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Kirtland’s Lady Firebirds open season with split in Kalamazoo

ROSCOMMON – The Kirtland women’s team opened its 2005-2006 season with a win and a loss at the Kalamazoo Valley Community College Tournament Nov. 4-5.

The 84-54 loss was in Kirtland’s opening game of the tournament, against a KVCC team that is ranked seventh in the nation.

Only eight Lady Firebirds dressed for the matchup and coach Teresa Stuck said the Firebirds were in foul trouble the entire game, with two players fouling out, and turnovers were a problem – 17 in the first half alone.

Highlights came from Chelsey Williams, the freshman from Houghton Lake, who led in rebounding with 16 boards and scored 16 points. Lizz Stempki, of St. Ignace, led in scoring with 17 points and pulled down seven rebounds.

The Firebirds went on to beat Wayne County Community College, 65-59, in the second round of play.

“I am really proud of the girls today,” Stuck said. “To win the second game they played less than 24 hours after they finished their first game with only eight players and one of them in foul trouble really shows the heart and fight inside this team.”

Down at the half, 29-28, the Lady Firebirds went on a run “from the get go” in the second half to go up by 15. Offensively Julie Frank, of Toronto, put on a show, not only scoring from everywhere to put up 21 points for the Firebirds, but she had a complete all-around game by grabbing seven rebounds, dishing four assists, and snatching four steals in the victory.

Williams added her second double double in two games and knocked down some key free throws down the stretch to finish the game with 14 points to go with 12 rebounds. Emily Henion, of Gaylord, and Rena Barnett, of LeRoy, did a wonderful job in handling Wayne’s trapping defense. Natalie Foster, of Houghton Lake, and Emilee Bruner, of Mio, also stepped up their games. Additionally, Onica Jones, of Rochester, N.Y., provided some key minutes.

Kirtland’s women’s team travels downstate Monday, Nov. 14, to take on Grand Rapids Community College. They will participate in the Big 8 Classic in Oshawa, Ont., Nov. 18-19, then both the men’s and women’s teams open their home seasons when they host Lansing Community College at the CRAF Center in Roscommon on Tuesday, Nov. 22. The women’s game begins at 5:30 p.m., while the men are set to begin at 7:30 p.m.