Laurel and Bellevue battled through 14 ties and 13 lead changes, with neither team leading by more than three points in the second half. With the score tied at 58 in the final seconds, Senior, and UNLV commit, Tristan Williams drove to the basket and was fouled with just seconds remaining. Williams stepped to the line and sank both free throws to give the Gators the lead. On Bellevue’s final possession, Jordyn Meyer ’27 came up with a steal near midcourt to seal the historic win.

Meyer led all scorers with 26 points, including six three-pointers and scoring 21 of those points in the second half as Laurel surged back from a halftime deficit. Williams added 19 points, along with eight assists, five rebounds, and five steals in a complete performance. Williams was named tournament MVP.

The Gators received key contributions across the lineup. Sydney Robinson ’26 was a force inside, battling for rebounds and providing physical defense in the paint while adding important points during Laurel’s second-half push. Liv Schneider ’26 contributed on both ends of the floor, knocking down a timely three-pointer and helping apply pressure defensively. Reese Grammes ’27 added valuable minutes and perimeter defense as the Gators worked to contain Bellevue’s offense in the closing stretch.

The championship game capped an extraordinary tournament run for the Gators. Laurel advanced to the State title game with a 56-54 overtime victory over Cincinnati Purcell Marian on Thursday, March 12 in the state semifinals (the very team that knocked them out in the final game in 2024). In that matchup, R. Grammes delivered one of the game’s biggest moments when she was fouled on a three-point attempt in overtime when the Gators were down 54-51. She calmly knocked down all three free throws to tie the game. T. Williams sealed the win with a spinning floater with just seconds remaining, giving Laurel a 56-54 victory and sending the Gators to the state championship game.

Tristan Williams led the team with 18 points, along with five rebounds, five assists, and five steals. L. Schneider added 11 points and two three-pointers, while Nyla Edwards '27 contributed nine points, six rebounds, four steals, and three assists. J. Meyer chipped in eight points and four rebounds.

Laurel finished the season 22-4 overall and captured its first state title after coming close in recent years, including a runner-up finish in 2024 and another state tournament appearance last season. For the players, coaches, and the entire Laurel community, the victory marks a defining moment in the history of the program. “This is our first-ever state championship,” head coach David Meyer said after the game. “All the hard work these girls have put in over the last several years paid off today.”

GO GATORS!

Check out the below for some of the media coverage from playoffs and the season.

Spectrum News