Central Lake battles in foul-plagued road loss at Gaylord St. Mary's

GAYLORD, Mich. — Central Lake (10-7, 7-7 SV) stayed within striking distance for three quarters before a decisive fourth-quarter surge by Gaylord St. Mary's (20-1, 15-0 SV) handed the Trojans a 62-37 loss Monday night in conference girls basketball action.

The game swung for good in the second and fourth quarters, when the Snowbirds used repeated trips to the free-throw line to create separation. Gaylord St. Mary's outscored Central Lake 20-8 in the second quarter to take control at halftime, then closed the night with a 17-4 edge in the fourth to pull away. The Trojans kept the margin manageable in the first (12-8) and third (13-17) quarters but could not overcome the lopsided foul situation.

Gaylord St. Mary's shot 37 free throws to the Trojans’ 7, forcing Central Lake to juggle lineups throughout the night. Despite the foul trouble, the Trojans opened with energy, leading 12-8 after the first quarter and matching the Snowbirds’ pace through much of the first half. The second-quarter whistle barrage, however, shifted momentum and put Central Lake in a double-digit hole it could not erase.

Joelyssa Hayden led Central Lake with 12 points and 3 rebounds, providing consistent scoring to keep the Trojans within reach. Aspen Evans turned in an all-around effort with 9 points, 5 rebounds, and 2 steals, helping Central Lake generate key defensive stops, particularly in the third quarter when the Trojans put together their best offensive stretch of the night with 13 points.

Myla Hibbard added 8 points and 4 rebounds for the Trojans, giving Central Lake another reliable option in the half-court offense. Abby Miller chipped in 6 points, 4 rebounds, and 2 steals, contributing on both ends as Central Lake tried to withstand St. Mary’s pressure and frequent trips to the line. Claire Shooks scored 2 points, while Maleeya Hibbard impacted the game as a distributor and rebounder, finishing with 5 assists and 5 boards. Charleanne Gotlz added 3 rebounds.

Central Lake’s staff noted the 10-day break between games as a concern coming in, but the Trojans responded with strong effort and competitiveness throughout, despite the final margin. The score, they said, did not fully reflect how hard Central Lake fought while navigating foul trouble against a team that lived at the free-throw line.

The Trojans will look to build on Monday’s stretches of efficient offense and resilient defense as they travel to Inland Lakes tonight before wrapping up the regular season on Thursday, at home against Pellston.