So far so good for the Powers Catholic girls basketball team. As of March 3, the Chargers have clipped to a 20-2 record, won the Saginaw Valley League South, and picked up wins over Caro, Mt. Morris, and Frankenmuth to win the district title.
“Our defensive and transition parts of our game stand out as team identity, but our ability to have a balanced attack from multiple players makes us hard to defend,” third-year head coach Thom Staudacher said.
After finishing as class B runner-up a season ago, the Chargers dropped an early season game to Farmington Hills Mercy and then won 14 games in a row before a loss to Nouvel Catholic Central on Feb. 17. They went a perfect 10-0 in SVL South play.
It’s the balanced attack that Staudacher credits with a large part of his team’s success. Seniors Ally Haran and Mick Coury (Lake Superior State University commit) both average over 11 points a game, fellow senior Sara Ruhstorfer averages 9.6, Francesca Coury has added 8.1 points a game as a sophomore, and freshman Rachel Phillpotts has averaged 4.7.
“Haran is our best all-around athlete who is sometimes overlooked with basketball award recognitions,” Staudacher said. “She is one of our MVPs, and she is critical to our success. Mick Coury is a standout post player, and I would consider her one of the best in the state. Ruhstorfer is clutch when we need it, both on offense and defense. She has a basketball mind like no other.
“Francesca Coury’s high school career is just starting to get rolling as a sophomore,” Staudacher continued. “While versatile in many positions, her ability to create shots off the dribble or controlling the offense are areas she continues to improve on. Phillpotts is our most improved player, even as a freshman. She has been providing consistent defense when we need it while providing offense when we expect her to. It didn’t take long to understand she will be a special player for years to come.”
Although the Chargers run to the state title game last year may not have much to do with this season’s campaign, the coach is hoping to draw upon the experience.
“The two seasons don’t really compare,” Staudacher said. “Last year, early on we tried to find our identify, and it didn’t happen until the Midland game in January… This year, we know our identity but sometimes lose focus because we are worried about our personal performance, or we are looking too far ahead. We need to make certain we only focus on one game at a time.”
With its balanced attack and its one-game-at-a-time vision, Powers could be well on its way to another deep run this month, and Staudacher is hoping to get over the hump and win the state championship.
“We need a little bit of luck, focus on one game at a time, and we need to play together as a team,” he said. “One of our team goals is to win the state championship, but we have to go through a lot of great teams, players, and coaches. The best part of this game is that it’s one-and-done type format, so anything can happen.”
Powers was scheduled to play Croswell-Lexington March 4. A win there would set up a rematch against Goodrich, the team that beat the Chargers in last year’s state final. Goodrich is led by all-everything guard Tania Davis and is looking to win its third consecutive Class B title this season.