The Arlington High School girls basketball season came to a close Wednesday during the first round of the NSAA Class C1 State Girls Basketball Championships in Lincoln.
The sixth-seeded Eagles lost 61-40 to the No. 3 Milford Eagles, finishing the campaign 21-5 overall.
The state appearance was AHS’ first since 2001.
“I think it was just the team unity, the camaraderie, the family, the love and the relationship that we have for each other,” Coach Tashia Wolf said when asked what made the group special. “They’ve had this goal in mind since they were in seventh- and eighth-grade. They talked a lot about it.”
Looking toward the future, the future Eagles said they would get to state when they were juniors and seniors.
“And they didn’t let up on that,” Wolf said.
Junior guard Emme Timm led Arlington in defeat with 14 points. Hayley Arp scored eight, while senior Britt Nielsen added six and Macy Wolf notched five. Valeria Carvajal and senior Libby Hegemann scored four and three points, respectively.
After Milford earned a 35-20 halftime lead, the Eagles cut it to just six points, 38-32, during the third period. Arp, Timm, Wolf and Nielsen all scored during the 12-3 run, but their opposition answered the scoring streak with three 3-pointers and a 10-0 run.
Isabelle Yeackley led four Milford scorers in double figures with 16 points. The purple Eagles’ season continues Friday with a 10:45 a.m. semifinals game against Minden.
Arlington, meanwhile, ended its year with just its third-ever state tournament appearance — an achievement built on their team bonds, according to Coach Wolf.
Editor’s note: For the full story and additional photos, check out next Tuesday’s edition of the Washington County Pilot-Tribune and the March 14 Arlington Citizen. Coverage will also appear online at enterprisepub.com/sports and arlingtoncitizen.com/sports on Tuesday.
