Walby breaks 3-pointers school record for Demons
By Mike Ramczyk
Correspondent
It hasn’t been the most successful season in terms of wins and losses for the Burlington varsity girls basketball team.
The Demons had recently suffered a losing streak spanning nearly two years, and any small victories, even solid practices, have helped the team keep hope.
Recently, the girls picked up their first win since 2018.
So things may be turning around.
Then, last Friday night, another small victory went down despite a team loss.
Burlington hung tough with host Elkhorn, jumping out to a 19-19 tie at the half.
But the strong start was erased quickly, as the Elks picked things up in the second half to cruise to a 58-38 victory.
The Lady Demons dropped to 1-11 overall and 0-6 in the Southern Lakes Conference.
“This was the best game the girls have played,” head coach Kyle Foulke said. “We were turning on all cylinders most of the game. We struggled to match up in the second half. This was a big game for our program.”
Foulke and his squad will take any small victories where they can get them, and Friday a big spark was provided by an unassuming senior.
Senior guard Claire Walby, who averages a modest 5.4 points per game this season, had a career night.
She simply went off from beyond the 3-point line, connecting on six triples for a team-high 18 points.
Walby broke the Burlington High School for most 3-pointers made in a girls basketball game.
Foulke, who is in his second year as head coach, expressed his elation on Twitter after the game.
“Huge shout out to Claire Walby for setting a new school record for 3’s in a game with six of them,” he said. “I am so proud of her and all the work she has put in. No one more deserving. Congrats Claire!”
Cora Anderson added nine points for the Demons.
Foulke added more about Walby, who he considers a great leader.
“Claire is the definition of a successful athlete,” Foulke said. “Not only has she done great things athletically, she is also a great leader on and off the court. She continues to lead and coach her teammates no matter the situation, no matter if she is on the floor or on the bench. She is always talking to and coaching up her teammates. She is everything you could ever want as a leader.”
“I am so happy for Claire not only for the record and all her success, but also for the fantastic person she is becoming. She has a bright future ahead of her, and I can’t wait to see what it holds.”
Burlington didn’t have an answer for Haley Remington, who led all scorers with 23 points and added six assists, five rebounds and five steals.
A post-game surprise
Walby said Friday she didn’t even remember there was a record for the most 3-pointers in one game.
After the game, she said Foulke congratulated her first before talking about the game.
It was a special moment for Walby.
“Everyone started clapping and congratulating me,” Walby said. “In that moment all I could feel was joy and accomplishment, not just because I broke the record but because I had all these people supporting me through it all.”
Walby knew it was going to be a special night after hitting her first three.
“Going into every game I tell myself, ‘Who cares how many points I have? I am going to do my job, play good defense and be a leader,’” Walby said. “After I hit the first three, my confidence grew and I had a gut feeling that I was going to be hot. I never thought I’d be hot enough to break the record, but I guess I was.”
As a shooting guard, Walby had worked hard to improve her shot over the years.
“I have went to practice every single day wanting to not only do what I love but get better at it,” Walby said. “My favorite part of practice is shooting. My shot is the one thing I’ve wanted to improve the most throughout my basketball career, and I think I’ve accomplished that. It wasn’t easy, and I want to thank my teammates, coaches, and family for helping me become the player I am today.”
Burlington hosts rival Waterford (7-4, 4-2) Friday night.
The girls tip at 5:30 p.m., and the Burlington-Waterford boys game will follow.
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