Last Thursday night the Lady Fliers dropped their season finale to rival Margaretta, 35-29.
After a good start, the Fliers’ shooting touch disappeared, and despite hanging in there defensively, the offensive woes were too pronounced for any victory wish to be granted.
The game began with seniors Kennedy Arndt and Brandyce Wott starting. Both were part of a balanced scoring effort in the opening quarter. Five different girls hit the scoring column and helped the Fliers to a 13-8 lead.
Then: Miss, miss, and more misses.
The second quarter needed someone from maintenance to examine the rim. Not really; it just seemed that way for Clyde. Only a basket from Heidi Marshall and Addie Martin kept the girls from a goose-egg quarter.
Margaretta was no better with the stubborn hoops, and by halftime it was 17-13, Lady Fliers.
In the third quarter, the girls did make field goals, but did not get to the line, an indication of trouble ahead. As usual, several Flier and Bears’ fans were voicing their disgust at the officials’ hesitancy to call fouls.
The Lady Fliers (14-8) did some attacking, but when they did, rare was a whistle blown. The Flier fans and the team seemed to be growing frustrated. Still, in spite of all the missed shots and rare whistles blown, the girls led after three quarters, 25-22.
In the fourth, however, things grew better for the Margaretta ladies coached by Tim Tucker. The Lady Bears received some foul calls and took advantage, hitting all five of their charity tosses in the final frame.
But the dagger in the Flier heart came from a Lady Bear who knocked down two from 3-point country. The final quarter went to Margaretta, 13-4, and so did the game, 35-29.
For the night the Lady Fliers shot just 26 percent with Addie Martin leading the way with 10 points. Despite the cold field goal and 3-point shooting (zero made), things could have been quite different. After hitting 5-of-6 free throws in their good opening quarter, the Lady Fliers never went to the charity stripe again.
Clyde will now play the Lake Flyers at Toledo Bowsher High School on Saturday at 8 p.m.
Despite losing their last game to Margaretta, the JV Lady Fliers, coached by Janelle Raifsnider, finished 20-2 for the season.
