Lady Rangers seniors glad to get to return to state tournament to end prep careers
Two Roland Lady Rangers seniors, Julianna Trujillo and Haven Freeman, are glad to end their high school careers at the Class 3A State Tournament this week for the second straight season.
“It’s great as a senior,” Trujillo said. “Returning back (to state) is a great thing, especially playing this year. I hope I get some playing time (at state this year). I hope we get to play in the next round (state semifinals).”
Last year, the Lady Rangers lost 45-37 to Norman Community Christian School in the Class 3A State Tournament quarterfinals. This year, the Lady Rangers will get to face the top-ranked Washington Lady Warriors at 4:30 p.m. Thursday at Oklahoma City’s Jim Norick State Fair Arena.
“We play Washington, and they’re ranked No. 1,” said Freeman, who eclipsed the 1,000-point mark for her career during the team’s Class 3A District Tournament victory over Antlers on Feb. 22 at the Ranger Dome. “I think they’re a very beatable team. If we play like we’ve been playing our few playoff games, we’ll beat them. We just have to play together.”
This basketball season is the last time in the 60-plusyear history of State Fair Arena — a.k.a., “The Big House” — that it will be the site of state tournaments. This spring, the facility will be imploded, and a new arena will take over as the venue for future state tournaments. Both Roland seniors also are glad to be a part of that piece of history.
“It’s great,” Freeman said. “I hope we really play good. I hope we’re able to go far and leave our mark on the last year (of ‘The Big House’ being used).”
“It’s a good thing,” Trujillo said. “I’m happy we get to be there. I’m happy everybody is going to get to be there and experience it — especially the ninth-graders, being there and being a part of the team. It’s going to be great out there.”
Both seniors are hoping to be bringing home the gold ball and a state championship Saturday night.
“I would be excited,” Trujillo said. “It would be a good thing — especially as a senior, getting to be a part of that. It would be good.”
“I think it would be out of this world,” Freeman said. “It would just be amazing to win the gold ball and take it home.”
