Team says good-bye to five talented seniors

(L-R) Zoe Fasbender, Chelsey Holck, Kaitlyn VanderPloeg, Darby Dodd and Ali Maulsby wrapped up stellar high school careers at the 2021 State Tournament.  The group compiled a record of 81-13 in their four years playing for CLHS. -Submitted photo.

Five seniors wrapped up their high school careers on the state’s top stage — the Iowa High School Girls Basketball Championship at Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines.  

Ali Maulsby, Chelsey Holck, Darby Dodd, Kaitlyn VanderPloeg and Zoe Fasbender have been an integral part of the highly successful Clear Lake girls program.  They were members of Lion teams which made three State Tournament appearances in their four years, reaching the semi-finals for the second year in a row, and compiling a record of 81-13.

“They’ve meant a lot to the program,” said Coach Smith.   “They’ve had a great career here. They are going to leave their mark, definitely, getting back to semi-finals,”  “A lot of people could have said, ‘Sarah’s gone off that team last year.  It’s going to be hard to replace that.  How are are they going to get back to State?’” said Smith, referencing school scoring record holder Sarah Faber who graduated in 2020.  “Everybody stepped up.”

The seniors had a profound effect on the not only the program, but the players.

“They mean everything to us,” said Jaden Ainley, a junior on the Lions team. “They’re our big sisters, my best friends, and they’ve led the way the whole way.  I’m really thankful for them,” 

“They do a really good job of keeping everybody up and the team together,” added junior Emily Theiss.  “It’s been a really great time.”

“We’ve made great memories,” said Coach Smith, looking back on the year and his State Tournament team.  “There’s some fun times, some hard times.  Challenging times.  Exciting times.  That’s why you do the sport.  That’s why you play.  And to learn from those things and grow as a player — and I thought this team really grew toward the end of the year at just being really good teammates and playing hard. 

“When you don’t win the State Championship it’s not a failure.  There’s good teams down here and you’ve just got to play your hardest.”