Girls win title in SCC’s inaugural season
It seemed fitting that on Valentine’s Day, the Cyclone girls gave their loving fans a Conference championship victory as a gift. St. Clair has had its fair share of struggles throughout the season, but have performed well in their first season in the South Central Conference. The Cyclones climbed the mountain and clinched a conference championship victory on Friday, February 14 with a convincing 70-58 win over the LCWM Knights.
But let’s backtrack to their first matchup of the week against the NRHEG Panthers on Monday, February 10. There was some bad blood between these two programs as the Panthers eliminated the Cyclones during last year’s section tournament, so there was plenty of motivation for some revenge; however, the game mirrored many elements of that playoff contest as NRHEG dominated the glass all night. St. Clair played much better on both ends of the court, but the discrepancy in rebounds made it difficult for them to get back into the game–the Panthers would claw their way to a 62-49 victory. Brooklin Hinze finished with 19 points.
The Cyclones got back on track when they needed to most during a rematch against the MVL Chargers the following night; the two faced off three days prior on February 8, which ended with a St. Clair victory. The grudge match had its moments of tension as the defensive intensity was at an 11 for both teams. Despite being up 10 points, the Cyclones struggled from the floor for a late stretch in the first half which allowed the Chargers to chip into the lead 22-19 at the half. It may have been some residual fatigue from the NRHEG game, but St. Clair looked tired on the court as their offensive sets fell flat and the urgency on the other end wasn’t there.
Whenever their team needed a jolt of energy to spur them forward, the dynamic duo of Hinze and Meng took it upon themselves to carry the Cyclones to victory. The two combined for 11 points as Hinze spun out of coverage for a bank shot while Meng knocked down two threes; St. Clair would go on an impressive 17-3 run in the second half which was capped off with a Meng steal and a dish to Hinze on the break. The Brooklyn to Brooklin connection propelled the Cyclones to a sizable 41-28 lead, but MVL had a scoring surge of their own to cut the lead to seven.
Determined to clinch another conference win, Hinze found a second gear and dashed any hopes for the Chargers as she scored eight straight points off three steals…her ferocity on the court left her battered, bruised, and a bloodied knee, but it inspired her teammates on the defensive end. The Chargers attempted one last push in the game’s final minutes, but a corner three from Mathiowetz would be the dagger in this contest as the Cyclones prevailed 54-44. Hinze finished with 24 points; Meng had 14.
The win had huge conference implications, putting St. Clair in the top spot heading into their final conference matchup against the Knights. It was a simple objective for Friday’s matchup: win, and you’re the champions of the South Central Conference. A pulse-pounding 58-55 win on January 23rd provided some fuel to the fire as both teams prepared for what would be the deciding factor in the SCC rankings.
The opportunity to take home a Conference title in the inaugural year was a main priority for the Cyclones, according to Coach Noyes. “It was our number one goal this year to win the conference and we’re extremely motivated to do that tonight. Lake Crystal is a good team and this will come down to who competes the hardest and who wants it more.”
This one would be for all the South Central marbles. There was no love lost between these rivals as the high stakes led to some chippiness inside after Valerie Quast poked away the ball during a fastbreak. Mathiowetz quieted the crowd with a three-pointer to give St. Clair a 3-2 lead, and she would follow up with another three on the next possession. The Knights, led by former Cyclone Clara Jeddeloh, would march onward to a 11-6 lead, but Madison Winkler splashed a three, and Hinze swung the score back into her team’s favor with two straight drives to the basket.
Both teams would engage in a fast-paced tempo for much of the first half, and some players felt momentary relief after a whistle caused a brief delay; Hinze almost played every minute of the game. The Cyclones have made it a goal to live or die from the perimeter, and they scorched the net in the first half with eight three-pointers. The trio of Mathiowetz, Meng, and Hinze combined for a whopping 32 of St. Clair’s 42 points in the first half.
With a 42-30 lead heading into the second half, the Knights attempted a crusade, trying to get back into the contest, but the Cyclones’ defense locked them down before any major damage could be done. Jeddeloh performed well, but LCWM never could bring the game within single digits. With Hinze working her magic throughout the second, Mathiowetz put the finishing touches on a commanding 70-58 victory with a dagger three in the corner. Hinze led the team in scoring with 25 points, Mathiowetz with 18, and Meng with 11. They combined for 54 points.
As the final seconds ticked down, the players rejoiced as they walked off the court South Central Champions with a 6-2 record. It has been a rollercoaster year for the Cyclones, but their determination to achieve their lofty goal of winning the conference motivated them to take care of business in their last three conference games. Two straight wins against MVL and a convincing win against the rival Knights would be the deciding factor in who would be top dog. A glorious achievement for a deserving St. Clair, but there is still plenty of work to be done as they head into their final matchup of the regular season against WEM on February 18 and Sections the following week. Go Cyclones!
