Seniors sent off with state championship
By Molly Ann Howell
Managing Editor
Alysha Slinkey keeps her eyes on the basket, not letting the Kirtland Central Broncos player distract her from her goal: shooting a basket and scoring points to increase her team’s lead in the state championship game.
The Lady Bengals only had one obstacle standing in their way of the 2025 Nusenda Credit Union Girls State Basketball Champions title: their rivals the Kirtland Central Lady Broncos.
Throughout the 2024-2025 season, the Lady Bengals faced the Lady Broncos three times, winning only one of their regular season games.
But they were able to come out on top when it truly mattered. They won the March 15 championship game with a score of 51-41.
Rylie Whitehair, one of the three seniors who led the team this year, reflected on winning the championship title.
“It was absolutely the best feeling that anyone could ever feel, and I wish many people could feel that feeling because it was just very exciting,” she said. “It was great knowing that all our hard work during the season paid off.”
Summer Joe is a junior on the team, and she expressed similar feelings as Whitehair.
“It was a great feeling for me because I’ve always wanted to win with this team, especially my seniors because I’ve been playing with them since I was really young, and I’ve known them most of my life,” she said. “I was so happy to win and play with them this year.”
The Lady Bengals seniors are no strangers to winning. The last time the team won was in 2023, when they were sophomores.
Two years ago, the Lady Bengals also faced off against the Lady Broncos for the championship game. That year, they won with a score of 57-47.
Slinkey, a senior, said her favorite part about basketball is getting to create a bond with her teammates.
Coach Todd McBroom said it’s the girls’ bonds that made them a great team this year.
“They’re a very talented group, but it’s the way they play together that led to this year’s win,” he said. “That’s the biggest thing. Even off the court they’re good friends, and that chemistry goes on a long way on the court.”
Whitehair also spoke about the bond she had with her teammates.
“My sophomore year my team was really great, we all had a good bond, but this team was just very, very special,” she said. “I really love this team a lot.”
