On Feb. 5, Dougherty Valley’s women’s basketball team ended Senior Night with a win against the Livermore High Cowboys. The victory marked the second and final win of the Wildcats’ season.

Ending with an overall record of 4-22, the Wildcats faced numerous obstacles throughout the season. From changing coaches mid-season to missing out on the summer league, Women’s Basketball had a rough start to the year.  

The team’s original women’s basketball coach, Kellie Beckman, stepped down after facing immense pressure from outside sources. JV coach Marqus assumed the role of coaching both teams after Beckman’s resignation.

Despite this change, senior and team captian Sarah Milota believes the staff switchup greatly improved the cohesivness of the team. Milota explains that one dynamic missing for the most of the season was a lack of connection between the players. In turn, this led to a breakdown during games within the Wildcats.

“It was hard this season to focus on just playing the game with the new coaching situation thrown at us and the drama created because of that, so it was easy to get sidetracked and create excuses for not doing as well. But, I think a lot of us learned, including me, that we need to set aside our thoughts and instead focus on what we came there to do, which is play basketball” senior Alexandra Naicker explains.

At Senior Night, the Wildcats managed to pull together to secure a win against the Livermore High Cowboys. Ending with a score of 56-43, the game was a sweet ending to a troubling season.

After struggling throughout the first quarter, the Wildcats managed to come back in the second quarter to secure a 10-point lead against the Cowboys. From there on out, the Cowboys failed to gain any traction.

Team captain Milota cites this game as an example of what the team had been lacking throughout the season. Instead of crumbling after the first quarter, the Wildcats came together as a team to win. Although Milota admits she wishes more of the season’s games were spent like this, she wouldn’t have wanted to end her final season any other way.

“I do not regret participating because I love the sport and my teammates, and I can’t imagine spending all of that time doing anything else. Basketball had given me an outlet, despite all of the crazy things that happened during my time in the program,”Milota says.

Overall, the Wildcats’ women’s basketball team ended its season on a bittersweet note. Seniors Alexandra Naicker and Sarah Milota describe this season as a harrowing yet a very impactful season.