Freeland’s Kadyn Blanchard follows cheesecake to Ferris State

Freeland v. HH Dow

Senior Kaydn Blanchard hunches over with possession of the ball at half court, evaluating where she can move the ball, during a basketball game hosted by Freeland against HH Dow Tuesday, Dec. 3, 2019.Rachel Ellis | MLive.com

FREELAND, MI – Sure, Niagara is a Division I program.

But Ferris State was the perfect distance – not too far and not too close – and the perfect size, reminding Kadyn Blanchard of her home in Freeland.

Ferris had a coaching staff that Blanchard liked and everything she wanted. Still, it was a tough choice between a Division I women’s basketball program in New York and a Division II program in Big Rapids.

Until lunch.

“The food at Ferris was great,” Blanchard said. “We had Mongolian beef that was incredible. Then we had cheesecake for dessert. That was the clincher.”

Blanchard, meanwhile, is eating defenses for dessert in her senior season at Freeland. The 5-foot-10 guard was an all-stater as a junior, helping lead the Falcons to the Division 2 state championship game.

But last season, Blanchard was surrounded by seniors who were offensive threats on the court, players such as Lily Beyer, Alyssa Argyle and Autumn Kloha.

“She’s had to adjust her game this season,” Freeland coach Matt Hirschenberger said. “Last year, she was surrounded by players who could shoot the 3, so Kadyn got a lot of her points driving to the basket. She was a very strong player when she attacked the basket.”

With the Falcons graduating every starter but Blanchard, her role changed.

“She knew it would,” Hirschenberger said. “So what did she do? She worked and worked so she could do what she needed to do. So now you see her make 3-pointers when the defenses give it to her. She can basically take whatever the defenses give her.

“She can still go to the basket, but now she can also shoot the 3. But if you know Kadyn, that’s not surprising.”

Blanchard took an unusual trip to the all-state team. She started her high school career on the freshman team … not on the varsity team and not on the junior varsity team.

“I was her coach on the freshman team, and I saw the work that she put in,” Hirschenberger said. “I walked into the gym one day and saw her shooting free throws by herself. I asked her what she was doing. She said she just wanted to see how many free throws she could make in 10 minutes.

“That’s what makes her so good.”

Blanchard averages 19 points, eight rebounds and five assists this season, leading the Falcons to first place in the Tri-Valley Conference East Division.

“I don’t have to shoot 3s to score … against Standish I didn’t have any 3s,” Blanchard said. “Last year I didn’t need to shoot them because we had so many other girls who could.

“This year, I know I can make 3s, so if they’re there, I take them. If not, I score in other ways.”

Hirschenberger expects that to continue at Ferris, whether or not there is cheesecake waiting after the game.

“I know there’s a transition to the college game, and Kadyn will have to deal with that,” Hirschenberger said. “And I’m confident she will because I know Kadyn. She will work and work and work to make it happen.

“I also know this. Ferris got a great, great player.”

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