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Editorial: Highlights in the season
Op-Ed · April 10, 2014
Of course one of the signs of a good team is how long they continue to play after the regular season draws to a close.
And while the West Branch High School girls varsity basketball team’s post-season play actually ended on Feb. 21 against the undefeated Cascade Cougars, senior Ashley Finnegan laced up one more time last week in the annual Senior Games, helping the first River Valley Conference South team beat RVC North in an exhibition contest.
This was a season where their overall 14-9 record — 12-6 in the conference — masked some very important highlights. A triple-overtime win over Durant — how often do you see a triple overtime? — beating a very strong Regina team twice, and beating 12th-ranked Camanche not only speak to the Bears’ potential, but to the very small differences between the strength of the teams they faced this season. This season was up for grabs, and no one could predict the outcome of many of these games.
Four Bears were named to RVC All-Conference teams. Maddy Russell and Haley Mullinnix received honorable mentions. Haley Poula was a second-team selection, and Finnegan made first team. Mullinnix was the only freshman to receive an RVC All-Conference honor.
And that regional semifinal game featured some heavy defense on both sides. The Bears led 14-10 at halftime — only the equivalent of 12 baskets combined in the first two quarters — in the low-scoring game, though Cascade found a way to alter their game for the eventual 37-29 win.
The boys varsity basketball team struggled this year, finishing with a 7-12 record, but it is worth mentioning that five of those losses were close — within five points or fewer. Like the girls’ opponents, many of the boys’ opponents were of nearly equal strength.
And the boys also had four players make it to the RVC All-Conference list: Bradley Arp was named to the first team, Mason Hays made the second team, and Lucas Lamont and Michael Gould received honorable mentions.
So congratulations to the boys and girls varsity basketball teams for all their successes in the 2013-14 season against tough opponents.
We look forward to where the teams will go next season.
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