J-L Cardinals 2007-08 Varsity Basketball Team
REGIONAL CHAMPIONS!

Top coach Huff has built strong program
Gaylord Herald Times 3/19/08

It was a year to remember for the fans and players of the Johannesburg-Lewiston girls basketball. But perhaps nobody enjoyed the ride to the Class D quarterfinals more than coach Heather Huff. It is Huff who built this program from the ground up, waiting for her young team to grow up so she could reap the benefits. That she did, as the Cardinals won 22 games and embarked upon a magical run that saw them capture both the district and regional title.

And with just one senior starter graduating, expect much of the same
for J-L. Huff has crafted her team in the mold of the team she played on in the late 1980s, where the Cardinals also advanced to the quarterfinal. The Cardinals were a relentless, scrappy bunch that pressured the opposition with their intense ball pressure. Huff, and her assistants who have helped build the program, deserve credit for engineering one of northern Michigan’s best stories — one whose final chapters are yet to be written.

 

Obstacles can’t stop House from success
By Jeremy Speer, Sports Editor ~ Gaylord Herald Times

JOHANNESBURG —  She was small and couldn’t finish a set of sprints without breathing difficulty.

Johannesburg-Lewiston’s Ashlie House certainly didn’t look like a star athlete in middle school.

Her mother thought she was out of shape, but House wasn’t sure why she had trouble keeping up with the other kids.

The doctor intervened and the truth was found — House had asthma.

Three years later, House still battles the asthma and hasn’t really grown much taller (she stands about 5-foot-4). But, through hard-work and heart, House is now the lifeblood of the highly-successful Johannesburg-Lewiston girls basketball team.

Her skills as the Cardinals’ point guard earned her Class D all-state status as a junior. And it has also earned her the Herald Times Player of the Year distinction.

“It makes me feel good when people look up to me,” said House. “I wouldn’t take back a thing. I may be the shortest person out there, but people are surprised by my vertical. They don’t know I can jump.” House can jump, pass, dribble, defend, shoot and do about anything else for the Cardinals, who advanced to their first quarterfinal since 1999. She averaged more than 16 points, five rebounds, five steals and three assists in her third season as a starting guard.

“She’s come a long way since her freshman year,” said J-L coach Heather Huff. “She takes it upon herself to make sure everybody has what they need and is a leader by her actions.”

She’s done all that with asthma. Occasionally, you’ll see House leave the game for a brief time and wonder why. That’s the special code House has with Huff when she needs a quick breather.

The big difference between House’s first two years on varsity and this season was her increased role as a leader. She was commonly found huddling the J-L team together, offering them direction and encouragement.

“I’ve tried to become more of a leader,” she said. “I try to be outspoken and try to take charge. I want my team to look up to me and be able to control the game.”

When Huff looks at House, she sometimes sees herself. Huff, then Heather Townsend, was also an excellent point guard who led the Cardinals to the quarterfinals. She scored 1,000 points in her career, despite not being big in statue. With just 168 more points next season, House, too, will hit the impressive mark.

“It definitely reminds me when she drives to the basket and wants the ball in clutch situations,” Huff said. “We both had high expectations for ourselves.”

With the Cardinals returning every starter except forward Bridget Fisher, another deep run is possible next season.

House will continue to be the engine of a train she hopes will lead all the way to the state finals at Eastern Michigan University.

“We now know what to expect in a big-game situation,” House said. “I’m looking forward to it.”

The future certainly appears bright for House, a 3.8 grade-point student who is the daughter of Gary and Kellie House. She wants to play college basketball, and given her drive, it is almost certain to happen.

The small kid with the breathing problems has come full circle and is now the heart and soul of one of the state’s top teams.

The Cardinal Nation!



The J-L student section was out in full force during the past three weeks as the Cardinals were lifted by the spirit of their enthusiastic fans.
Gaylord Herald Times - Bill Serveny

Dear Johannesburg-Lewiston girls:

I would like to extend a sincere nod of appreciation to your fine ball club and to the captivating state tournament run you just finished. You are true ambassadors of your communities, Otsego County and to Northern Michigan as a whole.

The support you drummed up from your exciting style of basketball is something special. I would like to express my appreciation of the individual components of your impressive feat in the following paragraphs.

To Coach Heather Huff: Thank you for recapturing the magic you helped bring to this area as a star player in the 1980s. You brought the girls back to the same spot you were once at — the quarterfinals. You and your assistants from the high school level on down have helped transform a group of good athletes in to great basketball players. Your enthusiasm on the sideline is contagious, not to mention your love for Cardinal red.

To the “Cardinal Nation” of supporters: You were a living, breathing example of what makes high school sports so special. There are avenues in which a whole community band together. In this case, it was two communities — Johannesburg and Lewiston. You  showed up in droves to the district games, then to the regional games in Traverse City and to the quarterfinal, also in Traverse City. You exhibited unwavering support and unyielding excitement, while never compromising class or good taste. I loved the signs on M-32 leaving Johannesburg. To the student section: You proved yourself proud with bellowing cheers, with a flair for the creative. I’m not sure I’ve ever seen such support from a small school.

To senior Bridget Fisher: You were a rock through the entire tournament. You are a leader and the ultimate team player on a young group. As one of the team’s few seniors, you will be sorely missed next season. Thank you for helping to bring this program to a new level and for paving future success.

