PHOTOS: Senior Night Ends Ridge Girls Basketball Season

The Ridge High School girls basketball team celebrated the end of the 2012 season and their senior night hosting Franklin Tuesday night. Ridge lost the game 57-35.

IN SHORT

The Devils girls opened up the evening celebrating their five seniors introducing them and their families. When the game began, Ridge played the Warriors tough — keeping even through the first eight points. But the Devils looked uneasy, and made a number of unforced errors resulting in turnovers. 

Getting behind 35-13 at the half, the Devils managed to keep up with Franklin as both teams scored 22 points to close out the game. Elena Burkot scored her seven points and Katelyn Neillands sank two 3 pointers to lead the Devils in the second half. Elena Alves would lead the Devils with eight points in the game.

DEVILS OF THE GAME

The seniors — Coach Cheryl Stappenbeck felt the seniors showed their leadership and tenacity, especially in the final minutes of the game when they closed out the game staying even with Franklin. 

"The last few minutes of the game, what you saw was so characteristic of this team. Never give up, never quit, the five of them out there, was a great example of what they were all about." —  Ridge coach Cheryl Stappenbeck

COACH'S TAKE

"It is a tough one for a lot of different reasons. We didn't play well in the first half; we played with a lot of emotion, we played panicked. We played much better the second half, but dug ourselves to big a hole."

On the departing seniors: "To lose these five kids, is a tough one. They have been with us for a long time. This is my fourth season as varsity coach and assistant coach Kim Clark had a lot of these girls as freshman so they have been with at least one of us for their whole high school playing career." - Stappenbeck