Lady Rams Close Out Season

By Editor | March 6, 2024

by Sara Smith

The Matchup

After upsetting the La Plata Lady Bulldogs in the District Final, the Lady Rams advanced to the State Quarterfinals versus the Clopton Lady Hawks. The basketball State Tournament moves quickly, and the Lady Rams didn’t have much time to revel in their victory. They won the district title on Friday, February 23rd and the quarterfinal game was scheduled for Monday, February 26th at home.

The Lady Rams were fortunate to play this game in the Schuyler High School Gym, otherwise, the players, parents and fans would have been making a 2.5 hour drive southeast of Bowling Green to the Clopton High School in Clarksville, in Pike County.

The Clopton Lady Hawks won the district title in Class 2 District 5. To reach that level they had a record of 21 wins and six losses. They were the #1 seed in their district tournaments and defeated #4 Silex (13-14) by a score of 60-44 and #2 Canton (19-9) with a final total of 54-38.

The scouting report on the Lady Hawks revealed speed, but not much inside presence. The matchup report gave Clopton the edge, making them the favorite to win the game.

However, as we learned from the La Plata contest…that’s why you play the game. The favorite doesn’t always come out on top. Did the Lady Rams have another upset in their bag?

8 Seconds

What do you think is possible in a mere 8 second span of time? According to an article by Lis McGuire entitled “Nine things that take less than nine seconds” you can:

Run up 25 steps

Tie one shoelace

Eat three cheese balls

Put an umbrella up and down

Insert a debit card and enter a PIN number

Usain Bolt can run at least 85 metres

A bullrider can complete a qualifying ride

a Ford Escort XR3i MK4 can go from 0-60 mph

Sidney Aeschliman can complete her last play as a Lady Ram (not on the McGuire list)

In the span of eight seconds at the start of the game, Claudia Dixon won the jump, the Lady Rams took possession of the ball, Sidney Aeschliman drove to the basket for a layup, she was fouled, she made the basket, and she went down with a game-and season-ending injury. Just like that Aeschliman had played her last as a Lady Ram. Hannah Farris was brought in, she shot (and made) the free throw on Aeschliman’s behalf, and the game went on. Although undoubtedly, many of the players and fans recognized the gravity of the moment and the loss that it represented for the Lady Rams, the game must go on.

The Game

In the first quarter, the Lady Rams were able to keep pace for the most part. The Lady Hawks had an all-in press that the Lady Rams struggled to break resulting in multiple turnovers. At the end of the first quarter the score was 12-19 in favor of the Lady Hawks.

The gap would widen from there as the second quarter saw more of the Clopton press and more turnovers. At halftime the Lady Hawks had a 15-point lead, 21-36.

Of note in the third quarter was the performance of the substitutes. With the probable ACL injury to Aeschliman, and the fast-paced nature of Clopton play, the substitutes played a bigger role off the bench. Junior Florence Lusher has received a fair amount of play throughout the year, and she continued her defensive and rebounding play during this game. Sophomore Hannah Farris has been getting more playing time toward the end of the season, and has clearly been gaining confidence from it as a shooter. While Sophomore Naomia Newland has seen less playing time, she came in to play in this game and in the district title game, providing a much needed spark and scoring four points in both. These players came in during this game and played admirably, giving it their all, and doing what was asked of them. However, it was not enough to turn the tide of the game as the score at the end of the third quarter was 34-65.

In the fourth quarter the Lady Hawks called off their press, but continued with a fast-break style of play that the Lady Rams couldn’t match and struggled to defend. The final score of the game was 42-86, with the Clopton Lady Hawks advancing to the State Semi-Finals where they were defeated by the Tipton Lady Cardinals on Friday, March 1st, 55-36.

With the final tick of the clock the curtain closed on the Lady Rams season. Reflecting upon the season Head Coach Lance Dempsay noted that “at the start of the season no one thought the girls would win 10 games, let alone 17 and a District Championship. I couldn’t be prouder of how the girls believed in themselves to accomplish that goal.” As he saw their work ethic and strived to highlight their strengths, Coach Dempsay knew what he had, even when others didn’t. He said, “I knew at the beginning of the season when I saw the teams in the district, that we would be in the mix with La Plata and Milan, and that we would have as good a shot as anyone at winning the district. When we got the #2 seed in the District Tournament, I felt we had a great shot if we could take care of business the first two games.” And they certainly did. Going back-to-back as district champs is no small feat, but as is the way in sports, and in life, time waits for no one, and before you know it, it is time to move on to the next thing.

What Is Next?

For some, this game marked the end of their time as a Lady Ram. Some will go on to participate in Track and Field events. In Sidney Aeschliman’s case, she has signed her National Letter of Intent to play basketball with the North Central Missouri College Lady Pirates.

While none will suit up to play as Lady Rams on the basketball court again, this experience, their shared will to win, the teamwork, and their determination to put in the work needed to achieve that goal will serve them well in life.