Fairbanks’ Megan Rausch (4) and Emma Kugel, right, tie up a West Liberty-Salem player for the ball Thursday evening. Rausch scored six points during FHS’ 64-10 loss.
(Journal-Tribune photo by Tim Miller)
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Fans of the Fairbanks High School girls basketball team probably knew the program would be in a rebuilding mode during the 2018-19 season.
After all, the Lady Panthers graduated all five starters from a squad that went 9-14 a year ago and who provided 80 percent of the scoring.
First-year head coach Landon Fraker acknowledged that things are going to go slowly after Thursday’s 64-10 loss to West Liberty-Salem.
“This is a process and it’s not going to happen overnight,” said Fraker with a smile. “It’s a new coach and new system for these girls and it’s going to be a learning process.”
The Lady Panthers’ offense, which sputtered last Saturday during a season-opening loss to Triad, continued to do so against a Tiger squad that had lost its first three games of the season.
Numerous turnovers and errant shots thwarted FHS’ offense, especially during the first half.
Bella Rowland hit a basket for Fairbanks (0-2) midway through the opening quarter and cut WL-S’ lead to 7-2.
That not only was the closest the Lady Panthers got the rest of the game… the basket also marked the only first-half points for them.
The Tigers converted many FHS mistakes into transition baskets and took a 20-2 advantage into the second period.
The ensuing quarter was much of the same as West Liberty held a 35-2 margin at the turn.
The Lady Panthers, who will travel to Northeastern on Saturday, didn’t score their next points until nearly three minutes had lapsed in the third quarter.
Megan Rausch tallied all of Fairbanks’ markers during the stanza.
The Tigers held a 55-6 lead by the end of the third set and continued to coast to the victory.
“The girls played hard and they didn’t quit,” said Fraker. “I also thought we took better care of the ball during the second half.
“We’ll get it,” he said. “We just can’t lose faith in each other.”
West Liberty-Salem
G. Hollar 6-0-14, E. Hollar 6-0-12, Weaver 6-0-12, Day 4-0-11, Williams 3-0-7, Estes 1-2-4, Shafer 1-0-2, Cole 0-2-2, Williams 0-0-0, Smith 0-0-0. Totals 27-4-64.
Three-point goals: Day 3, G. Hollar 2, Williams 1.
Fairbanks
Rausch 2-2-6, Rowland 1-0-2, Blevins 1-0-2, Olson 0-0-0, Ziegler 0-0-0, Wanamaker 0-0-0, Kugel 0-0-0, Miller 0-0-0, Picklesimer 0-0-0, Writesel 0-0-0, Headings 0-0-0. Totals 4-2-10.