With just six players, the McCurdy Lady Bobcats made it through a full season.
After starting the year with a mostly full team, McCurdy saw its numbers dwindle more and more as players stepped aside, some joining the cheerleading team, and others opting to leave basketball. By about two-thirds through the season, McCurdy was down to six players.
But a core group of six players battled injuries and gritted their way through an entire challenging season, gaining experience that could become valuable in the future.
“It was challenging, a lot of the season,” senior and team captain Alyssia Sandoval said. “But the six that did stay, they showed incredible dedication throughout the whole rest of the season. Couldn’t ask for really anything more.
That season picked with a late-season district win over Mora, in their fourth shot against the Rangerettes. After starting the year with 21 straight losses by 15 points or more, it felt good to finish a game on top, especially on senior night for Sandoval’s last home game.
“It was more, seeing the girls faces, than it was for me,” Sandoval said. “They were super pumped.”
“Especially being senior night, for them it meant the world,” Archuleta said. “Especially to do it for Alyssia. They were ecstatic.”
The Bobcats likely went the entire year without a single player fouling out, according to coach Dennis Archuleta. So, they never had to play with less than five players on the court.
Senior Alyssia Sandoval led a young roster of junior Esperanza Sandoval, sophomore Amanda Tafoya, freshman Kaylee Martinez and eighth-graders Karina Archuleta and Isabella Archuleta. Senior Emma Lovato also was with the team all season, but was unable to play due to an injury.
“The girls were resilient, they played hard regardless of the score,” Archuleta said. “They always fought to the end. They always played with a lot of heart. They were a great bunch of girls.”
For parts late in the season, an injury meant that McCurdy only had five players available — who had to stay on the court from start to finish without a break.
Archuleta said the short bench limited what he could do as a coach, taking away any possibility of starting a press defense.
Going into next year, there is renewed interest in the team after seeing the fight the 2022-23 team put in to the season. Next year, they hope to field a full middle school, junior varsity, and varsity team.
Sandoval finishes her three-year varsity career with a record of 3-54 under three different coaches, but hopes to see the program with a bright future.
“We have a lot of young girls, our team is really, really young,” Sandoval said. “So, if he can stick with them throughout their high-school career, I really think that we can build something off of this season. I really expect them to thrive and progress.”