Adapting to the varsity level didn’t take long for this year’s young members of the Fayetteville-Perry High School varsity girls basketball squad. Hard work has led to a great deal of success for this year’s Lady Rockets, and with only one game remaining on their regular season schedule they were leading the way in Southern Hills Athletic Conference Division II standings with a league record of 9-3.
“At the beginning of the season, the team set the goal to win the league. We all knew we could do it,” said Fayetteville-Perry varsity girls basketball coach, Tory Rummel. “So, to see us achieve that goal as a team has been a massive accomplishment that we are all proud of.”
This marks the Fayetteville-Perry varsity girls basketball program’s first league championship in 10 years.
“That just shows how special this team is,” Rummel said of this year’s Lady Rockets.
It was a narrow 48-45 league victory on the road over Whiteoak that helped them clinch this year’s SHAC Division II Title on Feb. 1.
The Lady Rockets trailed 21-18 at halftime, but came off halftime break to outscore Whiteoak 19-12 in the third quarter to hold a 37-33 lead heading into the fourth frame. The third quarter boost was just enough to give them the victory, as they were outscored by Whiteoak 12-11 in the fourth quarter.
Leading the way in scoring for the Lady Rockets was sophomore guard Lilly Carlier with 15 points. She also pulled down eight rebounds.
Fayetteville’s junior forward Ryley Kleemeyer finished with nine points and nine rebounds, and sophomore guard Scarlett Crawford finished with nine points to go along with four assists.
Fayetteville’s freshman guard Cara Rummel shot for eight points and pulled down four rebounds in the win at Whiteoak.
“The game versus Whiteoak was everything a game should be when a league championship is on the line,” said Rummel. “Both teams battled tip-off to buzzer. It was a high energy, leave it all on the floor type of game and the way our team performed was truly impressive. They maintained focus and poise, even under such a high pressure atmosphere. It’s such a great feeling as a coach to know what a team is capable of and see it unfold in front of you.”
In a non-league contest against a skilled Cincinnati Country Day team on Feb. 3, the Lady Rockets sufferd a 59-28 loss to hold an overall record of 13-6.
The Lady Rockets were scheduled to face the Fairfield Lady Lions in a league game on the road Feb. 8, their final regular season game before heading into post season tourney play.
The Lady Rockets are the No. 2 seed for the Southwest District Division IV Sectional/District Tournament at Monroe High School and will face No. 8 seed Miami Valley Christian (10-10) on Saturday, Feb. 17 with tip-off scheduled for 2 p.m.