Thanks to impressive freshman campaign, Cheboygan’s Rupp makes All-SAC girls first team
ST. IGNACE – As a freshman, Cheboygan’s Cloee Rupp made a huge impression on the basketball court.
And plenty around the Straits Area Conference noticed.
After a terrific first high school season, Rupp was recently named to the All-SAC girls basketball first team. During her freshman campaign, Rupp averaged 8.8 points, 7.9 rebounds and three steals per game in SAC play for Cheboygan, which finished with 11 victories on the season, six more than 2022-23.
Making the SAC’s second team was senior Bella Ecker, Cheboygan’s top player in the frontcourt. Cheboygan players receiving honorable mention nods were senior Emily Clark and sophomore Jaelyn Wheelock. Senior Kinsey Carpenter and sophomore Olivia Patrick secured spots on the SAC’s all-defensive team.
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Winning the SAC’s player of the year award was Sault Ste. Marie freshman Piper Bell, who averaged 12.3 points, 6.3 rebounds, 3.5 steals and 2.6 assists for the Blue Devils, who won the conference with a 6-0 record. The defensive player of the year honor went to St. Ignace junior Jillian Frasier, who averaged 17.2 points, 7.1 steals, 5.6 assists and 4.9 rebounds in conference play. Each player made the SAC first team. Rounding out the SAC first team were Newberry’s Lucy Rabichova and Allie Whalen and Sault Ste. Marie’s Liza Fazzari.
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Sault Ste. Marie’s Danica Bergeron, Isabella Dewildt, St. Ignace’s Addison Cullen, and Newberry’s Elisa Rizzoli all made the SAC second team. Allison Cece (St. Ignace), Gracie Taylor (Newberry) and Bella Smith (Sault Ste. Marie) were also recognized as SAC honorable mentions. The rest of the SAC’s all-defensive team consisted of Rabichova, Dewildt and Cece.
2023-24 All-SAC Girls Basketball Team
First Team
Piper Bell, Sault Ste. Marie, Freshman, PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Lucy Rabichova, Newberry, Senior
Jillian Frasier, St. Ignace, Junior
Allie Whalen, Newberry, Junior
Cloee Rupp, Cheboygan, Freshman
Liza Fazzari, Sault Ste. Marie, Senior
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Second Team
Addison Cullen, St. Ignace, Junior
Danica Bergeron, Sault Ste. Marie, Junior
Elisa Rizzoli, Newberry, Senior
Bella Ecker, Cheboygan, Senior
Isabella Dewildt, Sault Ste. Marie, Senior
Honorable Mention
Allison Cece, St. Ignace, Senior
Jaelyn Wheelock, Cheboygan, Sophomore
Gracie Taylor, Newberry, Senior
Bella Smith, Sault Ste. Marie, Junior
Emily Clark, Cheboygan, Senior
All-Defensive Team
Jillian Frasier, St. Ignace, Junior
Lucy Rabichova, Newberry, Senior
Kinsey Carpenter, Cheboygan, Senior
Isabella Dewildt, Sault Ste. Marie, Senior
Olivia Patrick, Cheboygan, Sophomore
Allison Cece, St. Ignace, Senior
Defensive Player of the Year
Jillian Frasier, St. Ignace
Cardinal Painting repeats as SAMHL champions
CHEBOYGAN – Call it a repeat for the Cardinal Painting hockey team, which captured a second consecutive Straits Area Men’s Hockey League (SAMHL) title with a 3-2 victory over Modern Pharmacy at the Cheboygan Ice Pavilion on Sunday, March 17.
Members of the Cardinal Painting team were Gary Perina, Tyler Baldwin, Gavin Armstrong, Carl Bartholomew, Chris Grice, Seth Duncan, Dale Hall, Steve Warren, Shawn Connors, Joe Derry, Alan Myers, Mike Archinal, Robert Chambers, Isaac Chasse, Keith Carson and Jordan Yost.
Contact sports editor Jared Greenleaf at jgreenleaf@gannett.com. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter @sportsCDT
This article originally appeared on Cheboygan Daily Tribune: Cheboygan's Rupp makes All-SAC basketball first team, Cardinal Painting wins SAMHL title again
