The Varsity Lady Wolverines took on the Sundown Roughettes Tuesday night, falling 33-46. Senior Sayler Beerwinkle had eight points, seven rebounds, and two assists, while sophomores Taytum Goodman and Sydney Furr also contributed to the game. Goodman and Furr both had seven points. The Lady Wolverines are competing in the Whiteface Tournament this weekend. 

The Lady Wolverines were missing three varsity players due to injuries, but are still pushing forward. 

“I feel like we could’ve done better,” coach Jeri Been Goodman said. “But considering we are missing 3 varsity players, we are O.K.” 

Goodman realized her first quarter started off rough, but she picked it up soon after a few fixable mistakes. 

“At the beginning, I wasn’t really getting into the game,” Goodman said. “But the second quarter came and I started doing good.” 

To Beerwinkle, Goodman, Coach Been and Coach Sarah Weldon, this game was a little more special. From AAU summer basketball, they became good friends to four of the Sundown Roughettes. Their team is called West Texas Ice. 

“I have been playing with them for three years, so it was kind of awkward playing against them,” Goodman said. “But that didn’t matter because we had a game to play and I just told myself ‘Act like you don’t know them’.” 

Sundown Roughette, and one of the friends, Shea Beadles #22, talked about her game experience against her friends. 

“Playing against girls I know makes me more comfortable going into the game,” Beadles said. “Normally coach has a little scouting report on the team we are playing, but having played with Sayler and Taytum, I was able to tell the team what moves they make.” 

Goodman adds an aspect of playing against her AAU friends. 

“They were talking to me the whole game,” Goodman said. 

Beadles states that talking in the game helps her play better. 

“It also makes a difference when I can talk to the opponents,” Beadles said. “It makes me feel more comfortable and relaxed.” 

Coach Been sees playing against familiar faces as a plus. 

“Knowing other girl’ strengths and weaknesses is usually a plus,” Coach Been said. “Those four Sundown girls are great players and good friends to Taytum and Sayler.” 

No matter the outcome of the game, the girls will always be lifelong friends.  

“I’m still going to play my friends like I would any other team, but I know at the end of the game we are still friends no matter what the scoreboard says,” Beadles said. “I also really like playing against some of my closer friends because we can joke about the game later on.”