Ladycats in Transition

photo by ALEXIS ALEXANDER

The new-look and very young Ladycats struggled through the 2019-2020 campaign, but ended the season on a high note with an upset win.

by ZACH YBARRA, Sports Co-Editor

Rebuilding a program after the graduation of key players and multiple coaching changes would be a challenge for any high school, but rebuilding a program that has a tradition of competing annually for state and national championships is an especially daunting challenge for the student-athletes and coaches tasked with starting over.

But despite a 10-14 overall record and a last place finish in the Crestview League, the rebuilding Ladycats showed glimmers of what’s to come with a season-ending upset victory over 18-win Canyon High School, 52-48, on Feb. 6.

“The game against Canyon was a definite challenge. Canyon is all upperclassmen and we had lost to them earlier in the season,” Rayanne Dietrich, sophomore co-captain, said.

This was a difficult feat due to their small roster of eight, seven of whom are underclassmen -- four sophomores and three freshmen.

“The game was down to the wire and toward the end we had injuries, [but] ended up winning by four,” Dietrich said.

Nancy Smith, head coach, entered her first varsity season with the philosophy “the future is always bright,” and the team responded positively to her approach. ”Coach Smith was very helpful to the team and was trying to improve everyday. She coached us [with] her new philosophy and [pushed] us to be better,” Dietrich said.

That brightness was evident in other games that hinted at the young squad’s potential: a narrow seven-point loss on Jan. 31 to Crestview League champion Esperanza High School, who boasts a 25-3 record; a convincing 10-point win over North Hills League co-champion El Dorado High School on Jan. 24; a 68-23 dismantling of El Modena High School on Jan. 10; a one-point win over North Hills co-champion Villa Park on Jan. 7; and a 55-49 victory over local rival Sonora High School on Dec. 12.

Along with a lack of veteran experience -- Abby Martinez, senior, is the lone upperclassman -- the five returning Ladycats had to adjust to a new head coach, Smith, long-time golf coach and math teacher at BOHS. Smith’s emphasis this year was “to improve every day and accept every challenge set in front of us with a positive attitude.”

Having a team made up of mostly underclassmen “doesn’t really affect us negatively since it’s our first time playing for varsity, it’s a good learning experience because we make mistakes [and learn] not to make them [again],” said Martinez.

Leading the way this season was Faith Knapp, sophomore and co-captain, who averaged 14 points and 9.8 rebounds per game. Dietrich led the team in assists with 2.8 per game.

Although the Ladycats failed to make it to the post-season, the youthful team is optimistic. Looking ahead, the team plans to “always keep improving,” said Knapp.