These are the types of years a school should savor.

Maysville got a chance to see both the boys and girls basketball teams making runs to the Sweet 16.

Although neither advanced past that point, it's still a significant achievement.

For the boys, it began with a new start under home-grown product Jesse Rupe. The one-time Panther and Northern Kentucky standout took over a cast of mostly juniors coming off a five-win season, but his knowledge blended well with a young team on the rise.

Those results came fast when the team opened the year with seven straight wins. Though some tough losses followed, the team collected itself and finished strong during the 17-7 campaign.

Rupe deserves some recognition for the turnaround, but he would be the first to credit his players' work ethic and team mentality as they etched themselves into school lore.

Juniors Eastin Lewellen and Jared Cox were the backbone for the Panthers. Lewellen was dangerous, while Cox was a steady force.

It was more than just those two. Lone senior Aaron Miller may not have filled up the scorebook, but his intangibles were just as crucial. On the inside, sophomore Max Huddleston and junior Alex Sidwell developed quickly, which allowed Lewellen to stretch the floor.

Juniors Tyler Calihan, Kris Hayes and Corey Denman and sophomore Kody Fulkerson were able to contribute off the bench.

With the pieces fitting together, the team was able to mature and it was never more prevalent than during the run to Ohio University's Convocation Center. The Panthers won all three of their tournament games by a combined eight points - two of them in overtime - but it was enough to give the school its first regional appearance in almost four decades and its first sectional title in nearly 20 years.

On the girls side of things, the Lady Panthers overcame a move up to Division II and the graduation loss of Rachel Poorman and Ashley Love to make it back-to-back regional journeys.

At the beginning of the season, Coach Pat Miller knew his team could not be counted out with a tough schedule prepping them for tournament time.

It paid dividends to go along with a balanced attack and plenty of tournament experience. This is the best run in Maysville girls history since Carrie Rucker donned the blue and gold back in 1996 - the last trip to the regionals before the past two seasons. That team made it all the way to the state before falling.

This run has started out top with the tenacity of senior point guard Kaylie Butler. She made the team go with her toughness, a keen eye to find the open shooter and the ability to knock down 3s.

She was surrounded by plenty of talent as fellow senior Abby Miller gave the team another outside threat and solid play on both ends of the floor.

Teams looking to stay around for years need an inside presence. For Maysville, it was junior Katie Sidwell. She could score on the block and was a strong rebounder on both ends of the floor.

Miller also mixed in some youth. Melanie Poorman stepped in as a freshman to give the team another scorer while sophomore Haley Vallee could shoot, pass and was not afraid to get in the opponents' face. Those two gained valuable experience that will benefit them next season.

Either way, the future looks bright for fans of Maysville hoops. Both the boys and girls.

bhannahs@nncogannett.com
740-450-6763