Midland High girls all smiles after first basketball win of the season

Midland High basketball player Jeni Grinwis should have been all smiles after having a career day in the host Chemics’ 64-29 victory over Sault Ste. Marie on Saturday.

Instead, the senior forward, who had career highs of 11 points and eight rebounds, was left trying to figure out how to put her smile back together.

“She dove headfirst for a loose ball near the end of the first half,” Midland High coach Jaden Clobes explained. “Unfortunately, a girl fell on her head and knocked her front four top teeth out.”

Grinwis was understandably upset while being helped to the bench, where Clobes asked her and her parents if she should go to the emergency room or the dentist.

“Her parents were pretty calm,” Clobes said. “Pretty much the opposite of me.

“Then Jeni says, ‘Coach, it doesn’t hurt. I’m good’.”

Grinwis showed just how good she was in the third quarter, scoring eight points on 4-of-4 shooting, helping Midland High turn a 31-18 halftime lead into an insurmountable 53-23 lead.

“She played probably one of her best games,” Clobes said of Grinwis. “She’s such a good leader for our team and she really gutted it out.

"We joked that maybe she shouldn't fix her teeth.”

Grinwis was expected to visit the dentist on Sunday to begin the process of repairing her smile.

There was no need to repair Clobes’s smile after he earned his first victory at the helm of Midland High (1-3) following three tough defeats, including a 43-36 loss to Bay City Western just hours earlier on Friday.

“We had three tough games (Freeland, Saginaw Heritage and Western) right off the bat,” Clobes said. “I was starting to feel the pressure, and I think the girls were starting to feel the pressure.

“I wasn’t sure how we’d play after a tough loss to Western the night before, but the team really played well.”

Maddie Barrie led the way for Midland with 21 points and four assists. Jordan Phillips and Hannah Smith chipped in with nine points apiece, and Smith had five rebounds.

“This was a really good win that we needed,” Clobes said. “I’m really proud of the girls for the way they played.

“Hopefully, this will springboard us.”

Midland returns to action at 7 p.m. Tuesday with a non-conference game at Mount Pleasant.

The Soo won the junior varsity game 55-41. Tyra York scored 20 points for the Chemics, and Olivia Carpenter had 17 points.