The Mercy Marlins basketball team was victorious over the Ladywood Blazers at home on Jan. 17  The freshwomen won their 4:30 game, JV triumphed at 6:00, and varsity scored a 58-28 victory at 7:30.  Although Ladywood is not Mercy’s toughest competition, players and fans looked forward to the game as one of the most exciting of the season.

“The game against Ladywood has tradition behind it,” said center Kelsie Arlin, a senior.  “They are our oldest rivals.”

The two teams go head to head at least once every year, and the event is markedly different from any other game of the season.  Following tradition, the Marlins made enough posters to wallpaper the gym, featuring encouraging messages, the names of teammates, and more than a few inside jokes.  Mercy girls were encouraged to watch their friends and classmates “Put Out the Blaze,” and this game was more crowded than usual.

Now a senior, Arlin looked forward to her last rivalry game against the Blazers.  Fellow seniors Sam Bauer, Allie Gorcyca, Sierra LaGrande, Candice Leatherwood, Tyler Parlor and Paige Roberts also faced Ladywood for their last year.

Arlin says that although the Marlins expected to win, this did not detract from the excitement of having a large audience.  Regardless of its outcome, this was a game to be enjoyed by players and spectators alike.

“We had a lot of fans supporting us,” she said.  “Of course we wanted to win, but competition between two long-term rivals is always just fun to be a part of.”

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