North takes girls' U.P. All-Star victory

MARQUETTE - Points weren't easy to come by for Watersmeet's Frannie Zelinski or Ewen-Trout Creek's Molly Niemi.

But they both contributed, Niemi for the North, which beat Zelinski and the South 68-62 in Saturday's U.P. All-Star Classic at Marquette Senior High School.

Niemi finished with three points, on a 3-pointer she hit to tie the score at 5-5 with 14:45 left in the first half. She also took a charge from Zelinski with about three minutes left in the game.

Zelinski was held scoreless, but she grabbed seven rebounds and tallied four assists.

Sault Ste. Marie's Bree Swan scored 19 points and was named MVP.

North Coach Jeff Twardzik of Class C state champion Calumet said: "I had never seen her (play) before until Friday night (during practice). She's fearless in driving the lane and explosive."

Swan - headed for Arizona State with plans to try out as a walk-on in basketball, volleyball or track - said she was nervous at the outset, then settled in as the game went on.

"I didn't see (the MVP nod) coming," the 5-4 guard said. "I just wanted to use my speed. If I do that, good things come. "(The South) had the height, but we were quicker."

Sarah Smith of Class D state champion St. Ignace notched six points and teammate Margo Brown of St. Ignace five in a 14-2 South run in the first half to give their squad a 28-18 advantage.

Smith finished with a South high of 20 points.

"(Smith) hurt us pretty bad," Swan said. "We had to contain her better.

"We also had to box out better. We just weren't aggressive."

The North - behind six points by Haley Makela of Jeffers and four each by Swan and Ellen Twardzik - was able to to rally for a 35-31 lead at the half.

Swan and Viitala nailed 3-point shots midway through the second half to put the North up 57-48.

The South never got closer than six points the rest of the way with the help of two driving layups down the lane by Huebner and a jumper by Swan.

"Our full court man (defense) did it," coach Twardzik said. "That enabled us to take over."

The South outrebounded the North, 53-48, with Smith snaring 11 boards to lead the way. Makela hauled in 12 for Jeffers.

Besides Viitala taking the girls' 3-point shooting contest, Escanaba's Michelle LaFave won the girls' free throw shooting event in a playoff with the Saints' Brown; Brett Poissant of Lake Linden-Hubbell claimed the boys' 3-point shooting title in a playoff with Joseph Duncan of Cedarville; and Ben Stasewich of Munising captured the boys' dunk contest in a playoff with Kingsford's Daniel Harrington.

Marquette's Hunter Viitala scored 12 points for the North. Teammate Ellen Twardzik of Calumet had 10.

North - Sydney Dillinger (Houghton) 4, Shayla Huebner (Marquette) 7, Haley Makela (Jeffers) 9, Molly Niemi (Ewen-Trout Creek) 3, Lexie Rowe (Calumet) 4, Bree Swan (Sault Ste. Marie) 19, Ellen Twardzik (Calumet) 10, Hunter Viitala (Marquette) 12.

South - Hunter Branstrom (Mid-Peninsula) 8, Margo Brown (St. Ignace) 8, Miranda Jacobson (North Dickinson) 5, Michelle LaFave (Escanaba) 4, Elli Olsen (Gwinn) 5, Sarah Smith (St. Ignace) 20, Alexis St. Cyr (Gladstone) 4, Maria Wiltzius (Kingsford) 8.

Half: North 35-31.