Ben Murphy
Sports Scene
The Nouvel Catholic Central girls basketball team ran into eventual class C state champion Morley Stanwood on March 13 and fell to the Lady Mohawks 59-44 in the Ithaca quarterfinal.
“It was difficult to see the season end for two reasons,” Nouvel head coach Kris Hengesbach said. “Seeing how much these kids improved and the confidence they gained from their success in the postseason, you obviously want to keep that going and keep seeing their efforts rewarded. The second reason is because I miss them. They are all fantastic young ladies that I truly enjoyed coaching and getting to know. We all had a great time together.”
The Lady Panthers (18-7) were overlooked for much of the regular season. They sustained six losses before rattling off four straight victories in the postseason, one of which was an upset win over heavily-favored Valley Lutheran in the regional championship.
“We play an incredibly tough schedule, which helps us improve throughout the year and puts us in situations we might face in the postseason,” Hengesbach said. “We are’ battle-tested’ so to speak. I credit our players’ toughness and belief in each other, as well, to stay confident and keep working hard to improve so big things can be accomplished. Their determination was impressive, and we had some great leadership demonstrated in the year as well.”
Clearly, the coach is anxious for the Lady Panthers to return to the gym a year from now.
“I am so excited for next season,” Hengesbach said. “This team is young and the experience they gained, especially in the postseason, will carry into next year. They are as excited as I am, and that is obviously what any coach loves to see.”