Southern Ohio Sports Authority is presented by OhioHealth.
WEST PORTSMOUTH — Not so long ago, Portsmouth West’s girls basketball program was reeling.
CREDIT: Brock Netter/SOSA
Coming into the 2019-20 season, the Senators were trying to find a way to recover from a three-year stretch where they went a combined 14-53.
This year’s senior class provided that answer — or at least the start of it — and, with some help in the coming years, they slowly but surely transformed into a force to be reckoned with.
Now, the Senators are loaded, and that’s putting it lightly. Since that three-year stretch, the team’s record has improved mightily — to be exact, it’s 64-27.
But this season? They’re on a whole other level.
They’re 21-1 overall alongside a 15-1 mark in the Southern Ohio Conference with the program’s first-ever outright league title under their belts.
The tables have indeed turned.
“It’s more than just teammates,” senior Lexi Deaver said. “We are a family. There’s no drama, and nothing but happiness. We push each other. Not one person is selfish on this team. Trust is another aspect that plays a role. We know that our teammates all want the same thing, and we have a great coach that has brought happiness back to basketball for some.”
Enter first-year head coach Larry Howell, who is no stranger to success on the basketball court.
Upon his arrival, Howell continued to transform the program into the spot it’s in now. And, immediately, he got with his team to set their first goal together — win the conference title.
When Howell’s Senators handed Waverly a 42-31 loss on Jan. 26, that goal was checked off the list with at least a share of the crown. Then, they doubled down with a 47-41 victory over Minford just nine days later to win the league outright.
“The feeling was indescribable. Every single girl on the team has sacrificed and worked hard for it,” junior Emma Sayre said. “We play for each other and we are a family. It felt great to accomplish our first goal. We are all also super thankful for coach [Larry Howell]. We wouldn’t be here without him. He pushes us every day, and never lets us stay satisfied.”
Out of the team’s 21 victories this season, the two over Waverly — the only team to beat West this winter — and Minford stand out.
But if you ask either Deaver or Sayre — and assumedly anyone on the team’s roster — their favorite win, or wins, would be either of the two over Wheelersburg.
On Dec. 8, West beat ‘Burg by a 52-40 final, snapping the Pirates’ 62-game winning streak in conference play. Then, on Jan. 19, the Senators completed the season sweep with a 55-46 decision in front of a home crowd to take sole possession of first place in the SOC II.
“I think my favorite win is the second time we beat Porter [Township, or Wheelersburg],” Deaver said. “The first time was bittersweet. But the second time was when I knew we could be more than just a sectional title-winning team. Looking back at the game, I know that it was a pivotal point in all of our careers.”
Sayre agrees.
“All of the big wins this year have felt great, but after that win, I knew we could make it far,” Sayre said. “We had faced adversity after dropping a game [to Waverly on Dec. 15] and we came out, overcame the adversity, and proved ourselves again.”
Adversity has never been an obstacle that’s affected this year’s group.
Deaver and Sayre are joined by a platoon of skilled athletes, including but not limited to, Maelynn Howell, Charlie Jo Howard, Kate Rollins and Sydney McDermott.
And no matter who the name of the night is or who may garner the majority of the headlines, nothing changes. West doesn’t put an emphasis on individual accomplishments.
At the end of the day, if the win column’s number grows, that’s what matters most.
CREDIT: Renee Nemeth/SOSA
“This team is special because of the bond we all have. We all know each other inside and out, and mesh very well together,” Sayre said. “There has been nothing but joy playing together all year. For me, personally, I have played with the seniors my whole life, and I don’t want that to end. We have more to accomplish together. We play team ball, sacrifice for each other, and we are all happy for each other’s successes.”
And they’re leaving a legacy that generations to come and mirror.
“The legacy that we want to leave at West is to win more than just a sectional title,” Deaver said. “We want to make an imprint on basketball for years to come. to make women’s basketball a bigger sport than it is here now, and inspire the younger generation and let them know that it is possible.”
After being awarded the No. 2 seed in the Southeast District, West will now await the winner of Wellston or Westfall in a Division III sectional final.
Should they win that matchup — and they should — they’d meet with either Minford or Peebles, who both feature formidable scoring threats.
The sectional final game is slated for a 7 p.m. tipoff on Feb. 18 while the district semifinal bout would be held on Feb. 22.
No matter who it is that lines up against them, the Senators will surely be ready — ready to continue their season, ready to continue rewriting the history books and ready to continue leaving a success-filled legacy.
“Staying focused on our goals is a day-to-day process,” Deaver said. “We can’t get too far ahead of ourselves. Mentally, we have to stay sharp and focused on our goals that we’ve set. Those goals are to be the first team in Scioto County to make it to state. We look to make more history than winning a SOC.”
SPONSORED BY SCHMIDT FAMILY RESTAURANT GROUP
