On Friday, December 8th, the Lady Warrior basketball team kicked off their season with a convincing win against the Harmony Owls. The Warriors were led by Jenna Mertz’s 27 points, 8 rebounds, and 5 steals. All five starters hit a three-pointer, and seven players on the team scored at least one bucket. Not only was the game an offensive showcase, but the defensive stats were outstanding as well. Sarah Guglielmi and Lily Williams each had 4 steals a piece, and almost all resulted in a transition bucket on the other side of the floor. 

After putting up big numbers on Friday night, the Warriors were hungry for more. On Tuesday, December 12th, the girls faced off against Moshannon Valley for their home opener. Going into the game, West Branch had to plan to the best of their ability. After losing to Mo-Valley in the last game of the regular season last year, the matchup was personal. The Lady Warriors flipped the script this time, earning a statement win with an end score of 41-18. West Branch was led by Jenna Mertz’s 17 points and Lily William’s 5 blocks. Sarah Gugliemi expressed how important the win was to her. She stated, “This game meant so much to me. We have so much chemistry this year and we put it to use. We proved that we will always come back, harder than ever.” Sarah also displayed her selflessness during the game, tallying 6 assists. 

The last game of the week was played on Friday, December 15th, against the Lady Pirates of Williamsburg. Williamsburg was missing their best player due to an injury, but the Pirates seemed unfazed, defeating the Warriors 48-25. The Lady Warriors’ foul trouble, along with a cold shooting night, ultimately cost them the game. The girls are looking to bounce back on Monday, December 18th, against Tussey Mountain at home. The jv game will start at 6 pm, with varsity to follow.