As the 23-0 girls basketball team gets ready to face the defending state champions, the 22-3 Eleanor Roosevelt Raiders in the state semi-finals tomorrow, they will have to do so without star guard and defensive leader Marie Hatch.

The Vikes’ 73-60 regional championship win over the Wootton Patriots Monday ended bittersweet. With 3:23 left in the game, Hatch, who scored a game-high 23 points, fell hard to the ground after fighting for an offensive rebound. Slow to get up, she exited the game. X-rays showed a fractured fibula, forcing Hatch to miss the remainder of the playoffs.

“The injury is devastating and absolutely heartbreaking,” coach Peter Kenah said. “She’s been a champ about it, but it really put a damper on our win.”

All the girls will need to step up to compensate for the loss of Hatch’s defensive and ball-handling proficiencies, Kenah said. Due to Hatch’s previous injuries during the regular season, the team has learned to play without her, making teammates and Kenah optimistic about the game which is expected to come down to the last blow of the whistle.

“[Hatch] may be out physically, but we still have incredible basketball IQ on our side,” captain forward Alison Poffley said. “She will be another coach and supporter for all of us.”

Despite the distraction of Hatch’s injury, the Vikings are fully focused on the Raiders, who are led by four  Division I college basketball recruits and who returned all five of their starters from last year’s championship team.

Stopping the Raiders’ physical presence and intense defensive play, grabbing loose rebounds, and winning the overall battle of the boards are the keys to the game, Kenah said.

All three of the Raiders’ losses have been against teams who played man-to-man defense, while all 21 wins were against zones. The Vikings will exclusively play man-to-man as an advantage, Kenah said.

With the game at 3:00 p.m. at Towson University’s SECU Arena, spirit buses depart from Whitman at 1 p.m. and will return after the game. Due to the early start time, PAARC testing is rescheduled to Friday to allow more Whitman students to attend the game. Gym classes have also been shifted to accommodate a morning team shoot-around prior to departure for Towson.

This game isn’t only an important one for the team, but a homecoming for Kenah, who was a walk-on collegiate basketball player for Towson. The recent $80 million renovation of the arena will give the game an incredible atmosphere, he said, as his team prepares to make a run at Whitman’s second girls basketball state championship in school history.