Friends and teammates

They’ve toiled together, sweated together, laughed and cried together. They’ve comforted each other after their infrequent defeats and urged each other back from too-frequent injuries. They’ve taken their game as far as a team can possibly go and watch with admiration as former teammates take flight at the next level.

But now their time together has come to the end.

Five University seniors, more than half the team’s Band of Sisters, saw their high school girls basketball careers draw to a close Tuesday, when the Titans lost a heart-breaking, 55-51 district playoff game to Central Valley.

“Seasons always come to an end,” coach Mark Stinson said. “You can’t always choose where and when.”

The four years Riki Sheirmeister, Kasey Jurich, Skye Pearman-Gillman, Kelsey Mitchell and Janessa Carr have spent at University High have been the most successful in school history. The Titans have earned second-, third- and sixth-place trophies from the Class 4A tournament.

Tuesday’s loss in the district tournament snaps a run of four-consecutive state tournament appearances.

“After the game was so sad, but it wasn’t so much about the season being over,” Carr, also a 6-foot senior post, said. “When your season is over, it’s sad, sure. But most of the emotion was about the journey we’ve taken together and how far we’ve all come together. I love my teammates so much, each and every one of them.”

While the season is over and there are no more games, the team does not plan to disband any time soon.

“We’re going to try and still have team bondings and things like that,” Mitchell said. “We’re going to still try to do things together as a team and enjoy each other as long as we can. We’re still really close and that’s what matters.”

University finished the regular season with 14 wins in 20 games, good for a fourth-place finish. The Titans swept district-rival Central Valley in two regular season games, including a 50-42 victory at the Spokane Arena in the annual Stinky Sneaker spirit game.

“This has been a great group of girls,” Stinson said. “They really bonded together as a team and that’s what you like to see. What they’ll take away from this season are those relationships. Ten years from now, I doubt that they’ll remember all that much about individual games, but they’ll cherish these relationships for the rest of their lives.”

Each of the team’s five seniors left an indelible mark on her teammates.

A four-year varsity starter, Schiermeister’s drive and determination to continually lift her game was appreciated by her teammates.

“The determination she shows every day and the work effort that she puts out every day has been a great example for us all,” Mitchell said. “I’ve played with Riki all through my years here, and she’s always inspires us to give our best and match what she can do. She’s just a great leader.”

Jurich, Carr said, brought intensity and drive to the team mix.

“Kasey has so much fire and passion,” she said. “If we needed someone to pick us up, you just know that Kasey was going to bring it. She plays varsity volleyball, which is such an intense sport, and she brings that same intensity to our team.”

Pearman-Gillman, they all insist, is the team’s emotional center.

“Skye is just so great because she’s always so enthused about everything and she’s always there to support all of us,” Carr said. “She keeps you smiling all the time because she’s always so positive about everything.”

“Skye was such a great motivator,” Mitchell added. “She was always there to support us – you could always go talk to Skye about anything and she was always there to help. She’s the one to pick you up when you’re down.”

Stinson has special kudos to his posts, Carr and Mitchell.

“Kelsey missed out on most of last season with an injury,” he said. “She was on the varsity all season, but she only got in, I think, one regional game and at the end of a couple games at state. Janessa was on the varsity all season, too, but she had injury problems and didn’t play a whole lot.”

“I dislocated my kneecap playing soccer last year,” Mitchell said. “And I did the same thing again this year, so it was tough coming back. But my teammates really helped me get through it all.”

“Kelsey inspires me so much,” Carr said. “She’s that kind of a person and that kind of a teammate. She’s fought through so much to be here this season. She’s my bud, she’s my post partner, and she’s my inspiration.”

Carr enjoyed a relatively pain-free senior year after struggling with ankle problems a year ago.

“Janessa and I have played together for a long time and our friendship has only grown stronger over that time,” Mitchell said. “We both try to help each other get better. It’s not about competition; it’s about helping each other grow. We’re all that way.”

And they’re all stronger for the experience.