By Jacob Richman
One season after the Lady Eagles made their run to the regional quarterfinal, the team looked very different. With a new coach and almost entirely new team with the exception of their three captains, there was little experience on the team.
The Eagles finished the 2016-2017 campaign with a 70-57 playoff loss to Lakeview Centennial in the first round of the playoffs to end with a 10-2 record in district and 15-16 overall.
The team had a difficult time finding their rhythm early, finishing with a 5-14 non-district record, showing the gap in experience for this young team.
“We were upset with how we were playing before, so we knew we had to step up our game for district because that’s what really counted,” Sophomore captain Noelle Yancy said.
District play began on a high note with a 97-27 blowout win over W.T. White. It was an important win for the Eagles’ confidence with sophomore captains Yancy, Nikyla Green and Skye Dugan combining for 67 points on the night.
They followed that win up with wins against Pearce, Lake Highlands, Berkner and Coppell.
The first district loss came against Skyline 58-51.
The Lady Eagles clinched the number two seed in district 9-6A in a back and forth game against Coppell with 55-52 win.
“My favorite memory was the playoffs – we worked hard and played,” senior Destini Frater said. “It was my first year on varsity, and I feel like I really bonded with my team being the oldest and all. Looking at it now we are all like a family.”
“It was exciting, the girls compete hard, they play with passion,” Coach Dansby said. “That’s all I want them to do.”With only one senior, Destini Frater, graduating, the team can be expected to stay very similar next season.
Scoring leaders for the Eagles this season were Yancy with 535 points on the season(6th in 6A), Green with 525(7th in 6A) and Dugan with 294.
Although their playoff showing was not to their district standards, the Eagles expressed a willingness to improve and compete despite an unexperienced team.
