5th grade basketball teams both top Salamonie
Hat Tip, Katelynn Farley
Bob Straight Court was bustling with activity as the 5th-grade boys and girls basketball teams from Roanoke Elementary and Salamonie Elementary battled it out for their respective championship basketball games on Thursday, November 21. In the end, both Roanoke teams brought home the hardware, with the girls’ team winning 37-17 and the boys’ team winning 35-22.
To start the evening, the girls’ teams took the court and Roanoke was quick to establish their dominance. The entire Roanoke team made it clear that they weren’t afraid to go after the ball, resulting in a healthy lead early on. By the end of the first quarter, Roanoke was up 14 to Salamonie’s three. By the end of the half, they had made it to 21 and Salamonie had upped their score to five. The last half brought Roanoke 16 more points and Salamonie 12 more.
“The season went great, the girls worked really hard,” coach Jessica Ryan said.
Ryan also highlighted player Cameron Kimmel and how she took charge on the court.
“This was a big, big game for her and she really came out and scored a lot of points out there. I think she had fun doing it, so that was fun to watch her,” Ryan said. “A bunch of the girls really improved from the beginning so it’s been fun.”
Roanoke principal Jami Craft said she was “proud of our students for the overall sportsmanship they have shown this year” and credits the opportunity to play sports to “build character” in Roanoke’s student-athletes.
As far as scoring goes, the story was much the same for the boys’ competition. Before the end of the first half, Roanoke had earned 20 points to Salamonie’s 10. Coach Aidan Hosler had this to say about his team’s performance during the game and overall in the season:
“This is a great group of kids. I got really lucky with the group I have. There’s a lot of these guys that play travel ball on Sundays and stuff like that, and they’re really dedicated. They do a really good job, and they practiced a lot. We got a lot of stuff done at practice and they were really enjoyable group to be around. We didn’t look great tonight, but all that matters is that we won and we had fun, and everyone got the nice yellow shirt to wear to school tomorrow,” Hosler said.
“I am so excited for our teams as we brought home both trophies!” Craft said. “I hope this season has brought great memories for our students to have.”
For many of the fans, coaches, students and staff in the crowd, as well as for the players on the court the sentiment was the same: it was nice to have folks out there cheering the players on. Alayna Cang, a member of the Roanoke girls’ team, said, “My favorite memory from this season was being there to cheer on my friends and when I made a basket they were there to cheer on me.”
Ben Radosevitch, a member of the Roanoke boys’ team, said that his favorite part of the season was “playing with all of his teammates and having fun.”
Despite the loss, Salamonie players held their heads high and principal Elizabeth Kitchen said it was a “privilege” to watch the students compete in the championship game.
“Our coaches and students worked tirelessly to reach this point, showing incredible grit, determination and relentless drive to improve and grow,” Kitchen said. “I am beyond thankful to have these dedicated students at Salamonie, and to have coaches who have helped them develop into champions both on and off the court. Their hard work and commitment are truly inspiring to our community.”
Salamonie students were able to participate in a Champion Walk at school on Friday to celebrate reaching the championship game.
“It’s a reminder that every student is a champion, whether or not there’s a trophy in hand,” Kitchen explained. “What makes a true champion? It’s someone who demonstrates hard work, dedication, selflessness and integrity - qualities we encourage and support at Salamonie. We’re proud of each of our students for embodying these traits and for their commitment to growth, both on and off the court.”
