Fairfield girls' basketball team welcomed back home

 

GOSHEN, Ind. --- The Falcons of Fairfield High School closed out a memorable season by making school history; not only by making a state final appearance, but by bringing back the first ever state title for the girls’ basketball program!

“To get there was one thing, but to really win it, that was just really something special,” says Head Coach for Fairfield Girls Basketball, Brodie Garver.

The girls snagged the 3A State Championship Title in a 49-42 victory over Corydon Central in Indianapolis on Saturday at the IHSAA state championship finals.

“The whole entire time felt good,” says Coach Garver about the team’s final game. “I mean, there were a couple of close calls, I think it was 2-0 to start the game we were down, then the rest of the game we had that lead.”

The champs brought home the history-making hardware and were welcomed back at their home court with a packed gymnasium by the community, showing them Falcon pride in return.

“When I look in the crowd, I see students that I have in class, former players that I’ve had, community members that have been to a lot of these games, the parents of a lot of the players,” Coach Garver says. “To share this moment with them, it’s pretty special.”

He adds it was a much different close to the season compared to last years.

“Last year we came up oh-so close, we were one point away from going to the state finals,” remembers Coach Garver. “I think the girls, in the back of their head, had that there where ‘we don’t want to do this again.’”

However, this year, the four seniors on the team can say they were able to finish their last high school game on the highest note possible.

“Looking up into the crowd yesterday, for all four of us, it was super sentimental and special, we’ll never forget that,” says one of the graduating seniors to the crowd.

“What those seniors did is set the bar pretty high. When I got the job 11 years ago, these seniors were second graders, and that’s about when we start getting the little ones started a little bit,” shares Coach Garver. “To see them progress all the way through, watch them just from little girls to now when they graduate, they’re just young women getting ready to take on that next step.”

“I can’t believe it’s over, but I’m just glad it all happened,” adds another one of the graduating seniors on the team.

They say it’s a bittersweet yet accomplishing feat.

“There’s a little bit of sadness because tomorrow we’re not going to practice together,” says Coach Garver. “Deep down, knowing they did what they did, they finished their season, they won their last game, they should be incredibly proud of themselves.”