Every coach hopes to have a team peak at just the right time and play their best at the end of the season.
Vic Rimmer’s Fayetteville girls team got hot down the stretch, and the result was a Class 7A state championship.
For his efforts, Rimmer is the All-NWADG Girls’ Basketball Coach of the Year.
“The growing and developing continued throughout the year,” Rimmer said. “When we got in the latter part of conference play we just kept improving and the kids really responded to coaching.
“And when we got to the state tournament, what I liked is we had three different leading scorers in three different games and that really epitomized what we were as a basketball team.” Fayetteville (24-6) reeled off a 13-1 record in 7A-West Conference play for a share of the league title with Fort Smith Northside. But it was the strong finish at the 7A tournament that grabbed the most attention. After battling injuries in November and December, the Lady Bulldogs were healthy and full steam ahead in the postseason.
Wins against Van Buren (67-50) and Little Rock Central (58-48) set up a state finals showdown with Conway, a team who had already defeated Fayetteville in the season opener and had knocked the Lady’Dogs out of the playoffs in year before.
Led by senior Sydney Crockett’s 23 points and 12 rebounds, Fayetteville rolled to an 80-65 win.