A shot straight from a movie

The rivalry game between Milford and Lakeland in any sport is always a day of great suspense. On Friday January 7, the girls basketball team faced off against the Lakeland Eagles. It was expected to be a close game, a nail biter the whole way as both teams’ strong defenses would be head-to-head. That turned out to be true. Milford’s 6th Woman, the girls basketball student section, came in great numbers to support the team. 

From the very first minute, the Mavericks were focused and poised. They fought with admirable energy, but had trouble scoring early. It was all about defense putting pressure on the opposition. “Lakeland was never comfortable,” Varsity Coach First Name Jenkins said. “The goal was man-to-man defense full court.” The score was close the entire first 3 quarters, making the game stressful for coaches, players, and spectators alike. The tide of the game turned in the last quarter.

“The crowd, the atmosphere, and how we were able to dictate the tempo of the game allowed us to execute plays at the end of the game well,” Jenkins said. Every girl did her job, whether it was blocking or making offensive moves. Seniors Lily Shaw and Veronica Ricci played essential roles in the game. Ricci took 2 offensive charges that were crucial to the Maverick’s effort in keeping the game close. Shaw set the screen for fellow Senior Jenna Hoppe to hit a 3-point shot in the last minute of the game that made the score so close, 23-23 that not a single person in the gymnasium could not sit comfortably because of the suspense. Milford called a timeout and planned a play that could either claim victory or send the game into overtime. 

With the score tied at 23 the girls would have to sink at least a 2-point shot to keep from going into overtime. Coach Jenkins and the rest of the team relied on Senior Taylor Mitchell to deliver the shot. “Before I got the ball, I was focused on executing the play that we had drawn up during the timeout. I didn’t really process that I would be shooting the last shot of the game until I caught the ball,” Mitchell explained. As she took the shot the entire gymnasium held its breath, eyes glued to the ball as it went up and made its arc. The final buzzer sounded and a split second later, the ball banked off the glass and dropped into the hoop, granting the Mavericks triumph over their rivals. The vision of red that was the Milford student section erupted into cheers and jumps of excitement.  “After it went in, I wasn’t given any time to really react, before my entire team swarmed me and everyone started cheering.” Mitchell recounted. 

“That was certainly a moment that this year’s seniors will remember forever and I am so happy that they get to walk away with that feeling,” Jenkins said. Mitchell was certainly excited as she explained, “The entire experience was like a fever dream. Everything was super exciting but I have to say celebrating with my team and seeing the fan’s reactions are the memories that’ll stick with me.” The team adds their victory against the Eagles  under their

belt. They continue to conquer the LVC and out of league teams representing Milford High School well and bringing pride to the school. The rivalry is still strong as the two teams will face each other yet again at the District game.