by Jamie Harris
The Berkeley Springs Lady Indians basketball team faced a challenging stretch to close out 2024 and start the new year, competing in the Hancock Holiday Mixer and subsequent games against regional rivals. Despite the tough outcomes, the Lady Indians demonstrated moments of resilience and standout performances from key players.
December 28, 2024 Hancock Holiday Mixer Berkeley Springs (49) vs. Maryland School for the Deaf (59)
The Lady Indians opened their tournament play against the Maryland School for the Deaf (MSD). A slow start left them trailing 20-6 after the first quarter, but a strong second-half effort narrowed the deficit. Berkeley Springs outscored MSD 17-9 in the third quarter but couldn’t complete the comeback, falling 59-49.
Leading the charge for Berkeley Springs was Katie Risinger with an impressive 18 points. She was supported by Maddie Close with 16 points and Maci Michael, who added 11 points. Payton Mizell and Reese Souders each contributed 2 points.
December 29, 2024 Hancock Holiday Mixer Berkeley Springs (40) vs. South Hagerstown (56)
The Lady Indians faced South Hagerstown in the second game of the tournament, where early offensive struggles again put them at a disadvantage.
South Hagerstown built a 16-9 lead in the first quarter and maintained control throughout, handing Berke- ley Springs a 56-40 loss.
Katie Risinger shined once again, pouring in 32 points in a remarkable solo effort. Kaya Delauter chipped in 6 points, while Reese Souders added 2 points.
January 2, 2025 Berkeley Springs vs. Hampshire
Returning home after the holiday break, the Lady Indians hosted Hampshire in a non-conference matchup. Offensive woes plagued Berkeley Springs as they managed just 11 points in a 59-11 defeat.
Katie Risinger was the team’s leading scorer with 9 points, while Maddie Close contributed 2 points.
January 10, 2025 Berkeley Springs at Keyser
In their first road game of 2025, the Lady Indians took on a formidable Keyser team. Keyser’s high-pressure defense limited Berkeley Springs to 13 points, resulting in a 71-13 loss.
Maddie Close led the Lady Indians with 6 points, fol
lowed by Katie Risinger with 4 points. Reese Souders and Kaya Delauter added 1 and 2 points, respectively.
