Ridgeway Girls Roll to Another Victory

from Commercial Appeal


No coach or team likes to lose. But a narrow setback against Memphis Home Education Association a month ago might have been just what the Ridgeway girls basketball team needs to reach its ultimate goal.

The Roadrunners, ranked second in The Commercial Appeal’s Dandy Dozen, improved to 19-1 with a businesslike 67-46 victory over visiting Southwind on Friday.
Ridgeway hasn’t lost since a 49-46 loss to MHEA on Dec. 27 and coach Rhonda Kendall said she, for one, was not sad to see the defeat.

“We had beaten big teams from Alabama and Mississippi, but that (loss) refocused us,” the third-year coach said. “It did a lot for us; it woke us up. Like I told them (after the game,) we need to keep our foot on the gas at all times.”

Brandi Beasley, the team’s standout sophomore point guard, agreed.

“I feel like we shouldn’t have lost that game,” she said. “Our communication broke down. ... But it showed us that anybody can be beaten at any time.”

Eryn Foster, a 6-2 junior, led Ridgeway with 16; Beasley added 13. Ridgeway took control early, outscoring the Jaguars 19-5 in the first quarter and leading by 25 at halftime.

The Roadrunners went 28-3 last year, winning 25 games in a row before losing to Overton in the Region 8-AAA tournament. That loss is also motivating Kendall’s team.

“We’re more mature this year,” she said. “We’ve matured a whole lot and that makes a difference. Last year, we didn’t fulfill our goals and this year we’re working hard to keep our focus where it needs to be.”