The Jesuit Rangers Varsity Basketball team faced Richardson Berkner in the first round of the playoffs on Feb. 25, in a hard-fought and tight game which ended in the final minutes with Berkner on top, 65-62.
The seniors hoped to extend their season, but it became their last time to wear the Jesuit blue and gold. The Rangers had faced Berkner earlier in the year and had battled at district each of the past three years. Senior Peter Lynch said about facing Berkner,“We knew their style of play and were able to prepare very well in practice the week before which should have given us a huge advantage. The only problem was they were just as familiar with us as we were with them.”
The first meeting between the two teams earlier in the year ended with a Ranger victory, 59-53. Coach Chris Hill was confident in his team’s abilities, joking that the main game plan headed into the playoff game was “not to lose!” He said the team wanted to treat “the game the same way they had approached them throughout the second half of district.” The Rangers needed a strong focus “on trying to take care of the ball and rebound while staying aggressive.”
The Rangers found themselves down early in the game, but were able to claw their way back. Led by a three point barrage from Hank Shotland ’15 and Tyler Schlapkohl ’15, the Rangers went on an offensive assault which gave them a commanding 35-29 lead headed into the half. Shotland recalled that “we knew if we were able to hit our shots we could spread the floor, and open up better looks all over.” The open looks poured in all throughout the first half, and the Rangers had the Rams right where they wanted them headed into the second half.
However, the Rams refused to go down without a fight, and their offensive strength was too much for the Rangers to handle in the second half. Berkner’s Torey Everret and Davis Steelman spearheaded a huge 14-0 run that propelled the Rams passed the Rangers. They were able to take the lead causing the Rangers to spend the rest of the game clawing their way back.
Lynch played the game of his career, finishing with 24 points. He was a huge spark off of the bench and led the team not only in points but also in morale. Lynch was a huge part in the Rangers keeping the game tight and hanging in with Berkner. His play gave the team the boost they needed versus such a stout opponent. Lynch described his game as “just doing his part and helping the team out when they needed it.” All year Lynch was able to step up when the Rangers needed him, and his three-pointer with around a minute left gave the Rangers the last hope in the game.
Although the last efforts were not enough, the Rangers played an exceptional game and had a remarkable season. The year all of the seniors had was a key part in the success of the Rangers. Although the seniors, such as Michael McReynolds ’15, Christian Chiles ’15, Peter Lynch ’15, Hank Shotland ’15, Tyler Schlapkohl ’15, Tom Weber ’15, Sam Truxal ’15, and Christian Nwosu ’15, will never represent the Rangers on the basketball court again, they all had a great impact in their careers at Jesuit, and some might continue at the college level.
Looking into next season, the Rangers appear promising. Returning varsity players include Mitch Prendergast ’17, Dixon Smith ’17, Ben Kunasek ’16, Rusty Landon ’16, Joe Fimian ’16, and Shawn Regan ’16. Dixon Smith said, “We are very excited and anxious on what we can accomplish next year as a team. The seniors this year will be missed dearly, and we thank them for all they have done. Next year you can expect big things from the Rangers.” Coach Hill is also very optimistic about next year saying, “I really like our young guys. They have a great team mentality and understand the importance of roles.”
The 2014-2015 Rangers season was memorable and the seniors will be missed dearly, but big things can be expected next year.
