When Stone Memorial Lady Panthers guard Ella May steps onto the floor, the nerves that once fluttered in her stomach now fuel her confidence.
The Lady Panthers guard said she learned quickly what it meant to grow up on varsity.
“All the girls really helped me with my freshman year,” May said. “Coming in, I was starting on varsity, it’s kind of hard to be a freshman [in that situation,] but all the girls really helped me and Coach [Mike] Buck helped me a lot and I learned so much that year and it was a really good year.”
May did not ease her way into the lineup. She was there from the opening tip of her high school career. Before every game as a freshman, May said she found her calm in a familiar routine.
“I listened to Christian music and prayed and asked the Lord to give me the strength to play that game I was gonna play,” May said. “I think that really helped knowing God’s got my back.”
Now a sophomore and reigning Freshman of the Year, May is turning that early pressure into production. She has already delivered notable scoring nights this season, including a 14-point performance in Stone Memorial’s 86–59 opening win over Jackson County and a 13-point outing during a Thanksgiving tournament victory over Heritage, showing her ability to step up in big moments.
“I want to build off last year just to go strong, full force,” May said. “I want to be more consistent every game, have more good games back to back.”
That consistency has helped power a breakout season for the Lady Panthers. After more than doubling their win total from last year, Stone Memorial enters February with a 20-3 record.
For May, the numbers only tell part of the story. May said the real growth has come in confidence, trusting her preparation, leaning on her teammates and embracing the role she stepped into as a freshman.
And as the postseason approaches, the sophomore guard who once had to steady herself before every tip now looks ready to lead.