To junior all-state guard Ashlie House: You wear your heart on your sleeve, and therefore are one of most enjoyable players I’ve ever seen. What you don’t have in size, you make up for in skill, hustle and leadership. You had a truly magical season and always hit the big shot when it was needed. To the rest of the “Wild Cards”, who have 11 returning players: Each of you contributed at some point during the tournament. You have great depth and skill and if there were ever a time for the future looking bright, it is now. You gained valuable experience in a big-game atmosphere and the loss to Sacred Heart shows you exactly where you need to be in the future. You have incredible talent and with hard work and dedication this off season, it can be you heading to the state finals at Eastern Michigan.

To all the Cardinal fans, players and coaches: It was a pleasure following you throughout this season and into the playoffs. In a sports world dominated by headlines of steroids and Spygate, you are true beacons of hope. Thank you for doing us all proud and I can’t wait to see what you have in store for the future.

Sincerely,

A Johannesburg-Lewiston basketball fan

State-finalist Sacred Heart too much to handle
By Jeremy Speer, HT Sports Editor

TRAVERSE CITY — In the end of what was a magical run, the Johannesburg-Lewiston girls didn’t go down without a fight.

Still, mighty Mount Pleasant Sacred Heart was just too much, as the Irish moved on a 59-39 victory Tuesday at Traverse City West High School.

The No. 5-ranked Irish defeated Cedarville in Thursday’s Class D semifinal and will play in Saturday’s 10 a.m. championship against New Lothrop, televised on Fox Sports Detroit.

They featured senior Kelsey DeNoyelles, a Ferris State-bound forward, who was named the state’s Class D player of the year.

“Their size may have intimidated us a little bit,” said J-L coach Heather Huff. “Even their guards a pretty big and they play tough defense. When you have pressure defense like that, it’s hard to get shots to fall.”

The nerves showed in the first half, when the Irish (23-1) opened up a 19-7 lead after the first quarter and 35-15 advantage at halftime.

It was a classic example of a seasoned team with plenty of big-game experience taking on the upstart underdog. “We just couldn’t get our shots for fall,” Huff said. “We forced more shots than we should have. I think we may have had a lot of nerves because we are so young.”

J-L (22-4) started to frustrate the mistake-sparing Irish in the third quarter, when the Cardinals high-octane offense finally began to click. A pair of free throws by senior Bridget Fisher capped an 8-0 run, that brought J-L within 13 at the 1:04 mark.

“I’m proud of my team because we kept fighting,” Huff said. “We talked at halftime about taking it one point at a time.”

DeNoyelles did what great players do best, she quelled the run by hitting a basket shortly thereafter, before canning the first two shots of the fourth quarter.

Without barely blinking, Sacred Heart had increased its lead back to 19 points.

In a gesture pointing toward the future, Huff made sure each player on her 13-deep bench saw the floor in the fourth quarter, so they could taste the big-game atmosphere.

With just one senior starter graduating, Huff knows the Cardinals could be in a similar position next season.

“It’s huge to get the experience,” she said. “We know what the pressure is like and we need to grow from it so that we’ll be back strong next year.”

DeNoyelles led Sacred Heart with 20 point while Maureen Riley added 14 points and Rachel Jaksa and Chelsea Mills each had seven.

Fisher, the team’s lone graduating senior, led the Cardinals with 14 points while junior Ashlie House added nine points and sophomore Stephanie Fisher six.

The Cardinals made the trek this morning to the see the state final game between Sacred Heart and New Lothrop, giving them a glance of an even bigger stage — one which they’ll again aim for next season.

House makes Class D all-state list
Gaylord Herald Times 3/8/08

JOHANNESBURG — Johannesburg-Lewiston junior Ashlie House isn’t big in stature, but she more than makes up for it with a big stat line.

The Cardinals’ leader in scoring, assists and steals was recognized by the Associated Press as a Class D Honorable Mention pick this week.

House, the team’s point guard, averaged more than 16 points, five rebounds and five steals per game.

She also averaged more than three assists for the Cardinals, who advanced to the Class D quarterfinal, before falling to Mount Pleasant Sacred Heart.

“It wasn’t my goal — I wasn’t expecting an honor like that,” said House. “I just put in so much extra time in the summer in preparation for the season that it is nice to be recognized. It’s great that people can see the improvement I’ve made.”

House is a three-year starting point guard for the Cardinals and developed into the team’s leader both vocally and by action, this season.

“I’ve learned to take charge,” she said. “I’ve been more outspoken and tried to become more of a leader.” House’s quarterfinal foe, Sacred Heart senior Kelsey DeNoyelles, was named the Class D Player of the Year.

Representing the Ski Valley Conference on the All-State first team was Central Lake freshman Jasmine Hines, who averaged more than 30 points per game.

Also on the first team was Stephanie Pung from Portland St. Patrick, Laura Karsten from Muskegon West Michigan Christian, Megan Bement from Burton Genessee Christian, Sammy Theut from Marine City Cardinal Mooney, Ashley Bauman from Manistee Catholic Central, Bianca Barton from Birmingham Roeper, Kayla Gross from New Lothrop and Jessica Roell from Iron Mountain North Dickinson.

Roeper’s Ernie Righetti was named the Coach of the Year.

Joining House on the Honorable Mention list from the Ski Valley was Onaway’s Allie Nave and Megan Murphy and Bellaire’s Molly Poel.

Updated 3/20/08
Back to Top