LMC teams hoping to regroup for conference championship

LMC teams hoping to regroup

for conference championship

By Tom O’Neill

            Lake Michigan College lost two games to Ancilla College, Wednesday, both with pairing implications for the Red Hawks in the MCCAA Western Conference Tournament. The women lost to Chargers 59-54 and the men, 123-65.

            Ancilla’s win broke a third place tie with LMC, dropping the Lady Red Hawks into fourth place. LMC finished 11-5 in the conference, 20-8 overall while the Chargers were 12-4, 22-5 overall. Lake Michigan will host Lansing (7-9/13-14) in the first round game, Tuesday, at 7 PM.

            LMC Coach Patrick Daniel said “while we are disappointed with the loss, we now focus on what we have worked for all season, a home playoff game. I know we will be ready.”

            The Red Hawks were 2-0 against Lansing in the regular season, beating the Stars 82-60 at home and 69-60 at Lansing. LMC, in the past five years, has averaged 13 conference wins a season and 25 overall wins. This year’s team is led by Buchanan native, Jade Mosier. Mosier is averaging 19.2 points and 12.8 rebounds a game. Freshman Emily Atsinger is at 14.4 points and sophomore Raasheedah Harris is averaging 11.0.  Lansing’s leading scorer is sophomore Kelsey Finch, averaging 18.8 points.

            The men will face Jackson CC on the road Tuesday. Wednesday’s loss to Ancilla dropped LMC into a three-way tie for fifth, finishing 10-8 in the conference and 14-15 overall. The Red Hawks were 1-1 against Jackson, their win a result of the Jets using an ineligible player.

            LMC’s loss was to Ancilla was their worst defeat of the season. The top-ranked Chargers (17-1/27-2) were upset, 94-92, at Grand Rapids, dropping them from the top spot nationally to number two. In their next three games the Chargers outscored teams by an average of 37 points. Ancilla will face Eastern Division champion, Henry Ford (13-3/22-6), Saturday.

            The Red Hawks are led by Niles sophomore Gavin Rassler. Rassler is averaging 20.1 points a game. Bryce Saxton, Deion Gatson and Malik Hall are also averaging double figures for LMC. The Jets are averaging 84 points a game to LMC’s 81. Brandon Thomas leads Jackson with 15.2 points a game.