Season to Remember

One loss -- albeit a lopsided one in your final game -- does not dampen an otherwise brilliant season. Case in point: the Lady Tigers of Shadyside. Coach Tina Yates' charges were nothing short of sensational this winter. The Lady Tigers lived up to their advance billing. They were expected to be strong this year and they were every bit of superb. Shadyside rolled to a rare 20-0 regular-season ledger. In the process, the Orange & Black pocketed the OVAC 2-A championship, routing defending champion Fort Frye in the finale. That was followed by two sectional blowouts, leading to a pair of close but impressive district triumphs over highly touted Hiland and Bishop Rosecrans, respectively. The Lady Tigers proceeded to the regional in Massillon with their 24-0 mark in tow, eliminating Lowellville and Dalton in easy fashion. As a result, Shadyside reached the promised land...the Final Four in Columbus. And although, the semifinal game against Fort Loramie slipped away early from Shadyside, it does nothing to tarnish a season to remember in Tiger annals. Winning your first 26 games in Ohio is a landmark achievement. Making the state tournament is icing on the cake. Although the Lady Tigers came up a bit short in their quest for a state title, they will go down in the books as one of the best girls' hoops team in Ohio Valley history.