Sophomore Ava Noga is one of many Matadors who will be back to defend their Division 3 NCS championship next year.
It all paid off in the end.
For most of the year, there were only seven players.
Of those seven, only one was a senior.
The coach was in her first year in charge of a varsity program.
A painful midseason slump resulted in eight losses in a 12-game stretch.
But after knocking off Benicia 57-47 in the North Coast Section (NCS) Division 3 championship game, Miramonte won its eighth NCS girls’ basketball title, the second-most by any public school in NCS history.
With that championship, the Mats moved on to the NorCal playoffs, where they beat Branson 51-41 before falling to eventual state champion Faith Christian by four in Yuba City. And note that Miramonte gave Faith Christian by far its toughest game in the postseason.
But back in November, there were a lot more questions than answers.
“We started off the season with two girls sitting out as transfers,” said Ace Wright, who was a varsity assistant last season after four years as the head junior varsity coach. When they became eligible, injuries became a factor, especially a shoulder separation suffered by junior Lorelei
Keenan.
But even with only seven players, Miramonte pressed relentlessly, and pushed the ball on offense. “We were lucky we had young girls with the motor and the energy,” said Wright, and those young girls got a baptism under fire with the tough schedule. Of Miramonte’s 14 losses, 10 came to teams that played in the NCS Division 1 or Open playoffs, and one more come to small school power Faith Christian.
Point guard Maegan Eichelberger, the only senior, knew from the start she’d have to play a big role with so many inexperienced players around her.
“Our team was a lot younger this year (than last),” she said, “but we had a lot of that young energy. Sometimes it hurt us and sometimes it helped.”
As the point guard, though, Eichelberger was in a position to keep the team stay on an even keel.
“I added composure,” she said. “They needed someone to be the voice of organization.”
Wright, who played locally at Emery and later at Rocky Mountain College, was glad to have Eichelberger’s leadership. “She took some of the pressure off the younger players,” she said. “She’s very vocal, and she set the tone.”
Of course, setting the tone doesn’t mean much without a talented roster, and Miramonte definitely had that. Sophomore Ava Noga led the team with 12.7 points a game, and got hot from distance in postseason, making 39% of her threes.
Keenan, a sophomore, is a versatile player at both ends of the floor who uses her size and skill to pass, score and defend. And, said Wright, “she’s not afraid to take the big shot.”
Junior Annelise Lindberg also did a little bit of everything, and though the stats might not have been flashy, the contribution was key.
“She’s our glue,” said Wright.
Freida Vierra’s defense and athleticism were major pieces of the puzzle, and though the sophomore’s shooting motion was unusual, she was also capable of scoring in bunches.
Wright was especially pleased with the improvement of sophomore post Ally Rogin.
“She steadily built her confidence,” Wright said, “and she played really well in the last few games.”
With all the returning talent, Wright is optimistic about next year, especially with two highly touted freshmen – Aimee Fagundes and Annie Daoust – expected to add depth to the roster.
And of course that eighth NCS title gets some attention too, which means the Mats won’t be sneaking up on anyone next year.
“We’ve got some eyes on us now,” said Wright.
