With only 1:08 left on the clock, Senior Ava Meierotto drives the baseline with the Spartans only up by three. Meierotto swishes her floater to give the Spartans a little breathing room. After sophomore Jenna Leask steals the ball, Meierotto hits both free throws after being fouled. Meierotto’s four points in 30 seconds were able to give the Spartan the edge in their close victory over Denfeld, 57-51, on Dec. 16.

“It felt really good coming back in after getting hurt, and being able to relieve that pressure. It got us back into our motion and a little less frantic,” Meierotto said.

Although the crowd was very into the game, they weren’t wearing the classic Spartan blue and white. Instead the crowd was filled with fans covered in green. This game was also Kabuki Syndrome awareness night. Seniors Callie Peterson and Addison Matushak put on “Crossing over Kabuki,” and spread green all around in awareness for fellow senior classmate, Braelyn Whitford. 

The Spartans were raining green in points with solo senior Meierotto dropping the game high with 16 points, junior Ruby James with 13, and sophomore Avery Johnson with 12. Sophomores Paityn McMinn-VanTil, and Tenley Lawton were also able to chip in, and scored their first home varsity points last night.

Meierotto is the only senior and had only one other upperclassmen, junior Ruby James, playing alongside her last night. The other junior Jette Leopold is out with an injury. 

“It’s difficult not to have other seniors by my side but my fellow captains, Ruby and Jette, do a really good job at helping me uplift the team and get them confident for the season,” said Meierotto. “I think our team has put our best out into every single game, even though the outcome might not have been what we wanted in some of the closer ones. But this close home game win will give us some momentum going into the season.”

Next up for the Spartans is another home game against Shell Lake on Friday, Dec. 19.