McDonald and Girard are an even 4-4 against one another since November of 2014, but not for long. Both will round out the year against one another at at 5:30 p.m. on Friday. McDonald has been getting the ball to fall more lately as they've increased their point totals each of their last three games.
Last Friday, McDonald lost to Western Reserve on the road by a 58-44 margin. McDonald has struggled against Western Reserve recently, as the game was their fifth consecutive lost matchup.
The loss doesn't tell the whole story though, as several players had good games. One of the most active was Juliana Krumpak, who went 5 of 12 on her way to 12 points. The team also got some help courtesy of Gracie Callow, who went 5 for 12 on her way to 15 points and six rebounds.
Meanwhile, winning is always nice, but doing so behind a season-high score is even better (just ask Girard). They breezed by Salem to the tune of 63-28 on Saturday. The team's explosion on offense also rewarded the Indians with their most commanding win of the season.
Girard found their leader in sophomore Caylee Wilkes, who went 10 of 16 on her way to 24 points and four steals. Wilkes continues to improve, besting her previous point total in each of the last four games she's played. Another player making a difference was Makenzee White, who dropped a double-double on 13 points and 11 boards.
Girard pushed their record up to 4-4 with the victory, which was their third straight on the road. Those victories came thanks to their offensive performance across that stretch, as they averaged 54.3 points per game. As for McDonald, their loss ended a four-game streak of away wins and brought them to 5-4.
Rebounding is likely to be a big factor in this contest: McDonald has been smashing the glass this season, having averaged 29.9 rebounds per game. However, it's not like Girard struggles in that department as they've been averaging 30 boards. With both teams battling to corral missed shots, we'll see if one team can grab an edge.
McDonald came up short against Girard in their previous meeting back in December of 2023, falling 38-29. Can McDonald avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
