MICDS' Five Point Victory Over Villa Duchesne Sends Rams To Title Game

When the Villa Duchesne basketball team emerged from their lower level locker-room at MICDS in the district semifinals, they were greeted by their fans with a round of applause. Their coach Jane Ellen Kuenzle couldn’t agree more. The Saints, who wound up 15-9 and lost to the Rams,41-36 were holding their heads high. The Rams meet Westminster Christian for the second year in a row for the title game, Friday night at 6 p.m.

MICDS, which came out flat in the first half and trailed by as much as 12-4 and 12-6 the end of the first quarter.

“Jane really gets her team ready to play. They came out strong in the first half,” said victorious coach Scott Small.

Emily Kyman, sophomore guard was the primary leader for the victory. She scored 20 points to lead all scorers.

“Oh yea, she really stepped up,” said senior forward Campbell Torchin. Torchin and junior guard Cameron Jackson did not score at all until the fourth quarter.

Early in the fourth, Jackson followed up on a missed shot to give the Rams a 31-25 point lead. Torchin then scored for the first time, and with 5:20 left, they had essentially enough points to hang onto the win.

The game ended very close. Senior Kaitleya Frost stepped up and hit a big three pointer, narrowing the lead to 36-34 Rams. With 36.8 points left and after a wild floor scramble, Villa was left in a position to force overtime. Frost fired up a three point shot, and if good would have tied the game at 36-all.

Torchin then calmly dropped in two free throws with 11.3 seconds left to secure the victory and to improve the record to 19-5 and push the team into Friday’s championship game.

Really, MICDS was not looking past Villa for another shot at Westminster. They are a very good team and we expected a very big challenge,” said Torchin. “We’ve been able to keep our composure all season long and that helped,” she said.

Small likes the rivalry with Villa. “They are just up the road. We are in the same league. It seems like we’re playing them six times a year,” said Small.

Kuenzle had her take on the game. “They hit 12 of 14 free throws. They hit a series of shots we could not overcome. I need to find some girls who will go out in the summer and get on the shooting machine. However, I’m proud of my team and they gave us a great season.”