The final regular season Stratford Girls Varsity Basketball game was Wednesday, February 7th at home vs. Jersey Village. Stratford needed a win to be certain they were in the playoffs. The previous game against the Falcons was a nine-point loss. Junior point guard Rachel Ashby kicked off the scoring with a three-pointer off the out-of-bounds pass from Freshman guard Tess Stephenson. Ashby's ball-handling is superb, but she was tested early by the Falcons' point guard, who was also a good scorer on offense. We were taught for years that "When you care enough to send the very best" you send a Hallmark. Head Coach Audrisa Harrison had super-quick Junior guard Meghan Hallmark check into the game to stick with the Falcons' guard defensively. Hallmark quickly drained a 10-footer off the assist from Senior forward Kendall Zoboroski,  and it was 5-4. Hallmark scored again off the assist from Ashby, and it was 7-6. Stephenson drained a three with the assist to Ashby. When Junior guard Aria Taylor found Stephenson on the fast break for a score, it was 12-8 to end the first quarter.

Hallmark stayed on the Falcons' guard reminiscent of when "Hoosiers" Coach Norman Dale asked Buddy, playing defense on the opposition, to think of chewing gum; “At the end of the game, I want to know what flavor he is." Hallmark also kicked off the second quarter with a six-foot runner to go up 14-8. Taylor drove hard right,  then jump-passed over two defenders to Junior forward Gretchen Loveless on the left block to score. Senior forward Ella Pezzia stayed on the Falcons' guard when Hallmark wasn't. Pezzia also got in on the offensive action with an inside-out pass to Ashby for a trey from the top of the key, and it was 19-11. A couple of Spartan turnovers ensued, and Coach Harrison took a timeout at the 1:29 mark, up 19-15. Ashby came out and in one series missed two shots but tipped the second carom to Senior guard Emma Adisa in the lane for a goal. Zoboroski forced a turnover and on the other end, Adisa, all 5-foot-3 of her, drove hard into a defender a foot taller to score. The half ended 23-17.

Pezzia stole the ball early in the third quarter, and Zoboroski converted two free throws afterward. Zoboroski followed with an aggressive drive from the top of the key past a flat-footed defender to score. Ashby found Hallmark on the left baseline for a basket, and it was 29-20. Hallmark delivered scores like candy-grams with another bucket off the assist from Ashby. Hallmark followed later with a free throw and a defensive block. Ashby drove and scored. On an ensuing out-of-bounds play, Stephenson delivered a dagger of a bounce pass to Ashby behind the arc for the score, and it was 37-27. Ashby was taking over the game. She stole the ball at half court and scored to put the Spartans up by 12 to end the quarter.

Pezzia hit Taylor on the left wing for three. Pezzia then grabbed an offensive rebound and hit Taylor, who let fly from behind the arc and was fouled. Taylor converted all three shots, and it was 45-27. Ashby unabashedly banked a three-pointer off the assist from Stephenson. The Spartans then went into ball-control mode. Stephenson made an impressive no-look out-of-bounds pass to Adisa, who drove and scored. Stephenson hauled in a defensive rebound and hit a striding Taylor for a fast-break score. Taylor scored again, and the final was 54-40. They earned the number-three seed in the playoffs!

The Spartans played the game without consistent starter - Junior forward Kendall Davis - who was still recovering from the elbow she took to the mouth vs. Memorial. Davis's teammates rallied by putting together one of their best team efforts of the season. Ashby was sensational in scoring, on defense, and in controlling the ball and the tempo. No word from Hallmark or Pezzia on what flavor chewing gum they denoted. Ashby had 16 points, five assists and eight steals. Hallmark had 11 points. Taylor had 10 points and six rebounds. Adisa had six points. Stephenson had five points, seven rebounds, and two blocks. Zoboroski had four points and eight rebounds. The Spartans finished the regular season at 17-13, 8-6. They will face Bellaire on Tuesday, February 13th at 7:30 pm at Delmar Stadium.