VIENNA — The Vienna Middle School Lady Eagles may not have dominated the scoreboard this season, but their growth, determination and team spirit were impossible to overlook. At the start of the season, the girls sometimes managed just a handful of shots per quarter. By the final tournament this week in Bunceton, they were confidently taking at least ten shots per quarter, a testament to hard work, persistence, and Coach KC Curler’s guidance.

The Lady Eagles A team roster this season included Clara Jones, Josie Strickland, Rowan Walker, Candace Geissel, Josie Hays, Grace Barnhart, Emerson Jeremy, Nicole Rowden, Macey Martin, Marissa Fannon and Abigail Otto. Position changes played a key role in development, with Martin moving from center to small forward and Fannon emerging as a versatile presence on the floor. Along with guards Jones and Barnhart learning how to run a two guard set. While the system learning and development is a little challenging at first, it is something to look forward to next season as they all continue improving.

The team traveled roughly an hour and a half for the Bunceton Show Me Central Tournament, and they weren’t alone. Roughly 8 or 9 percent of Vienna’s 700 residents made the trip, including the VMS cheer squad, helping recreate a home-game atmosphere. Fans cheered every basket and when the girls scored, or faced setbacks, they celebrated and regrouped as a team.

Vienna opened the tournament on Oct. 21 against Tuscumbia with a 15-11 victory. The team scored most of its points in the second quarter, with Barnhart contributing three, Jeremy four, and Martin leading with eight points. Barnhart, Jeremy, Martin, Fannon and Otto played all four quarters, showing stamina and focus.

Their next matchup on Oct. 23 against St. Elizabeth proved tougher, with the Lady Eagles falling 37-9. Fannon was the offensive standout with four first-half points, while Martin added one from the foul line, Barnhart and Hays chipped in two points each in the second half.

Despite the loss, Fannon’s aggressive style and willingness to challenge the Hornets highlighted the team’s growing confidence. She dove for loose balls, pressured the defense and hustled on every play, earning nods from fans on the sidelines.

The tournament concluded with a nail-biter for third place against Jamestown, ending in a 15-10 loss. Jones scored one point, Barnhart had four, Jeremy added three, and Martin contributed two. While the scoreboard didn’t reflect it, Fannon brought her mentality from the previous game and continued to be a force on defense, diving for loose balls, pressuring every play and energizing her teammates.

The key factor of the game was the multiple momentum swings going back and forth like a tennis match. Pivotal calls were made, for both teams, some right and some wrong. But for Vienna, the calls against them happened too late in the game to mount a comeback. This, combined with Jamestown, who put up a flurry of late-quarter shots, all within the last 2 and half minutes that Vienna could not seem to figure out.

The energy in the gym was electric in the fourth quarter. After waking up before dawn and waiting over 2 hours for the girls’ team to play, fans from both teams used all the energy they had left. Vienna was cheering so loudly that one elderly woman rooting for Jamestown turned around and politely asked multiple fans to “quiet down”. The response? Vienna supporters cheered even louder. To Jamestown’s response, fans started to stand up after sitting all game for their kids, an atmosphere one would expect at a conference tournament and the last game of the season.

Every call made in the fourth quarter by the referees drew shouts from both sets of fans, each side urging the officials to “do better,” mirroring the chaotic but spirited intensity happening on the court.

The team’s cumulative tournament scoring reflected both the growth and individual contributions this season: Martin had eleven, Barnhart had nine, Jeremy notched seven, Fannon acquired four, Hays earned two  and Jones finished with one point on the tournament.

Coach Curler praised the team’s effort and development. “I am very proud of them,” she said. “They are always out there trying their hardest and improving.”

She also highlighted the girls’ teamwork, lifting each other after misses, celebrating successes and embracing challenges as a unit.

By season’s end, the Lady Eagles had grown not just as basketball players but as teammates, setting a strong foundation for the years ahead.

“They’ve worked hard, learned, supported each other and never gave up,” Curler said. “That’s what makes this season a success.”