Getting there was tough…it took 48 years and getting hammered on the way to the rim, but Morgan Baumer (above) and St. Henry finally claimed their first MAC title. (Press Pros Feature Photos)
Morgan Baumer’s big night and St. Henry’s persistence at both ends earned them their first outright title in program history…and they only had to wait 48 years.
When it was all over, and senior Leah Lefeld had her arms wrapped around the trophy, there was this almost surreal sense of not knowing how to react to the first outright girls league title in St. Henry basketball history.
Just a year ago they had earned a share of the title, with three other teams…but this one was special. Different.
Nate Uhlenhake’s girls knocked off a dogged Parkway bunch 42-31 Thursday night to claim the MAC Championship trophy, and everyone kind of stood and looked at it for a while.
Then they wanted a picture with it.
Then the team photo.
And when people tried to talk about it…it sound it a little jabberwocky. After all, it doesn’t happen every day, at least in St. Henry. This one took 48 years!
“I don’t know,” said junior guard Baumer, whose 18 points were vital and the foundation for her team, offensively. “I’ve been playing since the second grade, I think, and this is just so awesome to see all these people here tonight to support us. It was really cool to do this in front of that kind of environment.”
Athletic Director Dennis Wendel confirmed, at least by eyesight, that it was the largest crowd he could remember for a girls basketball game.
And Uhlenhake, who’s never a fountain of words, struggled a bit to say just the right things for posterity’s sake, one would imagine.
“Every MAC game’s tough,” he assured. “We’ve battled all year, you’re going to get it [people’s best effort] every night, and Parkway was a good team.”
Parkway’s Brittyn Bruns (above) took the ball from Molly Wendel…and threatened to take the game in the second half.
Posterity will duly note, and appreciate, those words for at least another 48 years.
They didn’t play their best, and afterward Baumer would admit that nerves were probably involved, at least to start. Parkway scored the first five points on a layup and a three-pointer before St. Henry would even get on the board.
But thanks to Baumer and the three-point shooting of teammate Alexis Buschur, they came back to hold a slim first quarter lead…and extended that lead into the halftime break.
St. Henry’s on-ball defense harassed Parkway, created turnovers, and the Redskins used those extra possessions to score in transition. That said, they missed too many layups and in-close looks to make Uhlenhake happy.
“I’m just super proud of the girls and the way they work,” he added later. “We’ve talked about it all year long. This is the 48th team, and we wouldn’t be where we are without those previous 48 teams. And tonight we were trying to build on another chapter.”
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Aided by a double digit lead in the third quarter, St. Henry suddenly needed the cushion. Parkway wouldn’t quit, made some shots, created some turnovers, and at the 1:42 mark of the quarter Brittyn Bruns canned a 3-pointer to cut the lead to 28-25…and people began the squirm.
But St. Henry came right back with a Molly Wendel bucket and a 3-pointer by Buschur, her third, and then Baumer and Ava Homan got to the rim in succession to score and push the lead back to nine points. Baumer, who isn’t very big (5’6″) found it tough to drive as the paint was very physical with Parkway’s size and willingness to bang. But she scored, anyway, or found open teammates, like Homan and Buschur, who knocked down those timely shots.
Alexis Buschur’s three-point shooting kept Parkway’s second half threat at bay.
After the clock struck 0:00…after the trophy presentation by commissioner Rob Hemmelgarn…the milling around and picture-taking…and after she gained her composure, Baumer talked about the night, the title, and the experience as just being “cool.”
“It is cool,” she smiled. “This is what we’ve talked about since I was a freshman, creating a legacy and I think that this is just the start. One of these days it’ll really be great to look back on this.”
And how did they respond to Parkway’s trimming the lead to three….?
“When they cut the lead to three I think we just got a little excited…we took the timeout and calmed down, played our game,” Baumer added. “Nerves were probably part of it, with it being Senior Night and the first MAC championship was on the line. But we got together and said, all right, we’re here, and we’re fine.”
St. Henry improved to 18-3, but more importantly, and proudly, to an unbeaten 9-0 mark in the league.
Parkway slipped to 15-6, overall, and 5-4 in the league, and will be a threat with their size and outside shooting in the upcoming district tournament.
And there is merit to Morgan Baumer’s words.
Whether this was the start of a legacy, or not, it’s safe to say that it probably won’t take another 48 years, so don’t dwell too much on posterity. Hard work and perseverance is contagious in sports, and they’re only losing three seniors in the spring. And you know, come 2025-26, they’re going to remember how they did it.
You could tell…they liked the feel of that trophy!
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