The gym fills with the cheering of the student section as the ball swooshes through the net. All eyes watch as the scoreboard climbs in the Spartan’s lead as the clock ticks down. The girls on the court are aware what is about to happen when the large red numbers slowly reach zero. They had done it. The girls varsity basketball team had just beaten the school record of 15 wins with their defeat of the Indians from Holt for a 16th win. The enormous win for the team is on every person’s mind as they sit in the gym, watching Spartan history being made. This goal was not grasped without sweat and tears from each player on the bench and the court. Junior Gracie Stugart believes that this dedication is what really drove the team. 

“Playing as a team has contributed the most to our wins because, despite being a small team, we have fight and grit. We want to win for each other and for the community and for the school so bad that it motivates us every game to do our best,” Stugart explained.

Teamwork really does make the dream work on this team, and their record is there to prove it. The girls are ranked number one in the St. Louis area, and number four in the state. They shattered the school record and continue to move forward. On top of the immense teamwork needed to drive a team of this caliber, senior Jocelyn Morelli remembers one moment that really stood out to her as the beginning of this year’s success.

“My favorite memory was definitely winning the third Championship game against Lutheran St. Charles. It was super exciting and I remember everyone was super hyped about it. We all had one goal and we were willing to work together no matter what to get there. It really set a precedence for the rest of the season,” Morelli shared.

Not only is hard work needed on the court, but off as well. Managing the basketball team is an extremely important role that keeps the team running smoothly and motivated to do their best every game. One of the managers, senior Aspen Inserra, has had the pleasure of watching her team from the side of the court through their gains and losses. 

“It is definitely different managing than being a player. As a manager, you get to see the locker room before the game atmosphere where everyone is getting pumped. And then you see them run out on the court and you just try to provide as much moral support as you can,” Inserra said. 

Winning shows the team’s talent, but losing shows the team’s character. The team’s talent is not in question as they rack up win after win until they broke the school record and received their rightful rankings. However, the true nature of the team as a whole was uncovered when they took home their first loss of the season. Despite the disappointment felt by the players after having just broken the record, their hope has not been lost. Stugart elaborates on how the team is handling this loss.

“The loss was definitely a heartbreaker but we went into the game knowing it would be a tough one. They were just a really good team. But we went out and played hard and aggressive but it just wasn’t our night. But we just accept the losses and move on, hopefully learning from them,” Stugart shared. 

Although the girls were upset by the result of their most previous game, they did not let the score board or the record sheet torment them. The Spartan girls basketball team will continue to go above and beyond on the court as they let the losses teach them what they can do better, not what they should have done. Don’t miss the girls at their next game as they take on Francis Howell North and hopefully bring home another big win.