March 11, 2023

By Fred Liggett
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The Class 4 District 14 girls basketball tournament brought five teams to St. Michael’s to compete for a district title the week of February 27- March 3rd. The host Guardians rounded out the six team field at the three day event.
The Guardians were named the top seed and were able to have a bye in the first round. A semifinal game on Thursday, Mar. 2 brought the team to the court and Paseo was the opponent. A crowded gym served as a backdrop for what turned out to be an 85 to 25 win for the Guardians. Victoria Swingle led the way with a 22 point effort. Up next was the district title game against a familiar opponent in the Raiders from Pembroke Hill.

Early on in the 2022-23 season the Guardians lost to the Raiders by a four point margin at 61-57. On Saturday, Mar. 4 this afternoon the winner would be district champions. The game lead went back and forth during all four quarters. The Guardians enjoyed a 33-30 halftime lead only to trail 49-46 after the third quarter. Regulation ended with the game tied. In the overtime session saw the Guardians take a 73-68 lead with just 2:10 left to play. The Guardians went on to win by a four point margin at 79-75 and win the district title in front of their fans.

Sophia Roccaro led the winning effort with a 26 point, 16 rebound performance. Victoria Swingle added 22 points and Ella Medlin had 16. Following the district tourney the time had come to hit the road as the Guardians had advanced to play a sectional round game against Nevada.

This Class 4 sectional was played on Tuesday, Mar. 7 on the campus of William Jewell in Liberty, MO. The Guardians season came to an end with a 49-37 loss. The loss meant the 2022-23 season had come to an end with an 18-10 record. The season may be over but many memories were made on campus at a district tournament that provided a thrilling finish for the home team and its fans.