Ida looks to get even with Dundee after dropping first meeting
This is Tim Leonard’s 33rd season as Ida’s girls basketball coach.
Dundee’s Jay Briggs is a first-year coach.
Despite the difference in experience, Briggs boasts a perfect record against Leonard. His Vikings earned a 42-36 win when the teams played on Dec. 15.
He is one of the few coaches in the state that is undefeated against Leonard.
“I hadn’t thought of that,” Briggs said with a laugh.
The first-year coach has a lot of respect for the veteran.
“It’s definitely interesting going against him,” Briggs said. “I have two older sisters and one of them played basketball. I remember going to her games and seeing her go against him.”
Leonard will get another shot at Briggs on Friday night when Dundee visits Ida.
“First of all, give credit to Dundee,” Leonard said of that first meeting with the Vikings. “They are playing a lot better than last year. They have good kids and some good athletes who haven’t played basketball in the past.”
Leonard was referring to swimmer Joslyn Ball, volleyball and softball star Kennedy Irwin and volleyball standout Briley Bordine.
Briggs isn’t taking the credit for bringing those athletes to basketball.
“Honestly, I didn’t do too much,” he said. “Once I got the job, I heard that they were thinking about coming back out. I just made sure to get the word out to them.
“They came to the first couple of things in the summer and wanted to try out. They are very good athletes and honestly all good girls. They have a good attitude.”
That attitude has contributed to more success.
Dundee, which finished last season with a 2-19 record, is off to a 5-4 start under its new coach. The Vikings have posted wins in their past two games.
“We’re still learning,” Briggs said. “I knew that would happen at the start of the year. A lot of girls are coming together and playing together for the first time. We’ve had some close battles. We’re learning to close out games.”
That seems to be the case as well for 7-3 Ida, which comes into the week with three straight wins and five victories in its past six games.
The Blue Streaks are led by junior Jessica Schrader, who leads the Monroe County Region with an average of 16.9 points per game.
“I think we’re coming together a little bit,” Leonard said. “We’re involving all five players on the floor. Sometimes (earlier in the season), we were only looking for Jess and struggled to get everyone involved. Now, we’re doing a better job of distributing the ball and looking for other people."
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The last two games are a perfect example of that.
Reese Hennessey scored a season-high 12 points and McKenna Tarry hit a game-winning shot against Erie Mason on Tuesday and Kayla Liechty drilled four 3-pointers on the way to a career-high 18 points Friday against Clinton.
“You can’t have just one person,” Leonard said. “Everybody knows the person they have to stop.”
But it’s difficult not to lean on Schrader with the way she has been playing this season.
“Especially in going to the basket, she’s a lot more confident,” Leonard said. “She’s attacking the basket off the dribble.”
Briggs says he has seen a lot of improvement in Ida since his team played the Blue Streaks last month.
“It will be interesting the second time around,” he said. “It looks like they are moving the ball a little better and playing much better defense. They’ve had a lot of close games. They are handling the pressure moments better.”
Both teams have Lenawee County Athletic Association games on Tuesday before they can concentrate on their Friday clash.
Dundee will entertain Onsted and Ida hosts Hudson.
“We haven’t seem them this year,” Leonard said of Hudson. “It’s kind of late in the year to be getting to the second round (of league play). Team-wise, they are a lot like us.”
The week of girls basketball in the Monroe County Region begins tonight with New Boston Huron at SMCC, Grosse Ile at Airport, Milan at Flat Rock, Riverview at Jefferson and Summerfield at Britton Deerfield.
Whiteford hosts Erie Mason for a Tri-County Conference clash Tuesday. Other games that night are Ann Arbor Skyline at Monroe, Bedford at Saline and Gibraltar Carlson at Southgate Anderson.
A busy Thursday slate features Monroe at Ann Arbor Pioneer, Jefferson at SMCC, Lincoln Park at Gibraltar Carlson, Britton Deerfield at Erie Mason, Riverview at Flat Rock, Milan at Grosse Ile and Summerfield at Sand Creek.
Bedford visits Dexter Friday in a matchup of the last two unbeaten teams in Southeastern Conference Red play.
Airport will host New Boston Huron that night.
TEAM RECORDS
Bedford 7-1
SMCC 8-2
Airport 7-3
Ida 7-3
Dundee 5-4
New Boston Huron 5-4
Whiteford 5-4
Gibraltar Carlson 6-5
Summerfield 6-5
Flat Rock 5-5
Monroe 4-6
Milan 3-6
Jefferson 4-8
Erie Mason 2-7
SCORING LEADERS
Jessica Schrader, Ida 16.9
Malea Wourman, Milan 15.2
Lila Clements, Huron 14.9
Olivia Gratz, Airport 13.8
Sophia Bussell, Monroe 12.7
Payton Pudlowski, Bedford 12.6
Abby Carafelli, Carlson 12.4
Emily Rasor, Whiteford 11.6
Lily Klein, Flat Rock 11.5
Brenna Baker, Airport 10.4
Jillian Baker, Airport 10.3
Victoria Gray, Bedford 10.3
Emily Hill, Whiteford 10.1
Brooke Mossburg, SMCC 10.1
Marissa Beck, Milan 10.0
Jaeli Jones, Summerfield 9.7
Mayley Mannebach, Sum. 9.6
Addison Kopp, Flat Rock 9.5
Bailey Meiring, Mason 9.5
Nyah Mullins, Bedford 9.4
Gracie Jones, Jefferson 9.3
Zoie Stubleski, Mason 9.3
Mia Miller, Summerfield 9.2
This article originally appeared on The Monroe News: Dundee and Ida will write the next chapter in their rivalry Friday
