The Ashland girls’ basketball team may have lost in the District Finals of the Division I Northwest 1 Sectional Final on Saturday, but Coach Renee Holt said there has been plenty to celebrate for the Arrows this season.

The No. 10 Arrows finished their season with a 55-47 loss to No. 13 Wapakoneta. It was close throughout the game, and Ashland clawed back to within three points after three frames, but the Redskins were able to secure the win with a 15-10 fourth quarter. 

Sophomore Madison Hoffman led the Arrows with 12 points, three assists, three steals and a rebound. Freshman Kennedy Lacey scored 11 points, and also had six rebounds, two steals and an assist. Sophomore Camryn Cox had seven points, six boards, three steals and a block to stuff the stat sheet. 

Cienna Steury was another young player who contributed, as the freshman recorded three steals to go with her two points, one rebound and one assist. 

Sophomore Grace Tobias had four points two rebounds and an assist. Junior Lauren Green also had four points, a rebound and a pair of steals.

It was a mix of youth and seniority who led the Arrows, as senior Alex Huckleberry had a solid final night in an Arrow uniform with with seven points, five rebounds, four assists and a steal.

“Very proud of what my team was able to accomplish this season,” said Coach Holt. “One word that I would describe them is fight. No matter who you were, and what the score was, we were fighting until the final buzzer. This group wanted to be in the gym, wanted to push each other, and were willing to make sacrifices to see more wins for the program.”

The loss put Ashland’s overall record at 9-14, but this was mostly due to a five game losing streak to end the season. They fared well in Ohio Cardinal Conference matchups, going 8-6 good for fourth in the conference. 

“Nine wins, and an 8-6 record in the OCC is one of the best years this program has had in a long time,” Holt said. “Big wins vs. conference teams such as Wooster, New Philly, and Madison proved what we can do when we start putting four quarters together. Our fight versus the top teams in the league, and getting to host a sectional final has helped laid a strong foundation for next year.”

The future is bright for the Arrows, who have a strong core with playoff experience coming back for years to come. One of the best players on the squad this season was Lacey, who has been a consistent force for Ashland all season even as a freshman. She instantly became on of the best players in the OCC, and was named first team All-Conference. Lacey averaged 15.7 points, 7.3 rebounds, 2.1 steals, 1.5 assists and 0.4 blocks.

“Her ability to get to the rim and finish through contact sets her apart,” said Holt. “One of the hardest workers in the gym has put her in a position to put her stamp into the history books.”

Cox is what Holt called “a true leader” in her sophomore season, and her work was recognized as she is a second team All-OCC pick. She was second on the team in scoring with 10.6 points per game, and led the team with 8.0 boards. She also led the team with 1.6 blocks per game and averaged 1.5 steals.

“The strides she has made this year has put her in a position to make our post position the toughest in the league,” Holt said. “The coolest thing about Camryn is she is not satisfied.”

Hoffman, a fellow sophomore has been a strong guard for the Arrows who can take it to the hoop and also hit shots from outside the perimeter. She averaged 9.1 ppg, 3.1 rebounds, 1.9 steals and 1.7 assists. 

“I see her continuing to grow into not only a threat but an overall leader to help our team achieve the goals we have talked about,” Holt said.

Hoffman, as well as Steury, were All-OCC honorable mentions.

But it wouldn’t be for the fight and resiliency of the seniors Huckleberry and Grace Carver, who have put the Ashland girls’ basketball program in good standing and ready to take it to the next level.

“The seniors helped build the foundation for what this program can become,” Holt said. “They have sacrificed so much in their four years as they trusted a young head coach to lead them not only on the court but through obstacles that go beyond the game.”