The Greenbrier East Lady Spartans enjoyed a lot of success during the 2021-22 season. They stayed ranked in the Top 10 for most of the year and creeped into the Top 5 multiple times as well, finishing with a record of 17-8.
East looked as though they were poised to make a deep run into the state tournament, but after being upset in the Region 3 final by the George Washington Patriots in overtime, that never materialized.
Still, the Spartans had many high points throughout the season that would label 2022 a great success with some slight disappointed thrown in. They averaged 65.3 points as a team and held their opponents to just 50.2.
They outrebounded their opponents 44 to 38.6 and forced over 24 turnovers per game.
And the individual success was even more impressive.
No one can talk about East girls’ basketball without mentioning junior guard Cadence Stewart. A great shooter who improved her ability to score more off the dribble and going to the basket this season, Stewart led the Spartans in scoring at 19.1 points per game. She also pulled down 6.5 rebounds and was second on the team with 56 assists, and third in steals with 56. She knocked in 69 threes to lead the team as well. She will almost certainly be named to an All-State team in the next couple weeks, and is poised to improve even more next year in her senior season.
Wyoming East transfer Daisha Summers also enjoyed a successful season, which will be her only one in Fairlea. The 5’11” center scored 17.6 ppg and averaged 8.6 rpg. Her style of play got her to the free throw line a team-leading 155 times where she converted 105 of them for 67 percent. Summers used her one season at East to her advantage and she was a huge asset to the Spartan program.
As important as Stewart and Summers were to the team, seniors Brooke Davis and Allie Dunford may have been the heart and soul of the Spartans. Both scrappy players with no fear, Davis and Dunford provided a lot of quality memories for years to come. Davis scored 8.3 points, pulled down 5.4 rebounds and was second to Dunford in steals with 72. Always diving on the floor and stepping in passing lanes, Davis’ toughness and basketball IQ will be missed next season.
Dunford was the starting point guard the last two seasons and found a way to excel in her role to the fullest. She was like “the little engine that could” as the floor general and filled the stat sheet in the process. She averaged 6.2 points, 4.9 assists and 4.1 rebounds. She led the team with 83 steals and shot 34.9 percent from 3-point range. Replacing Dunford and Davis, in my opinion, are priorities number one and two this offseason for head coach Jim Justice, as they exemplified doing the “little things” to help teams win.
If priority one and two are replacing Davis and Dunford, finding someone to step in for Summers would be a close number three. Luckily for the Spartans, that player is already on the roster in junior-to-be Layla Pence. In her sophomore season, Pence scored at a 4.0 ppg clip and grabbed 6.2 rebounds. She had 17 rebounds against Woodrow Wilson in the sectional finals and was named player of the game after that contest, so she should be ready to take that next step in her development. If she does, the Spartans can solidify the inside for the next two seasons.
The Spartans were dealt a blow when sophomore reserve Caroline Dotson went down with a hand injury at Princeton late in the season that forced her to miss the remainder of the year. It can never be guaranteed, but with Dotson healthy, it is possible the Spartans would have headed to the state tournament in Charleston. Dotson had really settled in her role and had even started some games as well, and had become a player that was contributing in different ways. She finished averaging 3.6 points and 2.2 rebounds.
Taylor Boswell (1.6 ppg, 2.0 rpg) and Aubrey Glover (14 made threes) are where most of the remaining minutes were divided between. Boswell had a couple good games and will be counted on for a bigger role next season, while Glover stepped in for Dunford against powerhouse North Marion, and scored 12 points against arguably the toughest team on East’s schedule.
Josie Patterson, Kenna Sheppard, Marley Patterson and Alizabeth Wooding provided depth this year. Both Patterson’s combined for 12 3-pointers and Sheppard helped on the glass with 5.4 rebounds per game in her limited minutes.
Hannah Workman and Lillie Shinaberry will graduate from the roster as well.
As sad as the ending was for the Spartans, there is always hope in the next season. With a core of Stewart, Pence, Dotson, Boswell and a few newcomers, East will be right in the mix again next year.
All stats courtesy of Steve Webb, Cam Huffman and Timmy Gwinn, and do not include the Regional game against George Washington.
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