After a tough season overall, the Rockwood Summit Lady Falcons defeated the Lancers in the first round of Districts, 59-43. The girls grew stronger as the game went on, but it wasn’t enough to advance in post-season competition. Summit’s senior guard, Clare Dmuchovsky, scored 14 points as the Lancer defense struggled to shut her down.

As girls basketball season began last December, the Lancers faced adversity from day one as key players were either injured, or chose to leave the team.

With only nine players eligible, the squad pulled together as a team. Although the season may not have been as successful as others in the past, strong passion and dedication for the game was never an issue for the Lady Lancers.

This year, senior Rachel Peipert led the team offensively with 239 points, with sophomore Maria Johnson close behind, averaging 10.5 points per game. Sophomore Taylor Dent made an impact defensively, averaging 5.4 rebounds per game.

Despite small numbers, the girls found success against Timberland, Northwest, Francis Howell, Howell Central, top rival Marquette and Lindbergh. After some tough losses, the Lady Lancers ended their season with a record of 6-21.

Several key athletes such as Dent, Johnson and Jenny Kohl, are underclassmen that plan to use this year’s great experience for improvement next season.

Johnson said, “We didn’t have the best record, but we had a lot of fun playing with one another. Next year won’t be the same without all the seniors, but we will make it work!”

For senior Savanna King, the devastating loss against Rockwood Summit last Monday, March 3, was her last game in the Lancer uniform. “This season, we faced a ton of adversity and had our ups and downs, but our perseverance brought us together and we became a family. These girls are my best friends and watching everyone keep great attitudes through a challenging season really revealed our character as a team. I wouldn’t have wanted to spend my last season as a senior with anyone else,” she said.