FOXBURG — Erin Larimore remembers the bad times, the rock-bottom times, the times when the A-C Valley girls basketball team stepped onto the court knowing it would lose — and lose big.

The Falcons senior guard is grateful those days are over, even though a finger injury has kept her from getting in on the fun.

"It was hard, very hard," Larimore said of the losing that topped out with a 62-game losing streak. "But I just love basketball. I love playing, no matter what."

Heading into this year, the Falcons posted a 7-86 record, with most of the losses sound beatings.

But all that has changed. A-C Valley is no longer an easy W. In fact, they are no longer a W.

The Falcons are off to a 3-2 start — even with two of their best players, Larimore and sophomore Mikyla Denchke, out with injuries.

It's a marked departure from the days of routine 50-point losses.

"We hope other teams will see us and say, 'Hey, A-C Valley is no pushover anymore,'" said coach Lane Larimore, who is Erin's father.

A-C Valley has some lofty goals that include a winning record and a trip to the playoffs.

But the Falcons must do most of the heavy lifting without Erin Larimore, last season's leading scorer at 12 points per game.

She broke the ring finger on her shooting hand just before the season started during a flag football game when it got caught in the flag loop of an opponent.

At first, she had no idea how serious her injury was.

"My finger was crooked, but I thought I just dislocated it," Erin said.

An X-ray revealed her worst fear: a spiral fracture that required surgery and a long recovery time.

She is out at least three more weeks.

It pains Erin Larimore to sit on the bench and not play, particularly when she knows the Falcons' playoff chances would improve drastically with her running the show on the floor.

"I felt so bad for the first couple of weeks," the senior said. "I was in a bad mood. I didn't want to talk to anyone or do anything."

But Erin Larimore has relished the chance to see her teammates succeed after so much losing.

"It feels so good," she said. "To see them succeed, particularly without me and Mikyla. We have depth. We have a good team. It's finally nice to be able to say that."

It's too early to tell what will become of this team. The Keystone Shortway Athletic Conference schedule hasn't begun for the Falcons yet, but both Larimores said they feel A-C Valley has as good of a chance as anyone to make the district playoffs.

Supporting their belief is the young talent that has surfaced.

Freshman center Kelsey Boocks has excelled in the middle. When Denchke returns, the Falcons will have another 5-foot-10 inside presence who can get up and down the floor.

"(Denchke) has so much potential, it's not even funny," Lane Larimore said.

Junior Megan Cratty is a rebound machine, and when Erin Larimore returns, the Falcons can put five players on the court who stand 5-feet-8 or taller.

"We are confident now," Erin Larimore said. "We play with confidence knowing we have a chance to win. That makes a lot of difference."