Campbell seniors closing careers on successful run

BLOOMFIELD – Campbell High School senior basketball player Marie Wheeler joined her classmates Chloe Matthews and Darcy Broglin five years ago as seventh graders hoping to one day lead the Camels to success on the court.

Mission accomplished.

The three seniors were instrumental in leading their team to a convincing 59-38 win on Tuesday over South Pemiscot in the opening round of the MSHSAA Class 2 District 1 Tournament at Bloomfield, but more so than just one postseason victory, the win was the 16th for Campbell, which is the most in anyone’s memory.

“I don’t think that we have (won 16 games),” fifth-year Camel coach Laura Foster said.

Foster brought the current seniors together as seventh graders, and that consistency in instruction and expectations has led to the program getting methodically better.

As freshmen, the group won eight games. As sophomores, it was 10 wins, before Campbell enjoyed a 13-7 season a year ago.

“I coach both junior high and high school,” Foster explained, “and this is the first group that I have coached all of the way through. That has made a difference.

“I could build each year on it.”

The Camels’ development can be measured, as the program not only improved in wins but also statistically.

Not since the 2019 season has a Campbell program averaged over 50 points per game offensively as this one did.

At the defensive end, Campbell is only allowing one point more than it did each game last year, and the senior-led team is 11 points per game better than they were as freshmen.

“We have been talking with this group since the seventh grade,” Foster said, “what it takes to be successful and we were building a program, and it started then.”

The Camels, which have won eight of their last nine games, jumped all over South Pemiscot from the opening tip and led 17-7 at the end of the first quarter. The game was never really close, and Broglin was a big reason why.

The 6-foot-1 center outscored the Bulldogs 8-7 in the opening period by herself and finished with a game-high 18 points.

“All three (of the seniors) are great kids,” Foster said. “They are great kids on the floor, and they are great kids off the floor.

“They are best friends. They support each other 100 percent.”

Wheeler had five points in the opening period and finished with seven points, while Matthews made three baskets and totaled six points.

“Not one of them just stands out,” Foster said. “They thrive off each other and they are team players, and that makes it good, of course.”

Junior forward Mabrey Patrick added 15 points in the victory, while junior Elyssa Schatz added eight.

South Pemiscot (5-12) got 22 points from Ta’Kylah Wooden, while Mataiya Phillips added 10.

Campbell (16-7) will face Holcomb (15-9) in the semifinal on Thursday at 7:30 p.m.

Neelyville (17-8) will battle Hayti (8-16) in the other semifinal at 7:30 p.m.