Senior night is usually held on the last regular season home game for Cotter sports teams.  This year’s  girl basketball team made it one to remember, hitting two clutch shots to pull out a 51-50 overtime victory versus the Fillmore Central Falcons.

Priot to the game, the seniors were introduced and the girls expressed their thanks for parents and senior players Leah Koll, Cora Arnold, Kaylin Zukowskli, and Kelly Vaselaar.

After a slow start, the game erupted with call and response like action.  The score went back and forth, each team taking the lead.  The girls were down by three with under ten seconds left, with the ball.  Mikaela Nelton inbounded the ball to sophomore guard Gabby Bowlin, who sprinted down the court hoping to throw up a tying three point shot that would force overtime.

With the shot in the air, and the whole gym silent, the shot banked in, and the gym erupted.  Overtime was on the way.

Overtime was similar to regulation, back and forth. With 25 seconds remaining, the Cotter girls set up their offense, down by a single point.  A few seconds later, Kirsten Weifenbach found Kaylin Zukowski who nailed a12 foot baseline jumper to give the Ramblers the lead and induce another ovation from the crowd.

After an out of bounds turnover by Fillmore, and a successful inbound and run-around by Cotter, the girls were victorious.

“That’s where I feel comfortable shooting the ball,” stated Zukowski, “I knew that it was my shot.  I’m always looking for an opportunity to help this team.”

Senior Cora Arnold had this to say regarding the environment of the gym, “When the megacorps is there, our team is a lot more energized, and it is more fun to play,” noting the strong student body presence in the stands.

A senior hitting the game-winner on senior night, is something for the memory books.

The Cotter girls travel to La Crescent on Friday for their last regular season game.