Brookland-Cayce’s Megan Probert defends Airport’s Vi Muller. Photo by Jeff Blake/ColumbiaWeddingPhotos.com For the Airport girls’ basketball team, it was an ugly win against an overmatched opponent while trying to salvage the season with senior star Taylor Vinson out for the year with a knee injury.

For Brookland-Cayce, the 39-22 loss at home to the Eagles Friday, January 27, was a glimmer of hope in an otherwise bleak season.

Even though the Bearcats remain winless, the team’s 9-0 run to start the game brought the crowd— and the team for that matter— to life.

“As you see, we’re making a lot of progress,” Brookland Cayce head coach Chuck Sorce said after the game. “The last time against (Airport), we lost by 41. Tonight it was 17.

“I’m very proud of my team tonight. They played the best game, intensity-wise, of the season. Even though it was a loss, it feels like it should have been a win.”

The excitement shown by his players during that first-quarter run is what Sorce has been looking for all season. In the middle of a winless campaign, every step in the right direction for the program is a big one.

Even though Friday didn’t result in a victory, Sorce knows that changing a program’s culture is no easy task. Getting the players to believe in themselves is a good first step.

“Our offense is moving better and our passes are a lot better,” he said. “It’s just a huge improvement from where we were.”

The Bearcats lost to Blythewood earlier in the season 63-6, trailing 48-0 after three quarters of play. The fact they even held a 9-5 lead after the first quarter on Friday was a big step for the program.

“This team is young but they’re just trying to learn how to win,” added Sorce. “I’m hoping this kind of game will fire them up and make them realize we have it in us to do great things. From a confidence standpoint, I’m hoping they pick that up.”

Mikeya Matthews (five points) and Megan Probert (seven points) have taken more of a leadership role on the team, and Sorce has noticed their work.

“Those are both freshman, and they’re really starting to produce some effort,” said Sorce. “That’s the kind of thing we’re going to need the rest of the way and into next season.”

Although Airport righted the ship with a 14-0 run to regain control of the game by the midway point of the second quarter, Eagles’ coach Trey Wallace felt his team still needs to develop in order to compete at a higher level.

“Experience is going to be the key all year long,” he said. “We brought the whole JV squad up for this game but you just can’t beat experience.

“I was raised with the understanding that you can’t beat experience and that’s what we’re trying to give these girls: as much game experience as we can.”

One of those players getting plenty of playing time is senior guard Vi Muller who finished with 12 points to lead all scorers. She was expected to start for Airport this season but with the loss of Vinson has had to carry a bigger load for the Eagles.

“Vi Muller has been with us for three years, and she hadn’t gotten to play a whole lot until this year,” said Wallace. “She’s taken advantage of it. She understands her role and brings it to the table everyday. That’s all we can ask.”