SPRINGDALE — Springdale Har-Ber’s girls basketball team has dealt with more than its fair share of adversity this season.
And it was handed another blow on Tuesday.
Even before their most recent loss - a 57-49 setback at Fayetteville - the Lady Wildcats had faced dift cult circumstances this season. First there was the loss of teammate Micayla Patterson, who died in a September automobile accident. Then during the season there have been several close, wrenching losses.
But Tuesday, the tough situation for Har-Ber went one step further when senior post Maggie Gartner went down in the second quarter with what appears to be a torn ACL, MCL and meniscus injury in her right knee.
Har-Ber coach Sandy Wright said the prognosis on the injury- which occurred when Gartner fell awkwardly to the Bulldog Gymnasium floor while fighting for a loose ball - was still to be determined Wednesday. She is expected to be lost for the remainder of the season.
“We could write a book on everything we’ve been through this year,” Wright said. “I just wonder when the bleeding is going to stop, but it just keeps pouring.”
The injury to Gartner puts a definite damper on Har-Ber’s postseason plans. While the Lady Wildcats are still in a fight for one of the final three state tournament spots from the 7A-West Conference, Wright admitted Tuesday it was diftcult to get too excited about a state tournament that won’t include Gartner.
“Maggie has been our most consistent workhorse,” Wright said. “This is a major blow to our team ... a major blow.
“You just feel so bad for Maggie because she’s always been our hardest worker, and she’s also a big soccer player, too.”
With Gartner out of the lineup, Har-Ber (12-15, 4-8 7A-West) loses one major piece of its three-headed post attack which has been the backbone of the team.
Junior posts Caroline Eubanks and Summer Morgan will be expected to pick up some slack, but little depth on the bench is available to fill Gartner’s role.
In fact, with Gartner out Tuesday, Har-Ber turned tojunior Brooke Schnieder to fill some minutes in the paint. Schneider, a 5-foot-9 post, has played primarily on junior varsity this season.
“Brooke’s worked hard all year and she came in and did a good job for us (Tuesday),” Wright said. “I was proud of her.”
No matter who replaces Gartner in the lineup, it’s one more obstacle Har-Ber must face in a season which has produced one setback after another.
“I’ve never seen anything like this,” Har-Ber assistant coach Tim Aynes said. “And that’s in 29 years of coaching.”
Sports, Pages 9 on 02/24/2011