Lady Herders hold off Lingle/Ft. Laramie for first win of season

It was what they had been working tirelessly for since the season began in early December.
As each minute passed in the fourth quarter of last Friday’s game against Lingle/Ft. Laramie, the tension in the gymnasium at Glenrock Jr./Sr. High School became more and more palpable. What was once a double-digit lead for the Lady Herders in the early stages of the second half, became just a three-point lead with less than a minute left to play.
But Glenrock hung tough down the stretch, even as the momentum shifted in favor of the Lady Doggers.
Senior Yesi Hermosillo finished with a team-high 16 points to go along with 7 rebounds and 4 steals. Adelaide Williams tallied 13 points of her own with 4 rebounds and 4 steals. Skyler Harford netted 9 and Abby Nunez contributed 8 points and 4 rebounds in the Lady Herders’ first win of the season.
As a team, Glenrock shot 16-of-30 from the field and converted on 13-of-24 attempts at the free throw line. It was an all-around performance for head coach Chris Gray’s team, a reminder to themselves that everything they’ve practiced and everything they’ve preached over the course of the season paid off with an end result of victory.
“The younger girls really wanted to win for the seniors who have been with the program for the past four years and send them off right,” Gray said. “As a coach it’s gratifying to see the girls happy and excited at the end of a game.”
If the win taught the Lady Herders anything, it’s that they know they have what it takes.
Gray emphasized midway through the season that the skillset of his players has never been a focus of concern. It’s the intangibles, like self-confidence, that have stood in the way of their success. But Friday’s win, on senior night, gave them a reason to feel confident heading into this week’s regional tournament.
“I’ve told them many times that there are few teams that work harder in practice than they do,” Gray said. “When the wins come our way it is deserved and earned, so don’t take them for granted.”
Glenrock enters the opening round of the 2A East regional tournament today as a No. 4 seed, and will face No. 1 seed Big Horn. Tip off at Wright Jr./Sr. High School is set for 4 p.m. Day two of the tournament will be played at the Pronghorn Center in Gillette.