Onekama falls to Frankfort
in D final

By DYLAN SAVELA
Manistee News Advocate Sports Writer

MANISTEE — Frankfort has spent a lot of time in Manistee over the past week, and after Friday night’s 43-25 victory against Onekama, it has earned an extended stay.

In their third game in five days at Manistee Catholic Central, the Panthers topped the Portagers for the Class D district title, as well as a trip to regionals, which will be held at Manistee High School next week.

“This is the first big thing this particular group of girls have won,” Frankfort coach Tim Reznich said. “So this is a big step for them. It really is. It’s great.”

Sara Loney scored the bulk of the Panthers’ points with 27, including 11-11 from the free throw line. Loney also had a game-high 15 rebounds and blocked five shots.

The Portagers fell short in the end, but their efforts were not unrecognized.

“I thought the girls came out and played hard,” Onekama coach Nathan Bradford said. “We did pretty much what we wanted to.”

Sherece Revolt led the Portagers with seven points, while Stacey Keith and Taylor Hagen scored six apiece, Chelsea Miller had four, and Diamond Kimpel and Jaylee Brown each added one.

Miller led Onekama with nine rebounds, while Paige Rutowski and Keith each grabbed seven.

The Portagers were able to hold Frankfort to only six points in the first quarter, but unfortunately only scored five of their own.

And, in the second quarter, only two Panthers were able to find points against Onekama, but unfortunately one of those players was Loney.

Loney scored 16 second-quarter points to help Frankfort jump out to a 25-12 lead at halftime.

“Once she gets it that far down low, it’s hard to stop her.” Bradford said of Loney’s post play. Loney scored eight more points in the second half, but her second quarter performance proved to be the difference-maker.

Onekama’s Katie Prielipp (5) hugs senior Chelsea Miller after checking out late in the game against Frankfort on Friday night. The Panthers beat the Portagers, 43-25, in a Class D district final at Manistee Catholic Central. (Dylan Savela/News Advocate)

The two teams played relatively even in the third, but the Portagers only scored four points in the fourth quarter, nixing any chance of a comeback victory.

Onekama seniors Chelsea Miller, Paige Rutowski, Olivia Bolthouse, and Stacey Keith ended their varsity careers, but Bradford appreciates what they have meant to the players they are leaving behind.

“All four of them were good team leaders,” Bradford said. “They competed every day and had good attitudes. They were role models for the younger players to look up to.”

Onekama ends their season with a 12-8 record.

“I thought we had a fairly good season,” Bradford said. “We started off good — got into a bit of a mid-season grind — played some pretty tough teams that we lost to, but we bounced back and finished pretty good.”

As for Frankfort, the next step is to prepare for a regional game next Tuesday.

“If we’re going to do anything in regionals, we have to play better.” Reznich said. “But, we’re young, and it’s a part of the growing process. They took a big step tonight and hopefully we can regroup and take one more.”