Calumet, MI – March 4, 2022 – The Ishpeming Girl’s Basketball squad’s season ended in the District Final with a 29-70 loss to the Calumet Copper Kings. Tyler Young and Bob Nadeau had the call live from Calumet on WRUP.
1st Qtr: The action in this District Final match up got started with a bucket from Laina Kariniemi and the Copper Kings led 2-0. Ishpeming wouldn’t take much time to answer and the game was tied 2-2. Laura Giachino would get a two point basket to go for Calumet. Calumet’s defense was suffocating to start as Kariniemi would steal the ball and Giachino would score on the other end. The Copper Kings hot start continued as Giachino would score yet again and Ishpeming trailed 2-8. Ishpeming struggled to handle Calumet’s defense as they would turn the ball over and Jana Loukus would hit a three on the other end. A Hematite turnover would lead to a Kariniemi three and Ishpeming trailed by 2-14 early. The bleeding for Ishpeming would stop when Bailey Zellar scored. The visiting Hematites found their rhythm as Lily Swanson hit a three and Ishpeming trailed 7-14.
End of 1st: Ishpeming 7, Calumet 14
2nd Qtr: Calumet’s hot first quarter carried over into the second quarter as Kaylie Halonen would a shot from beyond the arc. Ishpeming would turn the ball over yet again and on the other end Calumet hit a shot from three giving them the 20-7 lead over Ishpeming. Addie Morton would get to the free throw line but missed both shots and the score remained the same. Giachino would get back to scoring as she got a bucket for Calumet, Ishpeming trailed 7-22. Calumet’s shot was answered right away by Jenna Maki of Ishpeming. The Hematites would fall behind 9-24 after another basket from Giachino. Both teams would trade baskets and then senior Abby Koski made a contribution with a three of her own, Ishpeming trailed 13-26. Morton would cut the deficit down to 11 when she got a floater to go. Lizzie Torola of Calumet would match that basket with a two point shot. The scoring for the first half would end with a Halonen two point shot and then a three from Ishpeming and the Hematites trailed by 12 going into the second half.
End of 2nd: Ishpeming 18, Calumet 30
3rd Qtr: Calumet got the third quarter going with a Loukus floater and Ishpeming fell behind by 14. Maki got the scoring started for Ishpeming with a two point shot. The Copper Kings scoring continued to be flawless as Strom scored. Turnovers haunted Ishpeming as a another turnover led to a Calumet bucket from Loukus. Kariniemi kept the three point shots going for Calumet and the Hematites trailed 20-39. Ishpeming answered with their own three and had hopes of a comeback with a lot of game left. The score would extend to 23-42 when Kariniemi kept her sharp shooting night going with another three. Maki cut the deficit to 17 when she got a floater to go in the hoop. Alexis Strom ended the third quarter with a three and going into the final quarter Ishpeming trailed by 20.
End of 3rd: Ishpeming 25, Calumet 45
4th Qtr: Kariniemi continued to shoot lights out from three as she hit yet another one. Strom got an and-one shot to go and she made it a three point play with a free throw. The fourth quarter only got worse for Ishpeming as Calumet scored again and they now trailed 25-55. Kariniemi shot and made another three pointer and the game continued to unravel. Ishpeming would end Calumet’s 13-0 run with a basket of their own. Abby Koski would foul Caitlyn Strom and Strom would go 1/2 from the charity stripe. The Hematites would score but then yet again Kariniemi would hit a three. Hannah Deloughary would get some points for her squad as she cut the deficit down to 29-64. Helen Beiring would score for the Copper Kings and then Lizzie Torola would get fouled the next possession and go 2/2 from the line. The final points of the game came from Isabel Loukus and with that, the Hematites lost on the road in the District Final.
Final Score: Ishpeming 29, Calumet 70
Thank you for a great season Hematites!