By By SCOTT NOVAK / Dowagiac Daily News
COLOMA – The hex continues.
Lakeshore's dominance over the Dowagiac girls' varsity basketball team continued Friday night at Coloma High School as the Lady Lancers defeated the Chieftains, 49-47, to capture the Class B District championship.
Lakeshore has owned the Chieftains over the last two decades even though the Chieftains had won six of the last eight meetings between the two schools.
But with the district title on the line, Dowagiac was unable to overcome Lakeshore's tough man-to-man defense.
The Chieftains, who finish the year 15-7, had several opportunities in the final quarter to catch the Lady Lancers, could not get a basket or a free throw to fall in the closing minutes of the contest at Coloma High School.
"Lakeshore did a great job in their man-to-man," Dowagiac coach Greg Blomgren said. "I thought we'd be able to do more than we did against it."
What the Chieftains were unable to do against it was penetrate like they did on Wednesday night in the semifinals against St. Joseph.
The Lady Lancers took away the inside game of Dowagiac, which had accounted for 30 points in the semifinals.
Lakeshore (10-12) forced Dowagiac to beat it from the outside, which the Chieftains were unable to do.
The turning point of the contest may have come at the end of the first quarter when the Chieftains were supposed to be holding for the last shot. Dowagiac could have upped its lead to eight points with a basket, but turned the ball over.
Lakeshore took advantage of the miscue and scored to cut the lead to 15-11 heading into the second period.
The Lady Lancers, who won their first district title since 1996, would control the second quarter and led 26-24 heading into the locker room at halftime.
Lakeshore continues to maintain control of the game through the third period, but could never quite put the Chieftains away.
Leading 42-38 heading into the final eight minutes, Lakeshore had to withstand a nine-possession stretch in which Dowagiac had a chance to tie the score or go ahead.
Despite several good looks at the basket, the Chieftains failed to catch the Lady Lancers.
"We never got over the hump," Blomgren said. "We had some good looks and had shots from the people we wanted to take the shots. But we were never able to get over the hump."
Dowagiac had several chances in the last 30 seconds to get the lead, but missed free throws and a 3-point attempt.
Lakeshore's Katie O'Connor hit one of two free throws with 11.5 remaining on the clock giving the Lady Lancers a two-point advantage.
Dowagiac came down the floor and had a great look at the basket. The 3-point attempt did not go in and the Chieftains' put-back came after the horn had sounded.
"That's a tough way to lose," Blomgren commented.
Lakeshore's inside game was the difference on Friday night.
The Lady Lancers got a combined 22 points and 15 rebounds from Jody Eagle and Katie Wiederwax. Lakeshore held a 45-31 advantage in the rebound department, many of which came at the offensive end of the floor.
Lakeshore was also able to connect from the outside as well. Lauren Castonguay had four of the Lady Lancers' six 3-pointers.
Dowagiac, which finished the season with 163 3-pointers, connected on just five long-range bombs. Katy Stuppy, who led the Chieftains with 22 points, had three of those treys.
Dowagiac also got seven points from Torie Lowe and six points from Katie Roach.
Lakeshore advances to the Coldwater regional where it will face Battle Creek Pennfield in the semifinals on Monday night.
Blomgren feels good about the direction the program is heading in despite the second straight loss in the district title game.
He feels that with six of his top eight players returning, including the top two scorers, that Dowagiac will be a force again next season.
"It's a tough loss," he said. "But it's good when it hurts. I think these girls are going to respond and come back even stronger next year."
LAKESHORE 49
Amber Hubbard 0 0-0 0, Lauren Castonguay 4 0-0 12, Katie Wiederwax 4 2-4 10, Laura Wilke 2 0-2 4, Katie Pappa 1 0-3 2, Ashley Brown 2 0-0 6, Katie O'Connor 1 1-2 3, Jody Eagle 6 0-2 12. Totals: 20 3-13 49
DOWAGIAC 47
Katy Stuppy 6 7-12 22, Kristy Cooper 1 0-0 2, Katie Roach 3 0-0 6, Torie Lowe 2 2-2 7, Holly Lowe 1 2-4 5, Britnee Allerton 1 3-4 5, Elizabeth Williams 0 0-0 0, Shardatsha Fitchett 0 0-0 0. Totals: 14 14-22 47
Lakeshore 11 26 42 49
Dowagiac 15 24 38 47
3-point baskets: Castonguay (L) 4, Brown (L) 2, Stuppy (D) 3, T. Lowe (D), H. Lowe (D). Total fouls: Lakeshore 18, Dowagiac 13. Fouled out: Brown (L).