It’s the second quarter of the Lady Wildcats basketball team’s game against the Purple Dogs Feb. 22.  Senior Maggie Gartner jumps up and extends her arm to catch the basketball thrown by sophomore Caylee Wright.  As she grabs the ball, her opponent pushes her, and she falls awkwardly.  Her knee throbs with pain, but what she doesn’t know yet is that she tore her ACL, MCL, lateral meniscus, and meniscus.

Even though the team played hard, they left with more than just a loss; they also lost one of their star players.

Gartner does have to have surgery, but there is no set date yet.  Once she has her surgery, doctors tell her that she won’t be able to fully play and sports for six months.

“I’m coping with it pretty well,” said Gartner, “I can’t take back the past, and it is what it is.”

Her family and friends have continued to pray for her to help her though her recovery.

“My family and friends have been very supportive,” said Gartner. “They’ve been there for me the whole time!”

Along with surgery, Gartner has had to attend therapy for her injury.  She has been doing very well in therapy.

Gartner had played with the basketball team throughout the season and had planned to play on the girls soccer team.