Realizing the Dream: Athletics have turned it around
Published 1:08 am Saturday, March 14, 2015
The Lyle-Pacelli’s girls basketball team celebrates its Section 1A title after defeating Fillmore Central Friday night at Rochester’s MAyo Civic Center. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
ROCHESTER — After the final buzzer had sounded at the Section 1A title game in Mayo Civic Center in Rochester Friday night, Lyle-Pacelli junior Courtney Walter clutched the section championship trophy and grinned from ear to ear.
It was real.
Lyle-Pacelli’s Sarah Holtz goes up for a lay-up in traffic against Fillmore Central during the second half of the Section 1A championship Friday night at Mayo Civic Center in Rochester. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
LP had beaten Fillmore Central 47-36 and it had qualified for its first ever trip to the Class A state tournament as a co-op. The accomplishment was a great one and it wasn’t something than even seemed attainable a few years ago.
“We never thought it was a possibility, but we always hoped and dreamed that it would happen,” Courtney said. “We’ll probably enjoy it for a few days.”
When Courtney and her younger sister Brooke, a freshman, used to watch the Athletics girls basketball team play from the stands, it was hard to imagine LP would ever be at the top of Section 1A.
The Athletics were more concerned with competing in the Southeast Conference. In the two years before Courtney joined LP, the squad was a combined 2-44 overall, but in the last five years, LP is 105-24 and it has won the last two SEC titles. Now LP can add a section title to its list of accomplishments.
“That was amazing. I could not be prouder of everyone on this team,” said Courtney, who had 11 points and three assists in the win. “I would not want to be part of any other program.”
When Courtney was trying to find her own way on the varsity team as a seventh and eighth grader, she wasn’t just learning the game herself. She was inspiring her younger sister and Brooke learned plenty from watching her big sister on the court.
“I’ve been in the stands and I watched Courtney grow as a basketball player,” Brooke said. “I’ve always hoped to have a good basketball team and to be able to play at this level. We’ve worked hard to get to this level.”
The Athletics may not have been thinking about the state tournament when they lost regular season contests to Goodhue and Southland this season, but LP bounced back to beat both of those teams in the tournament.
LP head coach Justin Morris said his team has come a long way on and off the court this year.
“They really truly care about each other off the floor and I don’t know if that was the case six weeks ago. We’ve come so far from a maturity standpoint.” Morris said. “These kids have made a commitment to getting better. They’ve put the time in and when you make a dedicated effort for each other, good things happen. That’s a life lesson, not just a basketball lesson.”