For South Fork High School’s girls junior varsity basketball team, the 2010 season has become more of a test of survival, resilience, and learning than that of simply winning or losing. The roster has now been reduced to six players after freshman Kendra Coutemanche-Jones sustained a probable season ending injury Thursday night in the game against Fortuna.

Coach Jenny Early is not a blind-to-reality optimist. She has been coaching most of these girls since they were in 7th grade and realizes that success must be measured by accomplishments other than winning games. “It’s what they are learning that matters,” she said adding, “...the girls have improved greatly over the three years...” that she has been coaching them.

Tuesday night in Miranda the Ferndale Wildcats raced to a 12-2 lead in the first quarter and just kept going en route to a 56-28 victory. The Cubs’ chances were dealt a severe blow very early in the game when sparkplug guard Kaitlyn Teasley was knocked down by a teammate and rolled an ankle. Teasley came back into the game later after having limped off the court and, while still hobbled, was being effective only to get accidentally clobbered by a Ferndale player whose arm got in the way of Kaitlyn’s face. By the time this game ended Teasley was icing a couple of different places and the Cubs had suffered another defeat.

Vonai Willison and Courtemanche-Jones each scored ten points to lead South Fork while Elizabeth Kubik added four.

Coach Early is proud of the girls for their display of hustle and heart Thursday night against taller and stronger Fortuna. The Huskies routed the Cubs, 50-5.

South Fork played some of their best defense of the season but simply could not get points on the board.

The result of Saturday’s game at home versus Willits was not known at press time. The short-handed Cubs jayvees have just one game this week. They will host St. Bernard’s Friday night.