by Jamie Harris
The Berkeley Springs Lady Indians varsity basketball team continued their strong start to the season, improving their record to 6-2 after going 2-0 at the annual Hancock Mixer on December 29 and 30.
On Monday, December 29, Berkeley Springs faced the host team, Hancock Panthers, and wasted no time setting the tone. The Lady Indians jumped out to an 8-4 lead in the first quarter and extended their advantage to 22-11 by halftime. A strong third quarter pushed the lead to 34-19, and Berkeley Springs sealed the win with a commanding 47-29 final score.
Senior standout Maddie Close led the charge with 23 points, 6 assists and 7 steals, continuing her stellar season. Katie Risinger added a double-double with 12 points and 13 rebounds, while Ava Michael chipped in 4 points and 3 assists. Contributions also came from Hailey Adkins (4 points), Avery Dhayer (2 points) and Payton Mizzell (2 points, 6 rebounds).
The next day, on December 30, the Lady Indians battled the Maryland School for the Deaf in a nail-biter that showcased Berkeley Springs’ resilience. Behind timely passing and lockdown defense in the closing minutes, the Lady Indians pulled out an exciting 49-46 victory.
Close once again led all scorers with 25 points, 8 rebounds and 5 steals, while Risinger dominated the paint with 20 points and 12 rebounds. Ava Michael and Avery Dhayer each added 2 points to round out the scoring.
The momentum hit a speed bump on Friday, January 2, when Berkeley Springs traveled to Ridgely to face Class AA rival Frankfort. The Falcons jumped out to a 21-8 first-quarter lead and stretched it to 31-9 by halftime. Despite a third-quarter surge from Berkeley Springs, Frankfort closed strong to hand the Lady Indians a 53-27 loss.
Close paced the Lady Indians with 15 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists and 5 steals, while Risinger added 11 points and 10 rebounds. Dhayer contributed 1 point and 4 rebounds.
The Lady Indians (6-3) now turn their attention to a Morgan County rivalry showdown at Paw Paw on Friday, January 9 at 6 p.m. The last meeting between these two teams on December 9 was an electrifying overtime battle that saw Berkeley Springs claw back for a dramatic win. Fans can expect another intense matchup as the Lady Indians look to bounce back and keep their strong season rolling.
