To the Editor:

The 2016-17 season is over for our Lady Grizzly basketball team. For the first time in six years, they didn’t win the district finals and advance on to the regional playoffs. That is too bad, but guess what girls? For a young team, you really did have a great season, and I am happy with how you performed throughout the season.

I have been a fan of the Wadsworth Lady Grizzlies basketball team since 1997, longer than you are old. Up to about two years ago, I never missed going to one of their games, home and away, no matter how far. Unfortunately, I haven’t been able to attend any more games due to health reasons, but I always look forward to watching the replays on TV – channel 16 – and reading all the stories in the newspapers.

As usual, Coach Andy Booth and all of his devoted, longtime assistant coaches kept out girls on track throughout the season.

So what’s up for the 2017-18 basketball season? Well, we will have Sophie Fortner, Peyton Banks, Lexi Lance, Taylor Leatherman, Maddie Movessian, E’Anna Won, Kacie Evans and Maria Busson back, which promises to be a winning season. McRenna Banks and Olivia Chaney will be graduating this year and will be missed next season.

There are several bench players that have great potential to show their stuff, and I know that the great JV coach Mike Schmeltzer Sr., will make his usual contribution of good JV players to help fill the bench for Coach Booth.

I think Coach Booth is now in his 13th or 14th year. of coaching our Lady Grizzlies and has done nothing but bring us great winning teams.

I hope, Lord willing, that I will be here another year to see our Lady Grizzlies play the 2017-18 season, even if it is only the replay on TV, and maybe they will even go back to Columbus. Good luck, girls.

Ralph Jefferies

Wadsworth