The Ponte Vedra Girls’ Basketball team beat Pedro Menendez High School to claim the District Title. Theresa Irwin started the game off with a drive to the basket. Point guard, Tess Tibbits, demonstrated her moves with a long pass for Rachel Aspinwall making another terrific play. Pedro Menendez continued to put the pressure on the Sharks but it didn’t seem to stop them. Rachel Aspinwall led the team in points while Christi Begeman utilized her four-year varsity status on and off the court! By the fourth quarter the Sharks proved to be too strong to beat. Post, Erin Landis continued to rebound and get the ball to the net. It was apparent that the Sharks had one goal in mind and that was to claim the title for the first time in the eight-year history of the school.
When asked what was different this year than previous years, coach Jim Piggott replied, “This year’s team is continuing to build off the success of our teams over the last three years when we finished in second place in districts. This team is beginning to realize how good they can be when they remain focused. They are learning what it takes to be a really good team and are beginning to apply it. It is fun to watch,” he said.
As for the future of the program, Coach Piggott sees the PV Girls Basketball Team “continue to grow and succeed in not only winning games and titles, but also in developing these ladies for the rough world waiting for them. Teaching them to get up every time they get knocked down and teaching them about hardworking, respect, and responsibility are also key to our future success.”
The Sharks will be losing five seniors this year. Their absence will effect next year’s season. “These five seniors have worked their butts off and have been great role models for our younger players. Their leadership by example, on and off the court, is perhaps more important than anything a coach can ever say.”
What Coach Piggott loves most about this team, “like our teams in the past, really enjoy each other. We are like a family. The girls are all like sisters and treat each other as such.”
If you were fortunate to see the Lady Sharks win, their love for the game and each other was apparent. It was a true team effort and everyone on and off the court made a huge impact on the game. Every player contributed to The Lady Sharks undefeated record in the District. Their victory has given them home court advantage Thursday night in the Regional Playoffs.
