud of my kids. We came back and played hard in the second half.”

The Rangers shot 30-percent (16-of-54) from the field and turned the ball over 31 times with 22 of those miscues coming in the first half.

Hood wasn’t happy that his team missed 11 of its 15 free throws and was outrebounded, 36-32.

“We’ve got to be better all-around,” Hood said. “Defensive rebounding wasn’t where it needed to be and we need to shore up our free throws and our defense and communication.”

 

BRANDYWINE 61, CASSOPOLIS 41

Cassopolis 41

Janye Butts 6, Brittney Prestly 13, Nakiela Sinclair 0, Kortenei Suggs 12, Kaylynn Forrest 10, Erica Williams 0, Asstasia Roddy 0, Aidan Traynor 0, KayAnna Williams 0. TOTALS: 16 6-11 41

Brandywine 61

Makenna Hartline 21, Michaela Hartline 10, Brooke Smith 20, Emily Erwin 6, Jaleesa Garner 0, Makena Bowen 2, Alyssa Bolen 0, Rachael Szilagyi 0, Mia Stella 0, Chelsea Luczkowski 0, Cassie Luczkowski 2, Alexis Garcia 0. TOTALS: 25 4-15 61

 

Cassopolis                  5          11       32       41

Brandywine               21       37       47       61

3-point baskets: Cassopolis 3 (Prestly 3), Brandywine 7 (Smith 3, Michaela Hartline 2, Erwin 2). Total fouls (fouled out): Cassopolis 18 (Butts), Brandywine 13 (none). Shooting: Cassopolis 16-of-54 for 30-percent, Brandywine 25-of-54 for 46-percent. Rebounding: Cassopolis 36 (Butts 12), Brandywine 32 (Smith 12). Turnovers: Cassopolis 31, Brandywine 24. Varsity records: Brandywine 20-1, Cassopolis 9-13