On February 11th, the St. Charles West girls basketball team played a conference matchup against the Warrenton High School’s Warriors.  However, the basketball game was not just any basketball game.  During the first few seconds of the game, senior Kameryn Arnold was added to the starting lineup.  Arnold stepped onto the court, waited down by the basketball hoop as senior Elena Scheve dribbled the ball to her.  Scheve passed the ball to Arnold, and Arnold shot and made a layup, causing an emotional night for Arnold, the basketball team, and the audience at Terry Hollander Court.

“The layup was one las opportunity for Kam and I to play together on the same court after playing together for six years,” says Scheve.

On October 12th, 2022, Arnold sustained a knee injury on the last play of the girls Powderpuff game.  This injury turned out to be ACL, MCL, and LCL tears throughout her knee.  These injuries would keep her out of her senior basketball season.   During her junior basketball season, Arnold was a starter alongside multiple now-graduated seniors.  After that injury, Arnold knew things were going to change.

“I knew my role as a leader was going to change, instead of leading from the court I would have to find a different way to lead and be there for the team,” says Arnold, “I did that by really watching film and being able to give my teammates little tips and tricks for the team we were playing”.

Midway during the basketball season, senior Elena Scheve and the girls’ basketball team began to formulate a plan.  Arnold and Scheve made the girls varsity basketball team together during the 2019-2020 school year, their freshmen seasons.  The girls have played together the last four years and started varsity together last year.  Outside the basketball court, Scheve and Arnold are best friends that like to walk together in the halls and talk to each other regularly.

“Our friendship has impacted our chemistry on the court and being able to know what the other is wanting to do,” says Scheve.

The plan would be implemented senior night in hopes to allow Arnold and Scheve (who both started on the court together last year) to be able to play together one last time.  The team would meet regularly to practice their idea and even managed to get the Warrenton Warriors in on it.

“We were texting after the first Warrenton game about how to get Kameryn into the game,” says Scheve, “So we went and talked to the coaches and with Mr. Oetting who got into contact with Warrenton’s Athletic Director.  The rest is history!”

When the plan was implemented, it changed the course and the attitude for the girl’s team.

“It felt amazing to be on the court again,” says Arnold, “While I wish it could’ve been like that all season, being around the fans and the crowd for that one moment is a feeling I wish everyone could experience”.

When the layup was shot, the experience was emotional for all.  It allowed for a full circle moment for Arnold and Scheve, and for fans to see Kameryn Arnold in action one last time.

“It was really exciting and fun to see Kameryn in action one more time, but it also made me kinda sad when she started to cry.  It was a moving moment for her,” says senior Leanna Mitts, an audience member during the game.

“Seeing Kam be able to go out on her senior night was so emotional,” says senior Emilie Pellow, a good friend to Scheve and Arnold and an audience member during the game, “Her perseverance through her injury has been absolutely amazing and I’m so happy she was able to go out and score on her senior night”.

While the St. Charles West Warriors would eventually lose the game 46-39, it was a win in their minds.

“To me it was a win,” says Arnold, “We came out and battled in the second half, and it was a learning experience for the girls but also a tribute to how far we’ve come”.