Scott Keyes
Sports Scene
Sacred Heart Academy’s Sara Hansen walked off the Breslin Center court in tears.
Seeing her friends and peers high-fiving and cheering is something that she will remember for the rest of her life.
The cause of the celebration was that Hansen and her Irish teammates had just shocked the girls’ basketball community in Michigan by pulling off one of the biggest upsets in recent memory. Sacred Heart was victorious over Forest Park in the Class D Championship game, 56-53.
The Irish defeated the previously unbeaten Trojans, a team that featured two-time Class D Player of the Year, and this year’s Miss Basketball, Lexi Gussert.
So the celebration, cheers, and tears were understandable, even for Hansen, who is very mild-mannered off the field of play. On it, however, she is as tenacious as they come, and her winning spirit is infectious and rubs off on the rest of her teammates.
She has had tremendous success during her high school career, having been named to many AP Class D all-state teams in volleyball, basketball, and softball. She has guided previous teams to regional championships, and she will head into this softball season with a 90-plus game hitting streak.
But finally getting over the hump and winning a state championship in any sport is extra special for the 5-foot-7 Hansen.
“All of the individual honors are nice, but being a part of a team is something you will always remember for the rest of your life,” she said after the victory. “We just defeated a great team. We are a great team. When you win a state championship, your team wins that championship. It’s no longer about individuals, it’s about a team. To be able to win this state championship is as exciting as it gets.”
What makes this victory even more exciting is that Hansen is the lone senior on the team. She has been the heart and soul of the Irish program each of the last four years. Her leadership and tenacity will be missed, but with the likes of Averi Gamble, Riley Terwilliger, and Lexie Methner returning next season, her loss won’t sting as much.
For coach Damon Brown, the idea of winning the Class D championship really hasn’t sunk in yet. “Wow – that’s all I can say is wow. We’ve been in battles like this all season, so we never worried. We had faith in ourselves and faith in our program. We never cracked, and we got it done.”
Terwilliger, a junior, made sure the fans kept cheering late in the fourth quarter when she gave the Irish the lead on a corner three-pointer with 25 seconds left. The play was set up after a timeout.
“The shot was there and I took it,” Terwilliger said. “I just decided to either take the jumper or look for Averi [Gamble], and I was wide open, so I just took the jumper. I was kind of shocked, because I thought it was going to be short and I would airball it. When my shot’s not falling, I don’t stop shooting, because that’s not going to help at all. You don’t stop shooting or believing in yourself, you keep shooting.”
Sacred Heart secured its victory moments later, sparking a massive celebration among the players and coaches along with the entire Sacred Heart community in attendance as well as those who could not attend around the state and country.
Hansen and Graham provided a potent 1-2 punch in the win. Gamble finished the game with 25 points, and Hansen added 14. Terwilliger came alive in the fourth quarter and scored 11.
With Hansen directing traffic and leading by example, her teammates followed her to the ultimate prize.
Coming from a very athletic family, Hansen shined on the state’s biggest stage. Her mom, Kelly Epple-Hansen, was humbled by her daughter’s and the team’s performance.
“I couldn’t be happier for my daughter and all of the things she has been able to accomplish over the last four years,” Epple-Hansen said. “This is extra special, as she did it with her team. All of the individual recognitions are nice, but to lift that trophy with your team is extra special.”
Indeed it is.