The Waterloo girls basketball stand for the playing of the National Anthem on Friday.
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By Tom Nader

Publisher and Editor

On Friday’s girls basketball opening night, the final numbers on the scoreboard inside Waterloo’s Fred Brookover Gymnasium told one story: Campbell Memorial 26, Waterloo 13.

Waterloo’s Julia Boyle puts up a shot in the middle of the key.
Paisley Nader/Portage Sports

They weren’t the only numbers of significance, though.

For the Vikings, there was another story.

An important one: It was the program’s first varsity game since Feb. 18, 2023.

It ended a 1,007-day absence after the athletic department paused the varsity level for two seasons in a methodical plan to rebuild its participation numbers.

The Vikings spent the 2023-24 season competing at the freshman level, then the 2024-25 season at the JV level.

Friday was the culmination of a multi-year journey by the coaching staff, players and district.

“We talk every single day that what we are doing is a process. In fact, we have talked about it for a couple of years now,” Waterloo head coach Nicole Lewis said. “We want to win, we are competing to win, and we are working to win, but we also know that we have to prioritize learning and improving right now.

“Game by game, practice by practice, we are trying to improve,” Lewis said. “That is what we have focused on and what we will continue to focus on.”

Something else new for the Vikings on Friday was the pace of play, which they spent the course of the game trying to catch up to, but never truly found comfort or a rhythm.

Waterloo’s Johanna King (left) and Jade Martins try to corral a rebound.
Paisley Nader/Portage Sports

The Red Devils (1-0) forced Waterloo into 44 turnovers and 2-of-36 shooting from the floor.

“So much of what tonight was about was all new to everyone,” Lewis said. “The tempo and the speed of the game was too fast for us most of the night, and we will have to adjust to the expectations of playing at this level.”

Campbell Memorial established a 9-3 lead at halftime, then outscored Waterloo (0-1) 17-10 in the second half.

The Red Devils also struggled offensively and were held by Waterloo’s defense to just 10-of-58 shooting. Campbell was also 6-of-28 from the free-throw line and was led in scoring by Yaleiska Diaz and Rayona Floyd Brown, who scored six points each.

Waterloo may have had a difficult time finding chemistry and consistency on offense, but they were not void of effort and energy.

The enthusiasm to play was evident until the very end of the game with a list of examples, including a telling sequence as time was expiring.

With the score well set and only six-tenths of a second remaining in the game, senior Julia Boyle dove head-first to try to secure a loose ball that was bouncing out of bounds.

“Our girls played with heart tonight. They always do,” Lewis said. “They give everything they have while they are on the court. They never stop, they always hustle and they are always aggressive. Sometimes too aggressive,” Lewis added, alluding to the team’s 29 fouls.

Waterloo’s Alexis Henry leaps into the air to try to stop a pass from Campbell’s Yaleiska Diaz.
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Alexis Henry led Waterloo in scoring with nine points. She connected on 7-of-10 from the free-throw line and scored the program’s first point since 2023 when she connected on a free throw with 4:14 on the second-quarter clock.

Alysen Miller pulled down a game-high eight rebounds for the Vikings.

Waterloo entered the 2025-26 season with 627 all-time wins, which ranks second in Portage County history behind only Mogadore (638).

Waterloo coach Nicole Lewis talks with her team during a first-half timeout.
Paisley Nader/Portage Sports