MURFREESBORO – Ally Weathers held the tears back as she reflected on her Loretto career.
A Class 2A Miss Basketball finalist, Weathers had dreamed of bringing a Gold Ball back to Loretto, a goal which the Lady Mustangs didn’t quite achieve, falling 64-39 to No. 1-ranked Westview on Friday in the TSSAA girls basketball state tournament semifinals.
Loretto finished the season 25-9, making a second straight state tournament appearance following last year’s state runner-up finish.
Maddie Gray led Westview with 20 points, 11 rebounds, two assists and two blocks. Alexis Evans finished with 16 points and five rebounds for the Lady Chargers.
Weathers led Loretto with 11 points, eight rebounds and five assists as she closed out her Loretto career, which she described as “some of the best four years of my life.”
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“We definitely went through a grind (this season),” Loretto coach Ashley Rutledge said. “There were lots of ups and downs and bruises and bumps and everything. I think that helped mold these girls to get closer, get tougher and even though obviously we didn’t perform how we wanted to today, I’m really proud of what we’ve been through and how we’ve succeeded.”
Weathers, a Miss Basketball finalis, finished her senior season averaging 20.7 points, 7.1 rebounds and four assists. She’s now played her final game in black and gold, but the impact she left on the program will last for seasons to come.
She’s shared the court with many of her teammates since elementary school. For Rutledge, who’s watched Weathers and this year’s senior class grow up, it’s a bittersweet chapter to close.
“I love these kids. I feel like they’re my kids,” Rutledge said as tears began to well. “I’ve coached them for four (years), but gosh, I’ve watched them since they were in second grade. … I hate for them more than anything that this has ended.”
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Weathers’ standout career with Loretto can’t be defined strictly by her success on the court.
Most fans will remember her as the potent scorer that gave opposing defenses fits, but when her teammates and coaches first think of Weathers’ impact, her presence off the court was just as vital as her play on it.
“She does everything in a humble way and she’s a lot of fun,” Rutledge said. “She’s just the whole package. She’s a great ball player, she filled the stat sheet, that’s what she did well. She wasn’t just good at one thing, she did it all.
“But also she was a quiet leader … people just knew to follow her, and we’re really going to miss that next year.”
Harrison Campbell covers high school sports and more for The Daily Herald. Email him at hcampbell@gannett.com and follow him on X (formerly Twitter) @hccamp.
This article originally appeared on The Daily Herald: TSSAA girls basketball tournament: Loretto falls to Westview
