Friday night in Beaverton was a big one for Beal City Girls Basketball, as it was their first District Title appearance since the 2014-2015 season. This was due to the dramatic District Semifinal win over host Beaverton on Wednesday in overtime. The first playoff win in 10 seasons for the Lady Aggies had them set up to face one of the better teams in all of Division 3 over the past 4 seasons – Meridian.

Meridian came into the contest 20-3, winning 20+ games in 4 straight years – and looking to capture their second straight District Title. The Aggies hadn’t won a District Title since 2006, but were looking to play spoiler against the MHSAA 15th-ranked Mustangs.

The first half was TIGHT, as defense was the big piece of this one. It was 3-3 for a majority of the first quarter – before Meridian would end the quarter on a 6-0 run to lead 9-3. The 6-0 run was all from Senior Guard Halen McLaughlin – who became the only Mustang in Girls or Boys History to score 2000 career points earlier this season.

After the Mustangs extended their lead to 10, the Aggies started to get hot behind the arc – as Junior Guard Dakota Dodak reigned 2 threes to go with her first quarter splash to lead the Aggies with 9 at the break. Meridian led 20-15 after two quarters.

In the 3rd – the hot hand from deep would get spread around for Beal, as Lilly Leppert – who was banged up with a foot injury sustained in the first half – drilled one against the zone that Meridian hopped in to. “DD” – as they call her – would add another from deep, and Lilly knocked down her second of the quarter with 3 minutes to go in the 3rd to give the Aggies their first lead of the game since it was 3-2.

Meridian would regain the lead and enter the 4th up 30-27.

The defense continued to shine on both sides, and Bree Locke & Aubrey Thelen joined the three-point party in the 4th and made it a tie ballgame 33-33 with 3 minutes to go.

A free throw from Meridian gave them the lead with 90 seconds to go 34-33, and each team would force steal after steal the rest of the way – with the Aggies unable to get a shot to fall before the final horn sounded.

A tremendous fight from the Lady Aggies who held Meridian to just 34 points – a team that came in averaging over 60 a game.

Beal also hit 8 team threes tonight – accounting for 24 of their 33 total points.

Meridian was led by Halen McLaughlin who finished with 19 points.

Beal City was led by Dakota Dodak, who hit 4 threes to finish with 12 – and she was our JNR Engraving Player of the Game.

Seniors Lilly Leppert & Lydee Salisbury each had 6, and Bree Locke, Aubrey Thelen & Madason Fisher each finished with 3.

A big shoutout to the 5 Seniors of the Aggies: Emily Taylor, Bree Locke, Ava Milett, Lilly Leppert & Lydee Salisbury for their basketball careers at Beal City.

A great season from Easton Yuncker and his Lady Aggies, as they gave a very good Meridian Mustang team a run for their money tonight.

Our Local High School Coverage will continue on Monday with the Sacred Heart Girls Regional Semifinal.

Kyle Sandel – Buck92 Sports Director