As many of us at LHS know, we have been waiting for the gym for a while now. With most of us think it was going to be done at the beginning of the school year, the opening game was finally held in the newly completed Lakewood High School gym with the Varsity basketball team facing off with the Eagles of St. Edwards on Friday, December 1st. The game was highly anticipated, marking the end of the school’s three-year stay at Harding Middle School, using their gym during construction. Head Coach Alexander Cammock said, “We felt like a real basketball team again” in response to the gym being opened.

Last season, the Eagles dominated the Rangers at their nest, but this season proved differently, with the first quarter ending with the Eagles only up by 4 points, at 12-8. As the second quarter started, the Eagles seemed to be pulling away, scoring a 13 point run. With the score 25-8, the Ranger’s side was determined to keep up the fight, responding with a 10 point run, 6 scored by senior Jacob Sala. The first ended with a tighter game, with the Eagles up 25-18.

As the second half went underway, the Rangers seemed to be catching up, with the score being 30-24 with 3 minutes left, but the Eagles pulled away at the end, making it 36-26 as they entered the final quarter. Going back and forth, both teams increased their scores to 41-29 with four minutes left. But in a final drive effort with the energy from the crowd, the Rangers put up a final effect, putting up a 6 point streak, making the score 41-35. The Eagles ran out the clock using well-placed fouls to end the game 51-38.

While this is a bittersweet loss for the team, they put up a good fight against the Eagles, and are excited to hold many more games at the brand new gym at LHS.