By David Fleet
dfleet@mihomepaper.com
Flint — The Goodrich Martian Girls basketball traveled to the Mott Community College’s Ballenger Fieldhouse for the Flint Metro League Championship game to take on the Linden Eagles.
The Lady Eagles, who made it in the Metro tourney for the third straight season, had never qualified for the championship game before the Feb. 21 match-up at Mott.
Goodrich, the Stars Division champion and a squad that hasn’t lost to a Metro League squad all season long, was too much for the Eagles. The Martians (17-3), who hoped to make a legitimate state tournament championship run, defeated the Eagles 50-19 in front of a pretty nice crowd.
“Thrilled to win our second straight Stars Division and Flint Metro League tournament title,” said Martian Head Coach Jason Gray. “Our first goal every season is to be league champions and we’re hoping this is a good first step to more titles this winter.”
“We also loved the environment at Mott and enjoyed the “feel” of playing a tournament prior to the MHSAA state tournament.”
Goodrich has averaged beating Metro squads regardless of division by 45 points this season, and already beat the Eagles 60-31 this season, so Linden knew it was going to be a challenge. And it proved to be as Goodrich jumped to a 19-0 lead after one quarter. Martian Jr. Kayla Hairston was Goodrich’s star, scoring 15 of those 19 points. She would continue to dominate with a total of 25 points and seven steals. GHS Baylor Lauinger chipped in eight points, adding six rebounds, five assists, and four steals. GHS Tanner Schramm had 10 points and three steals.
David Troppens contributed to this story.