Local Sports: Bedford finds 'perfect storm' with man defense

Perhaps Bedford's girls basketball team was trying to send coach Bill Ryan a message.

Ryan says his team doesn't play a lot of man-to-man defense.

The Mules went to man defense Friday night against Monroe and made a powerful case that they should be doing it more often.

Bedford allowed a single point in each of the first two quarters and didn't give up a basket until the 1:59 mark of the third quarter in rolling to a 50-7 victory.

“I feel like it was kind of the perfect storm,” Ryan said. “We caught them on a night that they were not playing to their full potential and we came out breathing fire.”

It took Monroe nearly five minutes before it could get off its first shot. It was late in the third quarter after Bedford had triggered the running clock mercy rule before Delaney Willey hit a 3-pointer for Monroe's first basket.

“The girls were kind of in their element,” Ryan said of his 20-1 team. “We haven't played man in a while.”

Bedford needs a win Tuesday against Ypsilanti Lincoln to clinch a least a share of the Southeastern Conference Red championship. The Mules have not captured a league title since 2009.

“We've been the bridesmaid several times,” Ryan said.

Payton Pudlowski led Bedford with 15 points and Peyton Behnke added 10.

Monroe dipped to 6-14.

“This was not fun at all, but I enjoy my girls,” Monroe coach John Mason said. “I am proud of them for facing their fears and going out there and playing.”

BEDFORD: Stelmaszak 0 2-4 2, Fulop 1 0-0 2, A. Gray 1 (1) 0-0 3, Pudlowski 6 (2) 1-2 15, Morse 1 0-0 2, Hensley 1 1-2 3, Behnke 2 (2) 4-4 10, V. Gray 3 1-4 7, Mullins 2 (1) 1-2 6. Totals 17 (6) 10-18 50.

MONROE: D. Willey 1 (1) 0-0 3, M. Willey 1 0-0 2, Leach 0 1-2 1, Aulph 0 1-2 1. Totals 2 (1) 2-4 7.

GIRLS BASKETBALL

Airport offense soars

Airport posted its second-highest scoring effort of the season to sweep past New Boston Huron 65-50 Friday night.

Olivia Gratz scored 27 points, while Peyton Zajac and Brenna Baker added 13 points apiece to help the Jets take control of the game in the first half. Airport led 40-28 at halftime.

Airport coach Darrell Mossburg also praised the performance of Rae Ann Drummond and Cecelia Ortega.

"Our two guards, Liv and Peyton, played their best games of the year," Mossburg said. "They pushed tempo, distributed the ball, rebounded, and kept people in front of them. Rae and Cecelia played their best games and we got Brenna back in the line up and she knocked down some shots and that’s what we’ve been looking for − consistent smart basketball."

Lila Clements (14 points) and Gabby Emelian (10) led Huron.

AIRPORT: Gratz 10 (2) 5-8 27, B. Baker 5 (1) 2-3 13, Zajac 5 (1) 2-2 13, Drummond 3 0-1 6, Toth 0 1-2 1, Lemke 0 1-2 1, Mumbower 1 (1) 0-0 3. Totals 24 (5) 11-18 65.

NEW BOSTON HURON: Cassette 4 (1) 0-0 9, Beddow 0 1-2 1, Emelian 4 (1) 1-4 10, L. Clements 3 (1) 7-8 14, Mentzer 1 2-2 4, Leporowski 2 (1) 0-0 5, Chaffin 2 0-0 4. Totals 16 (4) 11-16 50.

Ida falls in fourth

CLINTON − Clinton erased a 7-point deficit to start the fourth quarter and rallied for a 46-42 victory over Ida Friday night.

Clinton led 22-20 at halftime, but Clare Allen put Ida over the top with an early 3-pointer and set off a 17-8 run to put the Blue Streaks in the lead.

Ida committed 8 turnovers in the fourth.

"We picked a bad time to lose our focus," Ida coach Tim Leonard said. "At this point in the season we should have done a better job of finishing out the game."

Jessica Schrader scored 16 points to lead Ida, which fell to 13-7 overall.

Ida's JV defeated Clinton 57-52 in overtime. Rylee Shaffer had 14 and Olivia Scheer 13 for Ida.

CLINTON: Sierer 6 (1) 2-4 15, E. Frederick 1 0-0 2, B. Frederick 5 2-2 12, Kranz 3 2-5 8, Livingston 2 (1) 4-5 9. Totals 17 (2) 10-16 46.

IDA: Liechty 1 0-0 2, Hennessey 1 1-4 3, Allen 2 (2) 0-0 6, Schrader 7 (1) 1-5 16, Albring 4 (1) 0-0 9, LaRoy 2 2-6 6. Totals 17 (4) 4-15 42.

Dundee falls short

HILLSDALE − An 11-1 run at the end of the second quarter put Dundee in a difficult position as Hillsdale pulled out a 49-42 win Friday night.

Hillsdale took a 26-16 lead into halftime and then held off the Vikings as they tried to climb out of that hole in the second half.

"We just couldn't come back," Dundee coach Josh Salley said. "The girls have been playing with tons of heart and effort and I’m proud of them even know the wins and losses don’t show it. They have improved so much this year."

Faith Stahl led Dundee with a career-high 16 points.

HILLSDALE: Dietz 1 1-2 3, Arnold 3 (1) 0-0 7, Aube 1 0-0 2, Rufenacht 5 6-10 16, Terpening 2 (1) 1-2 6, Brown 5 3-6 13, Hoffman 1 0-0 2. Totals 17 (2) 11-20 49.

DUNDEE: Parry 1 2-2 4, Borg 3 0-0 6, Imo 0 3-8 3, Rath 3 1-2 7, Stahl 6 (1) 3-6 16, M. Salenbien 2 0-2 4, E. Salenbien 1 0-0 2. Totals 16 (1) 9-20 42.

This article originally appeared on The Monroe News: Local Sports: Bedford finds 'perfect storm' with man defense