GCC looks to grow from tough early-season schedule

By JASON JUNO

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Ironwood — GCC hopes a grueling schedule to start the season will make them better the rest of the way.

The Samsons start with a string of long-distance road trips — they played at downstate Petoskey over the weekend, head to Iowa Falls this weekend with trips to Milwaukee, Kansas and Escanaba before their home opener against Bay College on Nov. 26.

One of those games is against defending national champion Hutchinson CC in Kansas, which was ranked No. 1 in the Division I preseason poll. They play Rochester, ranked first in D-III next month.

“I think the way our schedule is set up will better prepare us for the second half of the season,” GCC co-head coach Denver Sharrow said. “We play some very good teams to start, but I hope it shows our girls how these successful programs work. I think it will give them an edge coming into the second half of the season. Our goal is to be playing our best ball come January, February, so I think these early tests will help get us there.”

Three sophomores return to the team — Kate Borseth, a 5-7 guard from Ewen-Trout Creek; Annabelle Besonen, a 5-4 guard from Watersmeet; and Lilly Johnson, a 6-0 forward from Siren, Wisconsin.

“Our sophomores set the pace for us,” Sharrow said. “They’ve been through one of our seasons and have a much better understanding of what it takes to win games at this level.”

Two local players joined after not playing right away after high school — Melissa DiGiorgio, a 5-8 sophomore from Hurley who made the all-tournament team in the Samsons’ first event of the year, and Abbie LeGault, a 6-0 forward from Ewen-Trout Creek.

DiGiorgio was the Player of the Year in the conference for Hurley after the 2022-23 season. LeGault was a conference Elite Team selection as a senior after the 2021 season.

“Picking up players like Melissa and Abbie is what junior college is all about,” Sharrow said. “Seeing players who had such illustrious high school careers come back and play locally is great. They both add such different dynamics to our team. We’re extremely excited to have both of them with us.”

Freshmen Brooke Stanislawski, a 5-7 freshman forward from Bessemer, and Sydney Saari, a 6-0 forward from Hurley, join the team. Other freshmen include: Gracie Kleikamp, a 5-7 freshman from North Central; Raelynn Robinson, a 5-7 guard from Campbell, Texas; and Karli Bartlett, a 6-1 forward from Frederic, Wisconsin.

Borseth, Besonen, DiGiorgio and LeGault started both games over the weekend. Stanislawski and Johnson each started one.

Sharrow said the starters for the season haven’t been set in stone yet.

“But one thing we’re instilling is that it doesn’t matter who starts,” he said. “We have 10 talented players on our team, and each one of them could start. So making sure they stay competitive amongst each other is key right now.”

That depth is their biggest strength, he said.

“We don’t have a major dropoff with any of our players,” Sharrow said. “One thing we could improve on is our rebounding and defensive rotations.”

Tara Tregembo is co head coach with Sharrow again this season. Kari Jacquart is the assistant coach.

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GCC Women’s Schedule

At North Central Michigan College

Friday, Nov. 1

Vs. St. Clair County CC, 12, L, 108-57

Saturday, Nov. 2

Vs. Oakland CC, L, 101-54

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At Dale Howard Classic, Iowa Falls

Friday, Nov. 8

Vs. Ellsworth CC, 5

Saturday, Nov. 9

Vs. State Fair CC, 11

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Monday, Nov. 11, at Bryant and Stratton College, 5

Friday, Nov. 15, at Barton CC, 5:30

Saturday, Nov. 16, at Hutchinson CC, 1

Wednesday, Nov. 20, at Bay College, 6

Tuesday, Nov. 26, BAY COLLEGE, 4:30

Friday, Dec. 6, ALPENA, 5

Saturday, Dec. 7, ROCHESTER CTC, 1

Friday, Dec. 13, at St. Cloud TCC, 5

Saturday, Dec. 14, at Minnesota State CTC, 1

Wednesday, Jan. 8, at Mesabi Range, 5:30

Saturday, Jan. 11, CENTRAL LAKES, 1

Wednesday, Jan. 15, ITASCA, 5:30

Saturday, Jan. 18, NORTHLAND CTC, 12

Wednesday, Jan. 22, at Vermilion, 5

Saturday, Jan. 25, RAINY RIVER, 1

Saturday, Feb. 1, COMMUNITY CHRISTIAN (Mich.), 12

Wednesday, Feb. 5, MESABI RANGE, 5:30

Saturday, Feb. 8, at Central Lakes, 1

Friday, Feb. 14, at Itasca, 5:30

Saturday, Feb. 15, at Northland CTC, 12

Wednesday, Feb. 19, VERMILION, 5

Saturday, Feb. 22, at Rainy River, 1

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PETOSKEY — The GCC women suffered a pair of tough losses to start the season, falling 101-54 to Oakland CC on Saturday, and 108-57 to St. Clair County CC on Friday.

GCC’s Melissa DiGiorgio of Hurley was named to the all-tournament team after reaching double figures in scoring in each game.

The Samsons were down by 13, 47-34, at halftime on Friday but were outscored 61-23 in the second half.

GCC’s Kate Borseth picked up her fourth foul midway through the third quarter as St. Clair County expanded its lead to 74-45. The Skippers outscored Gogebic 34-12 in the fourth.

DiGiorgio and Gracie Kleikamp both had 14 points for the Samsons and Brooke Stanislawski scored 10.

Oakland led 54-29 at halftime on Saturday and expanded their lead to 40 heading into the fourth. Their depth and athleticism was too much for GCC in the end.

Borseth led the Samsons with 16 points and DiGiorgio and Sydney Saari both scored a dozen. Saari led with nine rebounds and DiGiorgio had eight.

GCC (0-2) plays in the Dale Howard Classic in Iowa Falls, Iowa Friday and Saturday.

Saturday

Oakland — Abbigail Dykstra 14, Larissa Gibson 6, Natalee Kirk 17, Madison Spanicciati 14, Persia Davis 9, Brooklyn Poe 2, Dakota Deel 3, Mackenzie Stein 8, Kursten Von Hoffman 6, Lizzy Liedel 22. FTs: 5-12. Fouls: 12. Fouled out: None. 3-pointers: Dykstra 4, Liedel 3, Kirk 2, Davis 1, Deel 1, Hoffman 1.

Gogebic — Brooke Stanislawski 4, Kate Borseth 16, Annabelle Besonen 5, Melissa DiGiorgio 12, Abbie LeGault 2, Gracie Kleikamp 3, Sydney Saari 12. FTs: 6-10. Fouls: 19. Fouled out: None. 3-pointers: Borseth 4, Besonen 1, Kleikamp 1.

Oakland CC 26 54 83 101

Gogebic 16 29 43 54

Friday

Gogebic — Kate Borseth 4, Melissa DiGiorgio 14, Lilly Johnson 3, Abbie LeGault 7, Brooke Stanislawski 10, Sydney Saari 3, Karli Bartlett 2, Gracie Kleikamp 14. FTs: 7-11. Fouls: 17. Fouled out: None. 3-pointers: Stanislawski 2, Borseth 1, DiGiorgio 1, Johnson 1.

St. Clair County — Sylver Bowles 14, Bre Jefferson 28, Bailey Gormley 30, Iliana Williams 17, Mackenzie Royal-Davis 2, Ava Grant 6, Nadiyah Walsh 2, Jakyra McCarty 6, Kamari Dabbs 2. FTs: 19-26. Fouls: 13. Fouled out: None. 3-pointers: Gormley 5, Jefferson 4, Bowles 2, Williams 1.

Gogebic 15 34 45 57

St. Clair County 18 47 74 108