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FENNVILLE - Ada Roth made her presence known quickly.
The Saugatuck senior scored three quick baskets to open the Never Forgotten Game against rival Fennville.
It was a game she has been waiting for.
Roth missed nearly all of the past two seasons with separate knee injuries, tearing her ACL in each knee.
Now she finally got to be a part of the Wes Leonard Heart Team Never Forgotten Game, and her quick start propelled the No. 10 Trailblazers to a 67-28 win over Fennville on Saturday, Feb. 7, at Fennville.
"It was just really exciting to come back an play with my team again this season, especially for such a meaningful game in this community," Roth said. "Coach helped us understand that this could happen to anyone at any time and we want to keep doing everything we can to help."
More: No. 10 Saugatuck girls make another statement by dominating bigger school
More: Return of 'Run T-M-P' gives Saugatuck girls basketball no limits
Two years ago, it was her left knee, then last year, it was her right.
"The first knee injury happened my sophomore year over the summer. I went up for a rebound and it went back," Roth said. "I recovered and came back to play my junior year and a week or two in, I planted, twisted and tore my right knee."
Roth had surgery on each knee and had to endure months of healing and rehabilitation each time.
"These last two years have been extremely hard on her, to sit back and see our success (two district titles and reaching the regional final last year) and not be a part of it the same way has been extremely difficult" Saugatuck coach Kevin Tringali said. "We did all we could to keep her engaged with the team and to have her back - and for her to have the mental strength to fight for these moments - is really incredible. I don't know anyone who has the fortitude to have gone through all of that to come back twice. We didn't know what to expect, but she has exceeded all expectations and is a key player for us."
Yet she still came back to basketball.
"It was really mentally tough. I wasn't going to come back and play this year at all because you are at such a high risk after it happens once," she said. "But I knew I needed to do it. I needed to do it for my younger self and come back one more time. Even if it happened again, I wanted a year to give it my all."
The Never Forgotten Game is played in honor of Wes Leonard, the all-state player who died after cardiac arrest due to an enlarged heart after hitting the game-winning shot in overtime of the Fennville season finale in 2010, capping a perfect 20-0 season. The Wes Leonard Heart Team raises money for automated external defibrillator awareness and donates AEDs to schools around the state. The game raised money for the Heart Team and donated several AEDs.
Tringali was one of Leonard's club coaches and he has made sure his teams know the legacy and how meaningful this game is for both teams.
"There is a lot of history here. It is a rivalry that has been around as long as any in the state. Then you tack on the fact that it is extra special playing for Wes' memory has been beyond special," Tringali said. "As a younger coach, I had a great relationship with Wes and I am always going to do my part to make sure my players know what a special young man he was and the significance of this game."
The guard play of the Trailblazers (13-1) was too much for Fennville. Talia Laskowski had 22 points and eight steals. Mylah Simpson scored 16 and Penny Grob had 14 after nailing four 3-pointers.
"I think we are playing our best basketball right now," Tringali said. "They have risen to it and realize the goals ahead of them. Penny is a four-year starter and will graduate as probably the winningest player in the history of Saugatuck basketball. She knew this was her last time in this gym and she has four great memories here."
Amiyah Johnson led the Blackhawks with 10 points.
Contact sports editor Dan D’Addona at Dan.D’[email protected]. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter @DanDAddona or Facebook @HollandSentinelSports.
This article originally appeared on The Holland Sentinel: Saugatuck's Ada Roth plays in Never Forgotten Game after ACL injuries
Continue reading...
The Saugatuck senior scored three quick baskets to open the Never Forgotten Game against rival Fennville.
It was a game she has been waiting for.
Roth missed nearly all of the past two seasons with separate knee injuries, tearing her ACL in each knee.
Now she finally got to be a part of the Wes Leonard Heart Team Never Forgotten Game, and her quick start propelled the No. 10 Trailblazers to a 67-28 win over Fennville on Saturday, Feb. 7, at Fennville.
"It was just really exciting to come back an play with my team again this season, especially for such a meaningful game in this community," Roth said. "Coach helped us understand that this could happen to anyone at any time and we want to keep doing everything we can to help."
More: No. 10 Saugatuck girls make another statement by dominating bigger school
More: Return of 'Run T-M-P' gives Saugatuck girls basketball no limits
Two years ago, it was her left knee, then last year, it was her right.
"The first knee injury happened my sophomore year over the summer. I went up for a rebound and it went back," Roth said. "I recovered and came back to play my junior year and a week or two in, I planted, twisted and tore my right knee."
Roth had surgery on each knee and had to endure months of healing and rehabilitation each time.
"These last two years have been extremely hard on her, to sit back and see our success (two district titles and reaching the regional final last year) and not be a part of it the same way has been extremely difficult" Saugatuck coach Kevin Tringali said. "We did all we could to keep her engaged with the team and to have her back - and for her to have the mental strength to fight for these moments - is really incredible. I don't know anyone who has the fortitude to have gone through all of that to come back twice. We didn't know what to expect, but she has exceeded all expectations and is a key player for us."
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Yet she still came back to basketball.
"It was really mentally tough. I wasn't going to come back and play this year at all because you are at such a high risk after it happens once," she said. "But I knew I needed to do it. I needed to do it for my younger self and come back one more time. Even if it happened again, I wanted a year to give it my all."
The Never Forgotten Game is played in honor of Wes Leonard, the all-state player who died after cardiac arrest due to an enlarged heart after hitting the game-winning shot in overtime of the Fennville season finale in 2010, capping a perfect 20-0 season. The Wes Leonard Heart Team raises money for automated external defibrillator awareness and donates AEDs to schools around the state. The game raised money for the Heart Team and donated several AEDs.
Tringali was one of Leonard's club coaches and he has made sure his teams know the legacy and how meaningful this game is for both teams.
"There is a lot of history here. It is a rivalry that has been around as long as any in the state. Then you tack on the fact that it is extra special playing for Wes' memory has been beyond special," Tringali said. "As a younger coach, I had a great relationship with Wes and I am always going to do my part to make sure my players know what a special young man he was and the significance of this game."
The guard play of the Trailblazers (13-1) was too much for Fennville. Talia Laskowski had 22 points and eight steals. Mylah Simpson scored 16 and Penny Grob had 14 after nailing four 3-pointers.
"I think we are playing our best basketball right now," Tringali said. "They have risen to it and realize the goals ahead of them. Penny is a four-year starter and will graduate as probably the winningest player in the history of Saugatuck basketball. She knew this was her last time in this gym and she has four great memories here."
Amiyah Johnson led the Blackhawks with 10 points.
Contact sports editor Dan D’Addona at Dan.D’[email protected]. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter @DanDAddona or Facebook @HollandSentinelSports.
This article originally appeared on The Holland Sentinel: Saugatuck's Ada Roth plays in Never Forgotten Game after ACL injuries
Continue reading...
