Source: Detroit News

Author: Al Willman

With few exceptions, the girls side of the Catholic League A-B Division has been shared between two teams for the last 10 years: Farmington Hills Mercy and Birmingham Marian.

On Sunday, Mercy won its first title since 2013-14, with a 45-36 win over Marian in the division’s championship game at Wayne State.

Senior guard Chloe Godbold had 19 points to lead Mercy. Freshman forward Jess Mruzik scored 10.

“We got to this game last year and we lost to Marian. So it feels good to win this one,” Mercy coach Gary Morris said. “I thought we really played well. We competed. I thought we played well defensively. If you play well defensively, it keeps you in the game.”

The game was close most of the way. Mercy and Marian were knotted at 9 after one quarter, before Mercy got out to a 18-17 lead at halftime.

Mercy, which led by no more than five points in the third quarter, had a 34-30 lead and pulled away in the fourth quarter after a 3-pointer from Godbold gave Mercy a 37-30 lead with 5:30 left.

The win moves Mercy to 3-0 this season against Marian. On Dec. 9, Mercy eked out a 44-43 win, while on Jan. 17, Mercy edged Marian, 33-30.

“I thought we were better today against their pressure than we were in the first two games and that was big,” Morris said.

Morris said the leadership of Godbold, as well as Mercy’s other seniors, Katie Coe (five points) and Jackie Bauer (three), has been a major part of the team’s success this year.

Marian still has the upper hand, though. It’s won three of the last five A-B titles and six of the last 10.

Mercy plays Detroit King this week in the Operation Friendship game between the champion of the Detroit PSL and the Catholic League, before Class A district play begins against Farmington Hills Harrison.

“That will present a challenge for us,” Morris said of King. “But playing a team like that we hope will help us in the state tournament.”

Senior guard Lauren Montalbano scored 12 for Marian (14-5).