Building for another run: Sonoraville Girls’ Basketball
Head Coach Stephanie Caudell reflects on the Lady Phoenix’s historic season
The Sonoraville Lady Phoenix’s run to a state title came to a bitter end this past March. However, the season was filled with highs, from a capturing the region championship to a Class 3A final four appearance.
“The whole season was a lot of fun,” Lady Phoenix head coach Stephanie Caudell said. “We had to overcome a lot of adversity and obstacles. We had quite a few injuries we had to deal with throughout the season. (I) played a lot of sophomores … so they had to grow and I think we grew as a team and we were playing our best at the end of the season.”
Caudell noted Sonoraville’s young talent coming back next year. However, with a region title to defend, she said the Lady Phoenix have their work cut out for them.
“We’ve got a lot of talent coming back, and that always gives you confidence when you’ve got returning players that have got that experience and they’ve been in pressure situations and they’ve played entire varsity seasons,” Caudell said. “We’ve got a tough region, so we’re going to have to be ready and even better because I think, when you do have success, everybody kind of guns for you.”
Sonoraville’s journey to the final four is the furtherest the school has traveled in the girls’ basketball state tournament. To qualify for the playoffs is no easy task, but Caudell said she has confidence in the returning group of girls.
“It takes a lot of commitment, a lot of time and a lot of hard work,” Caudell said. “I think the girls have to get better as individuals. They have to put the time in outside of the season … and when we get into season, we’ve got to make sure that we’re ready.”
During the run, Caudell said the
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6. Young defenseman Charlie McAvoy had trouble calming his nerves until Bergeron spoke up in the locker room and said exactly what players needed to hear.
Speaking in French, Bergeron said he told the team, “We are in a situation that is everyone’s childhood’s dream here and we must realize it.”
That’s also a pretty normal thing for Bergeron to boost up his teammates, which he considers to be part of his role. It’ll be up to him, captain Zdeno Chara, winger Brad Marchand, center David Krejci and goaltender Tuukka Rask to impart some lessons from winning in 2011 and also losing to Chicago in the final in 2013 — the time Bergeron played through broken ribs and a punctured lung but didn’t get to lift the Cup a second time.
“They’ve been here for us all year (and) before that, too,” forward Sean Kuraly said. “You look to them and can feel comfort in that, follow in their footsteps and know you’re walking in the right direction.”
The Blues are marching in the wrong direction after failing to close out a series for the first time in the playoffs. They eliminated Winnipeg, Dallas and San Jose on the first chance each time and all on home ice.
Now they go on the road where they’re 9-3 this postseason with two of those victories coming in Boston.
“Listen, if you told me four months ago we were going to be in the finals in Game 7, I think I’d take it,” St. Louis coach Craig Berube said. “We’ve been a good road team. We’ve won twice up there in this series, so we’re a confident group.”
Just like the Blues couldn’t measure up to the Bruins in Game 6, it would be hard to make the argument that they’re as confident after the deflating loss Sunday, Ryan O’Reilly and the Blues have typically been able to bounce back well and stay as evenkeeled as their coach.
“We know if we play our best game, we can take these guys,” O’Reilly said. “Go there and get it done.”