Lake Catholic girls basketball upsets Fairview, 50-41, in first round

21st-seeded Cougars rally from 9-point deficit in fourth quarter to knock off No. 8 Warriors

Published on Feb. 21, 2026

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In a Division V girls basketball tournament matchup, the 21st-seeded Lake Catholic Cougars overcame a 9-point fourth quarter deficit to defeat the 8th-seeded Fairview Warriors, 50-41. Led by seniors Ella Zampedro and Lizzie Bammerlin, who combined for 35 points, Lake Catholic ended the game on a 24-6 run over the final nine minutes to pull off the upset victory.

Why it matters

The win by the underdog Lake Catholic squad highlights the unpredictability of postseason tournament basketball, where regular season records and seedings often don't tell the full story. Despite Fairview's stronger regular season record and higher tournament seeding, Lake Catholic's grit and determination allowed them to rally and advance in the playoffs.

The details

Lake Catholic, playing in the highly competitive Crown Conference, entered the game with a 6-15 record but were unfazed by Fairview's 16-6 mark. The Cougars trailed by as many as 9 points in the fourth quarter before mounting their comeback, sparked by 3-pointers from Bammerlin and aggressive drives to the basket by Zampedro, who made 8-of-12 free throws. Lake Catholic outscored Fairview 24-6 over the final 9 minutes to pull off the upset victory.

  • The game was played on February 21, 2026.
  • Lake Catholic trailed Fairview 35-26 with 43 seconds left in the third quarter.

The players

Ella Zampedro

A senior at Lake Catholic who scored 19 points, including 8-of-12 from the free throw line, to lead the Cougars' comeback.

Lizzie Bammerlin

A sophomore at Lake Catholic who scored 16 points, including two key 3-pointers in the fourth quarter to spark the rally.

Michael Pecjak

The head coach of the Lake Catholic girls basketball team.

Karen Swanson Haan

The head coach of the Fairview girls basketball team.

Claire Dahler

A player for Fairview who scored 10 points in the game.

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What they’re saying

“There's no quit in those two. It's great to have players that want the ball in their hands all the time. They're not going to shy away from it, you know? I just can't say enough about Ella over the four years that she's been with us.”

— Michael Pecjak, Head Coach, Lake Catholic (morningjournal.com)

“I really can't pinpoint anything. We knew it was going to be a four-quarter game. We knew that they wouldn't give up. We talked about how we needed to keep our foot on the gas. It could have been fatigue. It could have been like, 'Oh, we're up by nine.' I don't know that I could pinpoint in on a single moment.”

— Karen Swanson Haan, Head Coach, Fairview (morningjournal.com)

What’s next

Lake Catholic will travel to Girard on February 24 to face the 9th-seeded Indians, who defeated Warren Champion 66-29 in their opening-round matchup.

The takeaway

This upset victory by the underdog Lake Catholic squad over the higher-seeded Fairview team demonstrates the unpredictability and excitement of postseason tournament basketball, where heart, determination, and timely plays can overcome regular season records and seedings.