Ladycats clinch UIL 1A State Championship
The Newcastle Ladycats made history in the San Antonio Alamodome by defeating the Turkey Valley Lady Patriots for the UIL 1A State basketball championship -- becoming the first female team to capture a state title in any Young County school district.
The victory crowned a near-perfect record - an almost impossible task – in which the Ladycats lost only one game throughout the regular and postseason.
Star forward Mattie Dollar took home the trophy for Most Valuable Player of the State Tournament.
Head Varsity Ladycats Coach Ryan Dollar led the team to its almost unblemished season and said the key to the success of the season is that the girls love each other, have zero drama, play for each other and just really enjoy each other’s company.
“The girls have learned as we went [along] and picked up everything, I had to throw at them and really bought into the program,” Coach Dollar said.
The Ladycats finished the season with 34 wins and 1 loss, making the #2 Texas-ranked team a shoo-in for the #1 spot since they beat the #1 Texas- ranked team, Lady Patriots, in the State Championship. The Texas Association of Basketball Coaches makes a yearly ranking of the team which may not conform with their record.
The good news for Ladycat fans and the community of Newcastle is that most of the players will return next season to play together again, making the prospect of back-to-back state titles a real possibility.
The Ladycats are unique in that they do not just have one or two stars in the lineup driving the team to wins. The team has a star in each of its crucial positions.
The leader of the Ladycats and clear stand-out is Mattie Dollar who hit for 24 points in the State Champ ionship. Being the leading scorer is not what makes her the natural leader, though it does help. Dollar’s positive outlook emanates from her and is contagious to those around her. She has a natural talent and ferocity and commands her team on the court with confidence.
Mya Gabrera started the season not fully committing to the sport some say but once she decided to commit fully, she grew greatly with each game to become an unstoppable force under the basket and is a triple threat with floaters, shooting outside the line and being an accurate free-throw shooter.
Cameron Mallory will easily step into the lead spot when Dollar leaves after next season. Mallory is a tornado on the court, blowing through defenders on the way to the basket and just as dangerous on defense under the basket.
As great as she is as a freshman and being Varsity material already, she will be a dominant figure to watch over the next few years.
Kenzie King is what some might call the perfect passer; her passes are laser-guided missiles and rarely miss their targets. She passes with ferocity and complete authority; King is another freshman already playing at a Varsity level and will continue to grow and be an integral part of this Ladycats winning machine.
Last in the Ladycats lineup is Sophie Terrell who will move into her junior year next year and continue to be a defender for the Ladycats. She will be crucial to stopping rivals aiming to knock the crown off the champs’ heads next season. Terrell may not have put up big numbers during the championship but she is one of the unsung heroes you rarely hear about.
She would definitely hurt any team if they didn’t have a player like Terrell, her defensive prowess and selfless game play sets up the big plays for her teammates.
Congratulations, Ladycats on winning your UIL 1A State Championship and we look forward to seeing you next season.