The Mt. Ararat High School girls basketball team has been making a slam dunk this season. They currently boast a 10-6 record with only two games remaining at the time I am writing this. It’s been an incredible year to watch the girls basketball team make headway in their league as they continue to hone their skills.
Elsa Daulerio, a senior captain on the basketball team who grew up in Harpswell, says that the team is doing “better than we have done in the past.” When I asked her about the quality of the team, Daulerio explained that they have “a couple of experienced girls and a lot of freshmen this year. The freshmen have made the transition to high school basketball well.”
She mentioned that in the very first game of the season, the team prevailed over Marshwood in overtime because the team can “really battle.” Daulerio also said that the freshmen were able “to see how much more intense it is just in the first few games of the season.” It’s been a competitive season this year, but with such a great team, the girls have been a powerful force in their league.
Daulerio made a point to credit Mt. Ararat physical education teacher Julie Petrie with the development of the team, saying, “Coach Petrie has helped me grow as a player and as a leader.” Petrie took over as coach almost three years ago.
When I asked Elsa about her final season, she said, “I’m going to miss playing with this group of girls because we have made so many good memories together.” As a senior, it’s so difficult to leave a team behind, but Elsa seems hopeful for the future of the girls basketball team, saying, “with the new talent coming in, the team should be pretty strong the next couple of years.” The athletes at Mt. Ararat certainly have special talent and their dedication to a strong team is clear.
This team will definitely be one to watch for the foreseeable future.
Lucy Nelson is a Harpswell native and a senior at Mt. Ararat High School. She dances with Maine State Ballet and is involved in Student Senate and National Honor Society at Mt. Ararat.
