Shrine Girls' Season Ends in District Play

MADISON HEIGHTS – Despite a strong effort from its trio of seniors, 's girls basketball team just didn't have quite enough Wednesday, falling 63-60 to Bishop Foley in district play.

The tight game featured 14 lead changes — seven in the third quarter alone — and six ties.

A teary-eyed Shrine head coach Bill LeGault knew his team used every ounce of talent it could muster in the tight game. 

"We gave it a good effort, but we're limited in what we've got," the coach said, alluding to his lack of center and forward depth throughout the season. But he praised his senior trio of Halle Wangler, Matti Baltrusaitis and Cora Essenmacher for their efforts.

"Halle had 35 points and 16 rebounds and Mattie had a triple-double — 10 (points), 10 (rebounds) 10 (assists) — and Cora had 14," he said. "It was probably our best effort of the year."

"It was tough and we really wanted it," Baltrusaitis said. "We made mistakes and make turnovers and they really capitalized on it."

Shrine had 19 turnovers in the contest.

Essenmacher actually began her basketball career at Bishop Foley before transferring to Shrine, so she started and ended her high school basketball career in the same gym.

"Everybody left it all on the court," she said. "I wish we would have come out with the victory and 14 points is a good way to end it (career)."

Foley jumped out to a 5-2 lead early and extended it to 9-4 before ending the first quarter up eight points on Shrine, 17-9. Shrine then put 21 points on the board to Bishop Foley's 13 in the second, but it was an eight-point Halle Wangler scoring explosion in 46 seconds that tied the game. The rivals headed into the locker room at halftime tied at 30 apiece.

Each team scored 19 points in the third quarter, but Shrine had built up a lead only to see Bishop Foley chip it away.

"We had a five-point lead and we were trying to run a weave and get a selected shot, but we didn't do it very well," LeGault said.

Shrine couldn't put away Bishop Foley, even with its 14-of-15 shooting from the free throw line. But the team only went to the line four times in the fourth quarter. With three players in foul trouble with four each, the team couldn't amp up its defense like it wanted and Baltdrusaitis eventually fouled out.

"They played awesome," Baltrusaitis said of Foley. "You have to give them credit. They were hitting those threes. I'm proud of Foley, you've got to back them up. They're coming out of our district."

With two seconds left on the clock and down 63-60, Shrine had the ball in senior Wangler's hands at the three-point line, but the shot was just short and bounced off the front of the rim as time expired in the game and Shrine's 2010-11 season.

"We wanted it in her hands," LeGault said. "She's a great player. Our seniors certainly had a lot on their shoulders this season and they certainly did the school proud."

Bishop Foley advances to district championship play at 7:30 p.m. Friday against Sacred Heart Academy in Madison Heights.