Going into this year, one of Coach Claudia Moran’s concerns was the team’s youth and they’re maturity level. “I’ve definitely seen growth, I think they’re mentally ready for higher levels, higher pressure, which comes with being one of the top teams,” Moran said.
The girls got off to a strong start going 9-1 in the pre-season. Despite doing extremely well, the girls do believe that they should have gone 10-0. “It feels good, but just that one loss doesn’t feel good and we honestly shouldn’t have lost that game,” Gil-Silva said.
The league title came down to the last week of the season. In order to earn a share of the title, the team had to beat Hollister who they lost to in overtime in their first meeting, 58-59.
In the rematch, the Trojans left no doubt, defeating the Haybalers 68-54. After a win over Alvarez in the league final, they were co-league champions, with a record of 11-1.
Based on being co-champions and their 20-2 overall record, the Lady Trojans earned the #3 seed in the CCS Division I playoffs. They played Fremont and won 52-39, setting up a semi-final game against Branham. The girls fought hard but came up short, falling 55-46. “I’m proud of our accomplishments overall, it felt amazing making history that night winning against Fremont, but we could’ve and should’ve won against Branham,” Gil-Silva said.
However, that was not the end of the season. The team qualified for the State tournament in Division 4 for the first time in school history, earning the #5 seed and a home game versus Colusa where they won 56-28. “It felt like a fever dream, it had been one of my goals since freshman year, and for it to be the first time in Alisal history made it even more emotional,” Alvarez said.
The win set up a 2nd round matchup with Foothill of Palo Cedro. After a 4+ hour drive, the girls played well but fell 55-66. “We had both good and bad moments that we we’re able to surpass as a team and it didn’t just make us stronger, but it formed us into a family where we could count on each other for anything,” Rodriguez said. “It was an unforgettable season, lots of memories, and love for each other,” Moran said. “I want to keep the same high levels and high standards that we ended off with this season for next year and keep pushing hard with the same mentality and passion.”
