2017 Girls’ Basketball Seniors, Photo courtesy of Katie Trask
It’s not easy repeating great things.
For the Mohawk Girls’ Basketball Team, two consecutive state titles would mean the world. It’s feat easier said than done, as Autum Anderson (Jr.) discovered in Carlisle on Saturday. “It really didn’t hit us until Carlisle. Up until then, we were in the better part of our season.
The 11-12 Mohawk Girls Started 3-5, with tough losses to Valley, Roosevelt, Waukee, Southeast Polk, and Johnston. From January onwards, a 5-win streak brought the Mohawks to redemption and a chance for state. “It got much better towards the end of the season. It was looking hopeful for us.” said Autum.
It was the Mohawks’ first year without star Mackenzie Meyer, and it took its toll on the team “We lost 10 seniors this year,” said Haley Norcross. “As a result, we had a lot of players in unfamiliar positions, so it was a struggle.” Haley said she was glad that the team got adapted to this difficult time now instead of later so they’d be able to make these lineups work. “Things went very well for us when we were ready to fill any hole we needed.”
Come next season, the Mohawks will lose five seniors – Read,Till, O’Neill, Rier and Oliver – considerably less than last season, but still bound to take its toll. “We’ve had to learn to adapt to losing players this season, so we’ll be more prepared for what the future holds.” said Haley. And so far, the future may be distant for the Mohawks, but it’s certainly bright.