As the Dwight Morrow Maroon Raiders look to finish the last few games of their season, they’re optimistic for ending strong. The Girls’ Basketball Team, which had a rough start, suffered from a lack of players. With a Varsity/JV team consisting of only 10 Lady Raiders, having a player missing meant that there weren’t enough players for substitutions. 

Athletic Director Joseph Armental described the team as “struggling” but not giving up. However, the lack of players has not been the only thing that plagued the team.

“On top of not having enough players, the school spirit for both Girl’s and Boy’s basketball teams is low due to the Covid-19 restrictions against fans,” explained starter Kayla Griffin, a DMHS junior.

School spirit, which plays a tremendous part in the demeanor of the players on the court, has been missing this year due to Covid-19 protocols. In an attempt to reduce the spread of the contagious virus, some schools have opted to ban fans from games. Although the Englewood district has not allowed fans, other districts still allow them. This provides an unfair advantage to teams with crowds, as they can provide a huge morale boost.

Even against all odds however, the team came out with its first victory recently against Bergenfield. After finishing the first quarter down against Bergenfield, Dwight Morrow made an impressive comeback and sustained it for the rest of the game. 

With team chemistry finally starting to strengthen up, the team hopes to finish strong in their last games of the season.