By By ERIKA PICKLES / Dowagiac Daily News
KALAMAZOO – After nine straight district titles, Kalamazoo Loy Norrix put to rest any hope of Niles grabbing another championship win Monday as the Lady Knights advanced in the Class A district tournament with a 58-36 win over the Lady Vikings.
Niles, which has competed in the Class B district tournament in previous years, found out just what bumping up one class will do to a team.
This is the first time in at least 14 or 15 years the Lady Vikings have fallen in the first game of the district tournament.
The Vikings were outplayed on all levels and fell behind 19-0 with 1:24 left in the first period and the Knights carried a 21-3 lead heading into the second.
Nothing went better in the next quarter, as Niles could only add seven points to the scoreboard. Niles trailed 37-10 heading into the locker room.
Kaitlyn Touhey led Niles in scoring with eight points. Lindsay Craig added seven and Autumn Lucero had five.
For the Knights, Cetera Washington, a Michigan State recruit, scored a game-high 14 points.