The regional matchups in any high school sport can create some interesting contests and Monday night in girls basketball was one of them.
With Fallston visiting Joppatowne, not only did I know and expect a competitive and good game, I knew that I, along with any spectators who showed up, were going to see some players playing in their final high school game.
And so it was.
Over the past few years, the teams at these two schools have been as good as any, and not only at the county level, but also at the region and state levels, too.
It was Fallston who won the county's first girls basketball state championship in the modern era (1973-present), winning in 2009.
It was the next year that the county was a double state winner as the Cougars repeated and the Mariners also won. The Mariners were in the state semis again last season, but fell short.
Now, on all three of those state champion teams there were a few players who were keys to their teams' success and those players were no longer around for this latest game. Players like Fallston's Jess Harlee and Lindsay Garnett and Joppatowne's Zameria Jones and Brittany Thornton.
There were, however, a few players still around who played roles in those big games: Alyssa March at Fallston and Te'jha Patton-Hill at Joppatowne.
There were two others who also played, Fallston's Rachael Holehouse and Joppatowne's Shakara Head. Two different players with a workhorse style of playing.
So, like I said, I knew one of these young ladies was going to be playing her final game. We know now, it was Holehouse.
There are just a few players who you get to watch play and cover along the way who are special. Rachael Holehouse is one of them.
I recall watching Holehouse and the Cougars in that 2009 state final. Just a freshman, Holehouse played composed and fearless, helping guide the Cougars to the county's first state championship in girls basketball and a perfect 28-0 season. Incredible.
Then in 2010, to see the Cougars repeat with Holehouse at the point guard controls was beyond fascinating.
During this four-year run, Holehouse has also been the leader of the girls volleyball surge that brought home a state title in 2010 and a state runner-up finish this past fall. If not for two close losses in region finals in 2008 and 2009, who knows what kind of titles we could be talking about.
Holehouse is pretty nifty with a tennis racket as well, having made some noise in that sport.
So, as the girls basketball playoffs move on and others will have played their final games, none will have had the impact on me that this 5-foot, 5-inch dynamo has had in the past four years.
Rachael, thanks for sharing your talents and your personality with all of us who were lucky enough to watch. Congratulations on a stellar career.