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Sendoff to a trio of Southern Fulton seniors


One of those tricky, awkward moments as a reporter comes when I'm faced with interviewing kids who just had their season come to an end.

It's even worse when it's the last game of their senior season.

I was faced with that situation three times this weekend, as McConnellsburg's boys and girls and Southern Fulton's girls faced season-ending losses in the PIAA Tournament.

There was one senior for the Lady Indians who nearly broke my heart.

Shaye Smartt is usually a bubbly, excitable player both on and off the court. She regularly jokes with me about my less-than-enthusiastic support for Penn State, and even offered me her sweatshirt in the freezing cold UPJ gym this weekend - I probably would've taken it if it weren't for the maroon color.

But watching Smartt hang her head this weekend after Southern Fulton lost to Homer-Center, 47-46, was a tough moment.

"I'm gonna go into depression," she said to me on Twitter.

Despite losing in the first round of states, there really was no reason for any of them to hang their heads.

As a senior, Smartt, along with teammates Celina Merchant and Lakyn Morton, was an integral part in a pair of district titles for the Indians. They did it once in 2014 and again this season. 

"I'm really proud of them and everything they've accomplished this year," SF first-year coach Meagan Raville said after the loss. "I couldn't have asked for a better group of three seniors in my first season, and they deserve a lot of recognition for a great four years at SF. I wish I could've been a part of all four." 

All three were also starters a year ago under then-coach Terry Bard.

Merchant finished with 638 points for her career, Smartt scored 409, and Morton contributed 289.