Middle school girls have 11-0 championship basketball season

Olive Pierce Middle School’s seventh-grade girls basketball team ended its season with an 11-0 record as they beat the Vista Magnet Vipers 24-17 in the championship game.

The girls took a 5-2 lead into the second period as Sara Aaen scored 4 of her team’s 5 points. Katherine Mauldin scored the other point on a free throw.

At half, the team led 9-4 as Karli Njaa scored all 4 second-period points. Ramona scored 11 points in the third period as Aaen scored 8 points in the period.

“What I loved most about coaching this team is how they worked together as a team,” said the team’s coach, Marc Boykins. “I am proud of how well they worked together and supported each other in every game. The parents also gave amazing support to the team all season.”

Team members are: Aaen, Mauldin, Njaa, Jordan Stites, Danielle Vizcara, Kylie Stainer, Kayalene Sthelik, Valissa Espinosa, Brenna Dokken, Lauren Werhanowicz and Lexi Romero.

The eighth-grade girls basketball team fell one game short of its goal as the team lost to the Madison Mustangs in the final game of the season. The eighth-graders finished their two-year OPMS career with a 27-1 record.

“Being last year’s defending champions, our goal was to repeat like the 2000-01 team did with London Houchin,” said Boykins. “This is a special group of young ladies who will have more opportunities to set records, break records and win many more championships.”