East-West rubber match could be history maker

The Lapeer West girls’ basketball squad has had a Cinderella-story season and could make school history on Friday if it beats Lapeer East at home. Photo courtesy Bill Kinzer LAPEER — The Lapeer East and West boys’ and girls’ basketball teams will meet for the second time this year on Friday, Feb. 24, and the outcome could be a milestone for the West girls’ team.

Not to put the cart before the horse, but the West girls’ squad is set to make school history after dispatching Holly, 46-28, on Feb. 17 in the winnertake all game. That sets the table for a possible first outright league title in 43 years for the Lady Panthers’ girls’ program.

The only thing standing in their way is crosstown rival Lapeer East, which has faced more adversity than perhaps any team in the area this season, after losing two key starters within the first two weeks of the season. A young and inexperienced squad has been plugging away week after week, but is winless on the season at 0-15 Metro, 0-19 overall.

East came into the season with only two players returning from last year’s roster, Jenna Vierk, and Roslyn Owens. Vierk was lost for the season very early on, and Owens has been out of the lineup for quite some time. Alexis Whatcott has emerged as a star for the Lady Eagles, and has often been the leading scorer for East since injuries began to plague the Eagles.

West, on the other hand, is 16-2 overall, 13-2 Metro League, and has been on a tear much of the season with a loaded roster full of three- and four-year varsity players, including seniors Marisa Liburdi and Yazmin Dababneh, who have been varsity players since their freshmen seasons. Maddison Smith, Marnie Fettig, Shannon Brown and Lindsay Reynolds have been on varsity since they were sophomores. And, after two straight losing seasons, their hard work is finally paying off.

“I think it shows just how difficult it is to win games consistently in our league,” said West coach Bill Kinzer. “Winning a game here and there isn’t that big of a deal, but winning 13-14 over a 16- game schedule is a real accomplishment. It took us a good three years to play with the the kind of toughness and resiliency you need to win that consistently. It’s a process that takes time.”

Liburdi has been a scoring leader for several seasons now and most recently has poured in 20-30 points per game. She scored 33 against Clio. Dababneh is the second-leading scorer on the team and against Holly went 19-of-21 from the charity stripe. They are bolstered by Smith and Fettig who Kinzer called “two of the best defenders in the league. Brown, a junior, contributes at both ends of the floor, while East transfer Shelby Wagner has provided depth at the post position. Smith is among the talented league leaders in rebounds averaging 6.7 per game.

Kinzer noted that his squad may not quite comprehend what they may be about to accomplish, having never contended for a league title. However, West was a charter member of the Flint Metro League when it was established in 1968. Since then, only the 2005 girls’ squad has come close, sharing the title. West won the then- Eastern Division in 1983, but lost to Holly in the league championship game.

“Our kids are much more than good basketball players,” Kinzer said. “They are great young adults. They are really positive leaders and role models in our building, and I know that it would mean a lot to them to be able to do this for our school. There is no doubt in my mind that East will get our best effort on Friday.”

“We’ve struggled, and it is a rivalry game, but we’re not necessarily looking at it as a rivalry game,” stated East coach Phil Widzinski. “We approach it the way we always do. We just build on what we’ve done, and just try to make improvements. Slow and steady improvements, and we have been improving. We’re approaching it the same way we’d approach any team in the Metro.” — L.P./B.P.

Boys squad looks for one more win

The boys’ rivalry matchup doesn’t hold nearly the same drama as the girls, with West at 7-8 Metro, 10-9 overall and in third place behind Fenton, 15-1, 17-1 and the three-way tie with Flint Kearsley, Holly and Swartz Creek all at 11-4 Metro. Lapeer East sits at the bottom of the league standings at 1-14, 2-16.

West brings the triple threat of leading scorers Cullen Turczyn, Zeshawn Jones-Parker and David Price. They’re backed up by Kyle Swailes, Luke Knickerbocker and Nick Weber, with contributions from Hunter Sharrard, Mark Cox, and Craig Frazee.

The Panthers took the first game between the two schools, 58-47. Hoping to lead East to a different outcome this time will be Aaron Hirsch, Kyle Rachwal, J.T. Pillars and Colin Owen. — L.P./E.H.