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Blues Seeking Fifth Straight Pioneer Title
The Parry McCluer High School girls basketball team will look to continue an impressive run in the Pioneer District this season – but the Fighting Blues know they’ll have their work cut out for them.
PM put together another productive campaign last year, securing the Pioneer District regular-season and tournament titles for the fourth straight season. The Blues also made another trip to the Region 1C semifinals, where they fell to Fort Chiswell to finish 20-4 overall.
Seniors Victoria Hamilton and Natalie Mohler bring a wealth of experience – and accolades – to this year’s roster. Hamilton was the 2023-24 Pioneer District player of the year and a second team allstate honoree, while Mohler joined her in earning all-district and all-region accolades. Both players were also part of the Blues’ run to the 2022 Class 1 state semifinals during their freshman season, and they boast a career record of 68-9.
“They know what it takes to be successful at this level,” PM head coach Adam Gilbert, who’s entering his 15th season, said of Hamilton and Mohler. “They will have to pass their knowledge and work habits down to our younger players.”
The Blues did suffer several key losses from last season’s roster: Payton Emore and Addisen Roberts were all-district and All-Region 1C selections who anchored the PM backcourt, while all-district pick Tatyana Turner provided a scoring spark off the bench.
But Hamilton is back after leading the team with 13.7 points per game last year, including a career-high 29 markers in the Blues’ doubleovertime win over Narrows in the Pioneer tournament championship. PM will count on the versatile 5-foot-9-inch senior – Hamilton seems equally comfortable posting up down low and draining shots on the perimeter – to maintain that production while stepping into a bigger leadership role.
Mohler will be called upon in a similar fashion. The 5-6 guard, who earned all-region accolades while helping the PM volleyball team win its first Pioneer District championship in 19 years this fall, averaged 8.1 points and 2.5 assists on the basketball court last season. In addition to her veteran presence on the floor, the Blues will rely on Mohler to facilitate the offense and to hit some outside shots.
Two other seniors return at the forward position. The 5-9 Peira Conner, whom Gilbert describes as “one of the hardest- working kids in our program,” is a strong rebounder and defender who may see an expanded role on the offensive end. And the 5-10 Kylie Ramsey will be called upon for her defense and rebounding abilities.
Junior Kayleigh Ramsey returns after a solid debut varsity season last year, when she garnered honorable mention all-district laurels. The 5-7 guard can knock down outside shots and attack the rim, and PM is anticipating her development to continue this winter.
Sophomore Emory Slagle also returns to the fold. The 5-7 guard is a good outside shooter, and – with Roberts and Emore no longer in the picture – the Blues will count on her to handle the basketball as well.
Three freshmen join PM’s varsity squad this year. The 5-6 guard Josie Martinez had a productive offseason and will provide some solid minutes off the bench, while 5-5 guards Patience Hill and Jordyn Hostetter are both hard workers who are acclimating to the varsity level.
Keeping their district title streak alive will be no easy task for the Blues. Narrows returns several key players, including all-region pick Karsyn Reed, from the squad that pushed PM to the brink in the district championship last February. The Green Wave have added some significant newcomers as well, including another all-region honoree in Craig County transfer Kailyn Jones.
“On paper, Narrows is the clear favorite” in the district, Gilbert said. He also expects a well-coached Eastern Montgomery team to compete for one of the top spots, while Craig County and Bath County won’t be pushovers.
The Blues will prepare for Pioneer play with early-season home-and-home matchups against Glenvar, Nelson County and local rival Rockbridge County. PM will also take on Giles and North Cross in its own Jaden Baker Tournament on Friday and Saturday, Dec. 13 and 14; later in the season, the Blues have two games against William Campbell, which reached the Region 1B semifinals in 202324, as well as a date with Class 2 squad Gretna in the Rock the Ribbon Roundball Shootout at RC on Saturday, Jan. 25.
Although the Blues are aiming to extend their run of district and postseason success, they’re currently focused more on internal goals.
“We have to continue to show up every day and make the commitment to work hard and make ourselves better players,” Gilbert said. “We want to play hard each night and execute to the best of our abilities.
“Hopefully, at the end of the season, we can look back on our efforts and be proud of the work that we did and the things we accomplished as individuals and as a team,” the PM coach added.
PM will open the season at Glenvar on Monday, followed by a trip to Nelson County next Friday, Dec. 6. The Blues’ first home games will be in the Jaden Baker Tournament Dec. 13-14.
