The game was barely nine minutes old and already Hartland faced a possible knockout blow to the chin against archrival Howell.
Izzy DePestel, the heart and soul of this team, grimaced in pain as she lay under the basket with a throbbing right ankle. The gym grew silent as the fate of Depestel lay in the balance. She finally stood up after a few anxious moments and walked slowly to the bench.
The score was tied 9-9 at the time, but you can forget about winning if DePestel does not play. She not only stood up but she stood out and played a key role with 12 points in Hartland’s 43-33 district finals victory over nemesis Howell.
“There was no way I was not playing,” DePestel said. “I knew when I went down, I wanted back in the game because they’ve knocked us out the last two years.
Hartland stands today because DePestel is an emotional leader on this team. When she got back into the game, it sparked the rest of the girls.
Hartland stands today because Brin Neuer does not play like a freshman and stood toe to toe with Howell leading scorer Gabby Piepho. Hartland stands because senior Ava Mckaig grew tired of watching Howell end her season and played stellar defense. Howell has eliminated Hartland in the last two district finals. The angst against Howell’s seniors goes as far back as the third grade when Howell’s toddlers sent Hartland’s toddlers to the sidelines after tournaments both big and small and during the regular season in elementary school and middle school.
Hartland stands guard Kendall Nokovich played a smart end efficient game at point guard and fed her teammates. Things did not always go well. It never does against Howell. However, Hartland got through touch stretches with a minimum of panic and with a whole lot of spirit, something senior forward Kennedy Tucker said the team would need if it were to avenge two early season losses to Howell and two consecutive district championship games.
Hartland stands because Howell panicked and instead of shooting the basketball, shot putted the basketball.
Hartland stands because it withstood a 12-2 third quarter Howell run that turned an 18-12 halftime deficit into a 24-20 lead for Howell midway through the third quarter.
Depestel hit a pair of layups and Neuer canned a three-point shot to give Harland the lead for good – 26-24.
“We knew it was going to be hectic, and they would come out with a lot of energy,” Tucker said. “But I believe we stayed calm even when it got crazy.