You cannot call this season a failure.

“Give our girls credit. We didn’t play great in the first half. Merrillville is good. [We are] very proud of our girls. They fought and kept fighting,” Coach Marc Urban said.

The 2012-2013 Lady Indians’ campaign was successful in myriad fashions. Even though they got the short end of the 74-56 stick on Saturday Feb. 16 at Regionals, they can beam with pride at their most prominent of accomplishments: their second Sectional title in three years.

“This season was definitely a journey, it was full of hard work, and for sure it had its ups and downs, but our team really came together to reach our common goal of winning Sectionals,” Jessica Bell (12) said.

Bell, who has committed to play at Mercyhurst University in Pennsylvania, realizes that the sectional ‘ship will be greatly beneficial to the posterity of the Tribe.

“Winning sectionals was a huge step in the right direction for this year’s team as well as the future of the team,” Bell said.

Rachel Bell (9), who endured both the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat within the span of seven days, has a positive outlook on the future.

“In the next three years, I am really looking forward to having all of the coaches there for me to improve my game and I am really looking forward to working toward my goal of winning three more Sectional titles,” Bell said.

The Lady Pirates came out on top this time. You can take one thing to the bank, however. The Tribe will be back.