Senior Lindsey Reppuhn stepped off the basketball court and teammate Anna Manilla greeted her with a hug as the Lady Wolves finished the last 18 seconds of the season.
The girls lost in the Regional finals against Midland, 40-24.
The first half was scoreless for Clarkston despite their many efforts as Midland led going into halftime 17-0.
“I give credit to Midland’s defense,” said Tim Wasilk, head coach for the girls varsity basketball team. “They were long and did a nice job in their zone. We shot the ball but for whatever reason couldn’t make the run. I don’t think it was nerves. It just wasn’t the night for us to shoot the ball.”
Manilla opened the third quarter with a basket and the climb on the boards began.
Midland’s Aleigha Wylie added her own basket to bring the score up 19-2.
Delaney Kenny and Manilla responded adding two points each before Megan Hastings closed in with her 3-pointer.
The Lady Wolves finished the quarter halfway to Midland’s 28-14 lead. The girls put up defensive blocks until the game ended with a loss.
“We came back but we couldn’t survive and couldn’t make the run,” said Wasilk.
Hastings was the leading scorer with eight points, going 2-2 at the line and putting two 3-pointers on the board. Manilla scored six points.
The girls beat Flint Northwestern on March 8 in overtime, 44-41. With both teams going into the extra period with 35 points, Clarkston grabbed the lead right away with four points.
“We put a half court trap on them,” Wasilk explained.
Reppuhn nailed six of the nine points from her free throw shots. She led the team scoring a total of 12 points for the entire game. Manilla added 11 points. Kenny and Hastings scored eight points each.
The season ended 18-6 and as District Champs. Wasilk felt proud of the journey the team took this season, improving from last year’s 6-15 finish.
“Not a lot of people thought we would be in this spot,” said Wasilk. “Our girls believed. We won a lot of close games and played with a lot of toughness. I couldn’t ask for a better group to coach.”
He added the girls did everything they asked them to including heading into the weight room and honing their skills during the off season.
They continued training and getting better as they used their Christmas break playing on the basketball court.
“We came back and had a couple of wins right off the bat and our confidence just got better,” Wasilk explained. “We have the experience. It’s not like these girls are first year players. They have been on the battleground. They know what it feels like to lose and I think they were sick of losing that is why we found toughness to win in so many close game.”
The Lady Wolves return next year minus one player, Reppuhn who graduates in June.
“She will be missed,” said Wasilk. “She brought leadership. She is a clutch player.. She is a smart player, a great kid, a great student and a pleasure to be around. I am proud of her and what she has accomplished in her two years with us.”
Wasilk is excited about next year and the years to come, explaining the JV team went 18-2 this season and they have great players from eighth grade.
“I don’t know what kind of run we will make but to have done it before will help us mentally,” Wasilk added.