Chamois, home of the “small but mighty” Lady Pirates, ended the season on Monday at the Class 1, District 8 tournament at Blair Oaks with a 96-16 loss to Stoutland.

“The final stretch of the season was especially challenging as we faced three strong opponents,” said Coach Jennie Holifield.

The team fell to Christian Fellowship, 68-9, and St. Elizabeth, 76-6, both well-established programs that tested Chamois on both ends of the floor, leading into the district tournament.

“While those scores were tough, our girls continued to show up, compete, and support one another,” said Holifield. “They never quit, and that resilience speaks volumes about their character. Throughout the season, we saw steady improvement in confidence, execution, and overall basketball IQ. Early on, we were simply learning how to play together and rebuilding the foundation of the program. By the end of the year, we were more disciplined defensively, more patient offensively, and competing harder every possession. The win-loss column doesn’t fully reflect the progress that was made.”

She noted the season marked an important step forward for the program. “After four years without a girls’ basketball team, simply stepping back onto the court and competing again was a victory in itself,” said Holifield. “While our season ended with a first-round district loss and the record may not show it, the growth these girls demonstrated from the first game to the last was tremendous.”

A major highlight of the season was that lone senior, Savanah Sieg, led the conference in blocks per game, finishing tied for the top spot. “Her presence in the paint and defensive effort set the tone for our team all year and gave us something to build around defensively,” said Holifield. “She will be missed next year.”

With the others eligible to return, the coach said the program has laid a foundation. “We’ve reestablished the program, built team culture, and given these girls something to build on moving forward,” said Holifield. “I’m incredibly proud of their resilience, effort, and commitment. This season was about more than wins — it was about rebuilding, growing, and setting the standard for the future of girls’ basketball here.”