Lake Leelanau St. Mary girls basketball is heading into the 2023-24 season with high hopes as the Eagles begin their season with a 59-3 win against Suttons Bay.
The senior Bunek sisters, Sarah and Della, started the season and game off with backto- back 3-pointers as St. Mary ran away with the game early.
St. Mary senior Leah Fleis led all scorers with 17 points, 10 rebounds; followed by Kyla Barnowski with 12 points, 5 rebounds, 5 steals; Sarah Bunek 10 points; Cathryn Mikowski 8 points, 8 steals; Delana Kirt 7 points.
The Eagles travel to Central Lake on Friday at 7 p.m. before playing in a Brimley tournament on Saturday.
St. Mary’s first game of the season against Kalkaska, originally scheduled for Monday, was canceled for a water main break at the school.
The Eagles will be led by seniors Kirt, Della and Sarah, and Fleis as Lake Leelanau hopes to break out on the scene this season.
Fleis remembers being a freshman and coach Clint Couturier saying “savor this moment because its going to be here before you know it.”
“I remember that all the time and we are literally in that position now (being seniors),” Fleis said.
Fleis will garner attention in the paint after averaging a double- double last season. They will have to replace the production of Audrey Smith who was a sharp-shooter from behind the arch.
Kirt, and the Bunek sisters will be stepping into this role.
The Eagles focus this season is communication and learning to mesh with a new team and new dynamics.
“We are going to come out here and play like we know how to do and go from there,” Kirt said. “We gotta remember to stay focused and not get too worried about the jitters and just play how we know how to.”
