WARREN — Expectations were high for a dramatic showdown between two high-flying girls basketball teams.
Orchard Lake St. Mary’s Prep started the season winning its first four games by an average score of 68 to 21. One game was 62-9! Two days after Christmas, Saginaw Heritage clipped the Eaglets’ wings, 50-32.
In the first game of the new year, Farmington Hills Mercy roared out to a 15-5 first quarter lead. St. Mary’s responded with its own roar, outscoring the Marlins 40-18 over the next three quarters for a 45-33 victory.
Regina won seven games in a row by an average score of 65-37 behind the sharpshooting of sophomore point guard Emersen Holder, who scored 34 points in the season opener.
On Dec. 17, 2025, in a 78-27 win against Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook Kingswood, Holder recorded a quadruple-double, so defined as having double digit stats in four categories. Hers were 26 points, 10 rebounds, 10 assists and 10 steals.
The quad-double is a rare accomplishment: only four times in the NBA’s 75-year history and five times in college.
In Michigan high schools, Geoff Kimmerly, director of communications of the Michigan High School Athletic Association, said, “Definitely rare. Looking through our archives, it looks like I’ve run across about one per season for girls basketball over the last five seasons or so. Not that that’s at all scientific.”
So, the stage was set for St. Mary’s and Regina to face each other Jan. 6 at Regina. And, as it so often happens, expectations fell short.
As did St. Mary’s first eight shots while Holder had a basket and a triple and guard Lily Hansen a pair of triples to build a 10-0 lead for Regina in the first 8 minutes.
Then, a drastic change in momentum. The Eaglets went on a 20-7 charge for a 20-17 halftime advantage that they never relinquished for an eventual 47-43 victory.
“It's starting to become a habit,” coach Brad Crighton said. “Our last three games, we've been doing that. We dug ourselves holes. We came out of them, but we just can't keep doing that to ourselves. So I've got to do a better job getting them ready at the start.”
Regina lost its swagger from its fast start, at times playing out of control.
“This is (a case of) trying to do a little too much,” coach Joe Charrette said. “We didn't have good spacing. And every time we do that, nothing good comes out of it and then we take a bad shot. Yeah, and then we take a good shot. They’re great kids. They play extremely hard for me.”
St. Mary’s extended its lead to 12 points (34-22) with two minutes left in the third quarter, then saw the advantage reduced to three points (46-43) with 21 seconds left in the game.
Holder’s desperate triple to tie the score bounced off the rim. Allie Crighton’s free throw settled the decision for the Eaglets.
Brooke Shockey, at 6-foot-1 and the only senior on St. Mary’s squad, had 13 points in the pivotal second half and a team-leading 17 and dominated the boards with 13 rebounds. Allie Crighton had 14 points that included three triples.
Holder took command of the Saddlelites offense in the second half, scoring 17 of her game-high 22 points. Seniors Sami Thomas had 10 points and six rebounds and Caroline Torey nine rebounds.
St. Mary’s (2-0; overall 6-1) sits atop the Catholic High School League Central West Division. Regina is a half-game behind at 2-1 (7-1) followed by Mercy 1-1 (4-1), Dearborn Divine Child 1-2 (4-3) and Bloomfield Hills Marian 0-2 (0-5).
Toledo Notre Dame Academy reigns the Central East Division with a 2-0 league (6-4 overall) record. Jackson Lumen Christi follows with a 1-0 (5-1) record, Ann Arbor Fr. Gabriel Richard 2-1 (4-2), Toledo Central Catholic 0-2 (5-5) and Toledo St. Ursula Academy 0-2 (6-5).
The West and East division winners will vie for the Cardinal Division championship on Saturday, Feb. 21.
Contact Don Horkey at [email protected].
