Marietta seniors Jacey McKnight (12), Leigha Lauer (4) and Alyssa Baker (1) were honored after Thursday’s senior victory over Point Pleasant at Sutton Gym. (Photo by Mike Morrison)

There once was a time when Marietta Tigers seniors Jacey McKnight, Leigha Lauer and Alyssa Baker all weren’t exactly the best of friends.

As a matter of fact, McKnight was an enemy of the other two in youth league basketball as they played on rival teams that always seemed to face off against one another in the championship game.

That rivalry ended and a friendship began as the trio reached middle school and the rest, as they say, is history.

“I played for Phillips and they played for Putnam and it always seemed like we played each other for the championship,” joked McKnight. “We hated each other and I always hated playing against them and then we became best friends.”

Thursday night the three were honored on Senior Night at Sutton Gymnasium and all three of them reached double figures as the Tigers routed Point Pleasant 62-19 to improve to 18-0 on the season.

Marietta’s Leigha Lauer (4) makes a pass during Thursday’s game against Point Pleasant at Sutton Gym. (Photo by Mike Morrison)

Lauer led all scorers with 17 points while McKnight and Baker added 11 and 10, respectively, as the Tigers scored the first 18 points of the game and never looked back to finish their Twin State League season with a perfect 6-0 record.

“They have earned this night and they have earned all the success they have had over these last three years,” said Tiger third-year head coach Ryan McClain. “It’s bittersweet because I know my time is running short with these three kids who are very special and mean a lot to me and some of the best kids I have coached in my life.”

The trio began their varsity careers back in the 2021-2022 season under former head coach Allen Ruth and managed an 8-13 record with a team that featured no seniors and only one junior.

“Our freshman year we definitely played like freshmen,” recalled Baker. “Each game though we got a little better and then McClain coming in was great because he changed the culture a little bit.”

McClain was hired as head coach for the 2022-2023 season and the Tigers found immediate success with a 20-4 record sparked by the play of the three sophomores.

The Marietta head coach was well aware of how much talent the Tigers had, especially the three sophomores.

“One of the big reasons I took this job was seeing the promise in these kids and knowing that the future was pretty bright here,” said McClain.

“They have taken everything I have given them and done more with it. I’m kind of like the contractor and they are the builders and they have built a really nice thing.”

It didn’t take the trio long at all to grow quite fond of their “high energy” new head coach.

“I think we can all say he was kind of goofy and we didn’t know what to think of him at first but as we settled in we became a family,” said Lauer. “He would do anything for us and we would do anything for him.”

The junior year produced similar results for McClain’s minions, as he jokingly refers to them, as the Tigers went 19-5. However, for the second straight year MHS weas knocked out of the tournament in the second round.

McKnight feels like McClain’s fun loving yet very intense style of coaching was the perfect fit for the three and the rest of the Tiger team.

“He is great to play for. He’s always there to make us laugh while making us work hard at the same time,” said McKnight, who is unsure of her college plans at this time. “He’s fun as a coach and fun as a person and we love playing for him.”

This season has been nothing short of phenomenal for the Lady Tigers as they have rolled to an 18-0 start, winning 16 of those games by 10 points or more.

Only Fort Frye and Martins Ferry have managed to stay within 10 points of the Tigers, who are averaging 65 points per game while allowing just 36.

All told the Lady Tigers have piled up 65 wins in their careers against just 22 losses while going 57-9 since McClain arrived on the scene.

In their final year, however, the trio would love nothing more than to make a big run in the upcoming tournament.

“We definitely have some more work to put in the next couple of weeks before tournament time,” said Baker, who will continue her basketball career at the collegiate level at Rio Grande University. “We have some things we need to tighten up a little bit and get our defense running and our offense going.”

Lauer feels like the experience the team gained in previous years along with the confidence they have gained during the 18-game streak will be quite helpful in making a strong run in the tournament.

“The season we have had so far makes me very hopeful for what is to come in the tournament,” said Lauer, who will play soccer at Wright State University next year. “I really think this team can do whatever we set our minds to, so if we can just stay focused this next month I think we can go pretty far.”

McClain along with assistant coaches Ali Shane and Andy Pointer were dressed in some pretty special attire for the game as the girls cashed in on a promise that they could go “thrifting” and attire the coaching staff should they be undefeated on Senor Night.

“It’s always great to get a win on senior night and I can’t thank these three enough for all they have done,” said McClain. “They bought in and did what we asked and it’s led to some great success over these last three years.”

The Tigers will take on Federal Hocking on Monday.