RV Lady Panthers state basketball run impressive

The Royal Valley girls basketball team took second place last weekend at the Kansas Class 3A Girls State Basketball Tournament at Hutchinson.

In the process of doing so, the Lady Panthers had to knock off Big Seven League powerhouse Nemaha Ccntral on the big stage at Hutchinson - avenging two losses to the Lady Thunder  earlier in the season - along with beating a very good Hays-Thomas More Prep.

In the state championship game against Garden Plain, the Lady Panthers were leading the Lady Owls after three quarters of play.

And although the RV girls were edged at the end of the title game, they should remember that they were in just a small group of elite high school basketball teams out of the 64 total Class 3A girls teams that made it all the way to the final championship game day.

The RV girls represented their team, their school, their community and their state very well and made us all very proud of them.

Here’s some of the accomplishments of the RV team:  

*First winning girls basketball season in seven years.

*First girls sub-state basketball championship in 13 years.

*Fourth girls sub-state basketball championship ever.

*First state basketball tournament win ever for girls and boys teams.

*First state basketball semi-final round win ever for girls and boys teams.

*Most successful athletic team in Royal Valley High School history.

Long after the sting of the disappointing loss to Garden Plain subsides, these are the kinds of accomplishments that the RV girls team and coaches will remember.

Personally, I was most impressed with how the Lady Panthers - and their coaches- handled all the game situations and adversities - that came their way during their state championship run - with calmness and composure.

It was clear that the coaches were always well-prepared and the players knew the game plans and worked hard to follow them in the games.

When hard work and practice pays off for young people, we need to celebrate it.

Hats off to the Lady Panthers!             

The Holton Recorder

109 W. Fourth St.
Holton, KS 66436
Phone: 785-364-3141
 

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