Ward Twins Eager To Be Back On The Court

Brittany Ward, Rogers Heritage, takes the ball to the basket under pressure from Fayetteville’s Vanessa Matlock during the Lady War Eagles’ game Jan. 13 against the Lady Bulldogs in Rogers.
Brittany Ward, Rogers Heritage, takes the ball to the basket under pressure from Fayetteville’s Vanessa Matlock during the Lady War Eagles’ game Jan. 13 against the Lady Bulldogs in Rogers.

— Rogers Heritage senior Ashley Ward can’t wait for Friday’s season opener against Abundant Life.

It will be her first time to play in a regular-season game since her sophomore year, after sitting out all of last season with a torn anterior cruciate ligament in her left knee.

“I’m nervous, but I’m so ready,” Ashley Ward said. “I’ve been ready for a whole year.”

She suffered the injury during last year’s Heritage’s Blue-Orange intrasquad scrimmage. Unfortunately, Ward was the first of six Lady War Eagles to suffer season-ending knee injuries last year, including her twin sister, Brittany, who missed the final eight games of the season.

Heritage girls basketball coach Kevin Ramey is excited to see all his injured players back on the floor but particularly the Wards. The sisters bring not only important physical qualities like Brittany’s ball-handling and quickness and Ashley’s strength inside, but many intangibles as well.

“The thing we missed about Ashley is she’s so tough, so hard-nosed,” Ramey said. “She gives us a low-post presence and can defend a physical play.”

“I think we’re a hungry team,” Ramey said. “We’ve got some goals we want to accomplish and I think we’ve all bought into what we want to do. I was proud of the way we competed last year and continued to play with all the injuries. Let’s see with all our ponies at the show what we can do.”

The Wards echoed their coach’s words. Both sisters agreed the Lady War Eagles were primed for a strong season a year ago only to have it derailed by injuries.

Ashley Ward averaged 12.5 points and six rebounds as a sophomore, while Brittany Ward led the team in several offensive categories as a junior, including averaging 13.2 point and four rebounds per game.

Brittany Ward earned enough respect from opposing coaches to garner all-conference honors despite missing half of conference play because of the knee injury.

The Lady War Eagles finished 12-16 a year ago, but also lost a handful of close games.

Brittany Ward, who started 20 games as a junior, said being a part of several close games will help players understand how to react to those situations this year.

“I totally feel better about that, being in those situations this year,” Brittany Ward said. “We really never were in many of those type of games our sophomore year.”

In addition to the Wards, seniors Lacey Murray (started 25 games) and Ellen Lundy (27 starts) also saw significant playing time a year ago, along with junior Gina Britton, who played in all 28 games and started 10 as a sophomore.

“If there’s a silver lining to the injuries, it’s that players like Lundy and Britton played more minutes,” Ramey said.

The Wards are convinced the Lady War Eagles are primed for a big year, even more than last season.

“We really are a good team,” Ashley Ward said. “I believe we’re going to state. We can do anything we set our minds to do.”

Rogers Heritage Lady War Eagles 2012-13 Basketball Schedule

Date Opponent Time

Nov. 16 Abundant Life 5:30 p.m.

Nov. 20 Gentry 5:30 p.m.

Nov. 29-Dec. 1 Great Eight Tournament at Rogers High TBD

Dec. 6-8 at Tahlequah, Okla. Invitational TBD

Dec. 21 at Alma 4 p.m.

Dec. 27-29 at Greenbrier Invitational TBD

Jan. 4 at Fayetteville* 4:30 p.m.

Jan. 8 Springdale High* 3:45 p.m.

Jan. 11 Bentonville* 3:45 p.m.

Jan. 15 at Van Buren* 3:45 p.m.

Jan. 18 at Springdale Har-Ber* 3:45 p.m.

Jan. 22 Rogers High* 4:30 p.m.

Jan. 25 at Siloam Springs* 3:45 p.m.

Feb. 1 Fayetteville* 3:45 p.m.

Feb. 5 at Springdale High* 3:30 p.m.

Feb. 8 at Bentonville* 4:30 p.m.

Feb. 12 Van Buren* 3:45 p.m.

Feb. 15 Springdale Har-Ber* 3:45 p.m.

Feb. 19 at Rogers High* 3:45 p.m.

Feb. 22 Siloam Springs* 3:45 p.m.

Feb. 26- Class 7A State Tournament TBD

March 2

  • — 7A/6A-West Conference game

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