Patriot GBB Finishes 20-3 Season
By: Leah Pinkston, a freshman at Leigh High School
In a disappointing ending to a record-breaking season, the Patriot Varsity Girls’ Basketball team fought valiantly in their sub-state game against Bridgeport, on Feb. 26, but to no avail.
After losing the subdistrict final to Norfolk Catholic the week prior, the Patriots earned a wild-card to the sub-state round. They were paired up with 23-2 Bridgeport at the neutral site of Lexington High School.
Though the team didn’t win, they pulled through in their final game with an amazing show of effort from each player, and certainly didn’t give the Bulldogs an easy win. The first quarter was a great show of skill for the Patriots, as they jumped out to a 12-9 lead. But in the second quarter, shots weren’t falling, as the Bulldogs outscored them by 7.
After halftime, it was a back-and-forth battle with a high-scoring, action-packed fourth quarter.
But in the end, free throws widened the lead for the Bulldogs, and the earned their bid to the state tournament with a 52-44 victory.
Senior Alissa Kasik was the leading scorer for the Patriots with 10, and freshman Chloe Hanel added 10. Senior Cassidy Hoffman knabbed a whopping 15 rebounds in the effort.
Despite the heartbreaking end, the Patriots have a lot to be proud of this season, including the best Patriot girls’ basketball record (20-3) in the history of the program.
Coach Matt Murren said, "The girls played their hearts out and left everything on the floor. They gave everything they had, and unfortunately sometimes, things just don't work out. I was extremely proud of them for their effort and determination of continually fighting the whole game. This team was a special team that may have fell short of our goal by a bit but should be extremely proud of everything they accomplished this season. This is a team I will never forget and am proud to be their coach."
Game Stats:
Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Final
Clarkson/Leigh 12 6 9 17 44
Bridgeport 9 13 10 20 52
Individual Stats: (points, rebounds, assists, steals)
Chloe Hanel––9, 6, 3, 2; Makenna Held––0, 1, 0, 0; Kennedy Settje––7, 6, 1, 3; Faith Indra––4, 2, 0, 1; Bailey Lemburg––2, 0, 3, 0; Cassidy Hoffman––7, 15, 0, 2; Alissa Kasik––10, 2, 2, 2; Kayden Schumacher––5, 1, 0, 0