As thoughts of district competitions enter athletes’ minds, Fair Grove varsity basketball teams are working hard to ensure a strong finish to their season. The Lady Eagles currently sit at 12-5 in the regular season as they focus on working their way back to another district championship game. With only one senior, the Lady Eagles are a young team looking for leadership. Head Coach Jenny Talbert shares, “Lorin is our only senior on the team, she has played varsity for four years and brings a wealth of experience and knowledge. She has done a great job of leading our young team. She is encouraging and positive, but also knows when to get them focused.”
As the regular season comes to a close, players are working toward reaching their post-season goals and continuing to improve. “Some of our biggest games were in the Pink and White Tournament. Getting to play in that atmosphere is always exciting. We had the privilege of playing the defending Class 5 State Champs, Kickapoo. We fought with them until the end and impressed quite a few of the people there watching. Even though we didn’t beat them, the girls proved to themselves that they can compete with anyone.”
The boy’s basketball team currently sits at 14-4 and is led by seniors Evan Fullerton, Dalton Cloyd, and Garrett Kesterson. Throughout this season the Eagles have improved their consistency and set their goals high coming off of a state quarterfinal appearance last season. Some of this season’s goals include winning the Sparta Tournament, claiming the Mid Lakes Conference and District 11 championship titles, and making a post season run. Head Coach Tim Brown adds, “We knew coming into this season that our team had a chance to be elite. That’s a term that we have used and strive towards every day. We are starting to establish championship habits and norms and that’s what we are going to have to continue each day if we want to achieve the goals our players have set for this team.”