Nearly everyone had counted out the Greenland Lady Pirates to go back and defend their 2012 State Championship. The team didn't listen to any of the negative comments and went into last week's state tournament with an agenda to prove everyone wrong.
"We've came a long way since day one," said Junior Point Guard Anna Rogers. "We've been able to play a lot better with each other. We have gotten in sync with each other and learned each others roles."
"We came together as a team and decided we wanted to give 110 percent," said Senior Morgan Miller. "We became so close as a team and played the best we could."
Going into the District Tournament the team had an 11-13 record. They ended up winning all three district games giving them an above five hundred record and a birth in the state tournament. At the State Tournament they shocked everyone, winning all three games and advancing to the State Championship game.
The team graduated five seniors from last years state championship team. The team was forced to make a lot of adjustments coming into this season.
"From last year this team is a lot different," said Rogers. "We've all had to step up and fill different roles. This team is doing things a lot of people didn't expect us to do and we want to take it all the way."
Head Coach Allan Barton describes his team as strong willed, tough minded and stubborn. They want to create their own name for themselves and not be stuck in the shadow of last years squad.
"They don't want to be called that team that was on the five seniors team," said Barton. "They want to make their own team and I think that's whats great about Lady Pirate basketball. The town of Greenland has high expectations of the girls basketball program."
While winning is the main goal as the team heads to Little Rock, no matter what the outcome they will be proud of themselves.
"We are going to do our best and play as hard as we can by giving 110 percent," said Miller. "Win or lose we are going to be proud of what we've done."
The team's game is at 3:30pm on Thursday at Barton Coliseum in Little Rock.