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Turn the page: Lady Wolves say goodbye to coach, vaunted senior class
BY Kevin Hageland, khageland@starlocalnews.com
When the Plano West girls basketball season ended in the regional semis, it marked the end of an era.
Not simply because head coach Don Patterson is retiring, but because six seniors (Devri Owens, Randi Reinhardt, Allison Staley, Grace Horn, Mattie Swearingen, Marissa Turk) are departing with him.
Reinhardt, Staley, Swearingen and Turk have played together since seventh grade at Robinson Middle School while Reinhardt's days with Horn date back to third grade.
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"This was such a special group," Patterson added. "They gave so much to this team, did whatever we asked and really, made my job easier. I think that's what made the end to the season so tough, not because I knew it was my last game but because these girls deserved to win and deserved to make it to state."
Those expectations were set out before 2012-13 began.
"We had a pretty good bunch coming back," Patterson said. "So we thought since Day 1 we could make it to state."
There were questions about depth with junior Kaelin Montgomery, sophomore Sydney Skinner and freshman Natalie Chou yet to emerge on the varsity level (though each eventually would), but the starting lineup of Owens, Reinhardt, Staley, Horn and junior Tyara Warren-Cox wasn't a concern as each player was entering at least their third varsity season.
"That might have helped us early in the season since we were ahead of some teams in terms of experience," Patterson said.
West got out to its best start in program history, going 15-0 and winning the Allen Lady Eagles Hoopfest prior to losing to Duncanville, 61-55, in the finals of the Collin County Roundball Classic. That was one of only three games decided by less than 16 points for the eventual Class 5A State Champion Pantherettes.
West lost again to Duncanville in the Sandra Meadows Classic.
That tournament, however, was far more notable for the Dec. 28 game between West and League City Clear Springs, which went to five overtimes and became the highest scoring girls game in UIL history with he Lady Wolves prevailing, 107-105. That was one of just two regular-season losses for state-bound Clear Springs.
"That was such a great game to be involved in," Patterson said. "It was a lot of fun, probably because it wasn't a district or playoff game. I told the girls, I think in the second overtime, 'I'm getting a little old for this, so you can go ahead and win any time.' It was one of those games I would have been proud to be a part of even if we had lost."
Though West lost to Plano in the first half of 10-5A play, the Lady Wolves won the rematch to grab at least a share of the district title for a fifth straight season.
West kept the accomplishments going from there as it defeated Mesquite Horn, 62-40, in the third round of the playoffs to advance to the Region II Tournament for the first time in six years.
There, the Lady Wolves fell behind by as many as 13 points to then-undefeated Pflugerville in the semifinals before eventually pulling even in the fourth quarter.
"At that point, I told our coaches, 'we are going to win,'" Patterson said. "Our girls were just so competitive; they always found a way to win this season and I thought they were going to do it again."
West, however, wouldn't surge ahead as it was beaten, 64-63, to end the year at 36-4.
"I know the girls were disappointed and that's understandable," Patterson said. "But they shouldn't be disappointed in themselves. This was a great team and I'm just so proud of them."
Players like Warren-Cox, Skinner and Chou (who were all on the court in the final minutes of that loss) will be the backbone of the Lady Wolves in 2013-14.
"Those are the girls who will need to step up and be leaders," Patterson said. "Ty is going into her fourth varsity season, Sydney is one of the hardest-working players we have and Natalie looks like she will be a special player. If you watch Natalie you know what her basketball skills are and I feel she will just keep getting better and better."
Add in an undefeated JV team, which included Owens' younger sister Callie at point guard, as well as three other varsity returners (juniors Morgan Laday, Meg Terry and sophomore Kyrie McNeil) and the West cupboard isn't bare.
There will be plenty of transition next season though with just the second head coach in program history and the graduation of a well-decorated senior class.
"These are my sisters and I wouldn't trade my time with the program for anything," Devri Owens said. "The experience has been ... indescribable."
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