The Manhattan High Varsity girls basketball team ended their season to Washburn Rural on Friday, going 47-27, after defeating Hutchinson 36-31 as the underdog team the previous Tuesday.

“We were all upset, especially knowing our season had come to an end,” junior Avery Larson said. “But we were all proud of how we fought and played until the end.”

In their game against Hutchinson, the team came onto the court ready to compete. According to Larson, after a hard third quarter, the girls persevered and pulled ahead in quarter four.

“I definitely think [sophomore Emery Ruliffson’s] ‘and one’ that put us up [to] five in the fourth quarter was huge,” Larson said. “[Hutchinson] had come back and tied it at the end of the third, so to come and pull away again was big for us.”

After walking away with a win, the girls headed into their game versus Washburn Rural. Unfortunately, the team couldn’t keep up offensively, which according to Larson, contributed to “scoring droughts.”

“I’d say the highlight [of the Washburn game was] we never gave up,” Larson said. “We tried hard the whole time.”

For Larson, the team’s win on senior night against Hayden and their Sub-State win against Hutchinson were the highlights of the season. Senior Grace Dixon noted the girls’ comradery was her favorite part of the season.

“[My favorite parts of the season were] in the locker room with the players before the game,” Dixon said. “Just being around them [is] super fun. They’re really good teammates.”

The team, according to Larson, is ready for next season but will miss their lone senior teammate Dixon.

“We’re all optimistic and excited for next season,” Larson said. “We’re losing [Dixon], which is going to be hard, but [junior] Paige [Chauncey] will be back … We’ve been a pretty young team, [but] next year we’ll be older and overall more experienced.”