By Jason Wesseldyk
Sports Editor
GOBLES—It was a battle of two of the top girls basketball teams in the SAC Central Division when Saugatuck traveled to Gobles on Friday, Jan. 17.
And for the first quarter, it appeared as though the game would be nip-and-tuck, as the Trailblazers clung to a razor-thin 8-7 lead.
But as is so often the case in life, appearances proved to be deceiving.
Saugatuck erupted for 19 points in the second quarter, while limiting the Tigers to four points. That gave the Trailblazers a 27-11 halftime lead.
Saugatuck carried that momentum into the second half, outscoring Gobles 24-15 over the final two quarters to secure the 50-26 victory.
The win was the second straight for the Trailblazers, who improved to 7-1 overall and 5-0 in divisional action.
Gobles, which entered the game tied for second in the SAC Central, slipped to 7-3 overall and 2-2 in the division.
“It was a good win and put a little distance between us and Gobles as we head into the second half of the season,” Saugatuck coach Kevin Tringali said.
Tali Laskowski led the offensive charge for Saugatuck, going for a game-high 19 points. She also led the team in assists.
Kennedy Gustafson, meanwhile, finished with 14 points in addition to leading the team in the rebounding department.
Maggie Loomis chipped in with a career-best 10 points to give Saugatuck a third double-digit scorer.
“I’m extremely proud of our team tonight,” Tringali said. “To be down a key player on the road against a good team and see all your kids step up is such a great sign.”
Tringali likes the way his team continues to evolve and players continue to step up when needed.
“We understand how important depth is,” he said. “Tonight junior Maggie Loomis and senior guard Sage Larson really played really well and gave our team great confidence moving forward.”
Thursday, January 23, 2025
