By Chris Chaney
Sun staff
The new era of Felicity-Franklin girls basketball had another chapter written on Saturday, March 7 as the Lady Cardinals dismissed district final opponents Miami Valley, 74-53, to earn a berth in the regional semifinals.
Despite a slow start, the 74-point effort by Felicity was the team’s highest scoring output of the season and the only time the Lady Cards topped the 70-point barrier.
“The girls came out a little nervous and off their game,” head coach Kerry Stamper said of a trepidaticious start. “But they stepped up and seem to be playing their best ball right now. Hopefully, we’ll continue to play our best at the right time.”
Playing their best on the biggest stage has become old hat for most of the Lady Cardinals roster, the majority of which were along for the ride to the regional tournament just last year.
Even more impressive, though, is the ascension the program has made over the past few years, going from a three-win team in 2011-12 to a 24-win team this season.
“This has definitely been a huge step for (the program), especially given where this group started from in their freshmen and eighth grade years,” Stamper said. “We’re really excited about where it’s going and we hope to continue it into the future.”
The primary authors of this new history are group of eight upperclassmen who have led Felicity from the cellar of the Southern Buckeye Conference to the state’s biggest stage.
The Lady Cardinals’ one-two, inside-outside punch of senior Maria Ruwe and junior Ashley Moore proved yet again on March 7 why Felicity’s opponents are having such a hard time keeping the streaking Lady Cards down.
Combining for 47 points, 19 rebounds, eight assists, eight steals and four blocks in the district final, Ruwe and Moore nearly outscored the Lady Rams by themselves.
Add into the mix role players such as Brittany Drake, Morgan Horn, Paige Kessen and Mikayla Hamilton who each added at least four points and opponents simply aren’t as talented deep into their rosters as Felicity is.
Even still, the Lady Cardinals haven’t received the respect statewide that their play has seemingly deserved. Not once cracking the top-10 in the Division IV Associated Press State Poll this season, the Lady Cardinals now find themselves three games away from a state championship game.
Stamper said to continue to keep that dream alive, they need to take care of business against a stout Maria Stein Marion Local squad.
The Lady Flyers are 23-2 on the season and were ranked No. 5 in the last AP state poll (Feb. 17).
They also pose a challenge to Felicity that Stamper says they face nearly every time they take the floor.
“They have definitely one strong offensive player, a 6-foot girl and another who is 5-10, which is something we’re not unaccustomed to seeing,” she said. “We just need to box out and do a good job of shutting down their top scorers.”
The traditionally undersized Lady Cardinals regularly match up above their height and will plan to use solid fundamentals and good positioning to counteract their oversized opponent.
As for the offensive output, Stamper said she expects Ruwe, Moore and the rest of the cast to rise to the regional occasion.
“I think both (Ruwe and Moore) are ready for the challenge,” the coach said. “I’m not too concerned that they won’t perform and I expect our other three girls on the court with them to be prepared to step up and help them out if needed.”
The regional semifinal game was scheduled for Wednesday, March 11 at Tippecanoe High School.
The final score was not available at press time, but will be covered — along with a possible regional final scheduled for Saturday, March 14 — in the March 19 edition of The Clermont Sun.