Opening week of girls basketball delivered a little bit of everything — fast starts, big individual nights, and early signs of which teams are ready to make noise in league play. Shelby set the tone with a strong two-way win over Whitehall behind Jayna Burmeister’s monster double-double, while Fruitport showed grit in a season-opening victory over Montague with multiple players stepping up. Hart opened with a solid statement against Fremont, and Manistee proved it can finish tight games on the road. Meanwhile, Western Michigan Christian flipped the script after a close first quarter and pulled away from North Muskegon with a dominant middle stretch, rounding out an action-packed first week on the courts.
Shelby vs. Whitehall 46-26
Shelby opened the season with a 46-26 win over Whitehall, using a strong second quarter and a decisive third to pull away. The Tigers led 11-8 after one, stretched it to 24-14 at halftime, then won the third quarter 17-4 to take a 41-18 lead into the fourth.
Assists: Peyton Schultz 2; Emma Decker 2; Kayden Johnson 2; Clare Westerlund 1; Kate Beda 1
Next games
Shelby hosts Hart (Thu) for the WMC-Rivers opener
Whitehall hosts Western Michigan Christian (Fri)
Fruitport vs. Montague 35-25
Fruitport earned a 35-25 win over Montague by controlling the pace early and closing strong late. The Trojans led 10-7 after the first quarter and 21-14 at halftime. The third quarter was even (8-8), then Fruitport held Montague to three points in the fourth while finishing with the final push.
Fruitport contributors
Fruitport lost leading scorer Izzy Hanson-Wilbur to a leg injury early, but multiple players filled the gap.
Hart opened with a 54-40 win over Fremont, jumping ahead early and keeping control through four quarters. The Pirates led 14-6 after one and 28-17 at halftime, capitalizing on turnovers to maintain separation.
Fremont leaders
Taylor DeKuiper: 17 points, 15 rebounds, 7 steals
Anna Norris: 9 points
Esther Vissia: 8 points, 8 steals
Next games
Hart at Shelby (Thu) — WMC-Rivers opener
Fremont at Ludington (Thu) — WMC-Lakes opener
Manistee vs. Mason County Central 48-41
Manistee won 48-41 at Mason County Central behind balanced scoring and a strong fourth-quarter finish. The Spartans led 13-7 after one, but Manistee rallied to a 26-25 halftime edge. The game was tied 35-35 entering the fourth before Manistee closed on a 13-6 final-quarter advantage.
Manistee Leaders
Avamae Fett: 14 points
Shalyn Harmon: 12 points
Lindsey Gardner: 10 points
Mason County Central leaders
Jaycee Myer: 10 points
Sophia Quick: 8 points
Aubrey Chye: 6 points
Aarilyn O’Brien: 6 points
Next games
Manistee at Oakridge (Thu) — WMC-Lakes opener
Mason County Central hosts North Muskegon (Thu) — WMC-Rivers opener
Western Michigan Christian vsNorth Muskegon 53-26
The game started tight, with WMC edging ahead 13–8 after the first quarter. The Warriors then took control in the second and third quarters, ramping up defensive pressure and turning stops into offense. That surge became the defining stretch of the night, as WMC ripped off a 30–4 run to build a 43–12 lead heading into the fourth quarter before closing out a 53–26 win.
