With a record 5-18 last year and finishing last in the district, head coach Mike Saunders is looking to finish top three in the district with key players returning, along with a few new younger players. The veteran team has six seniors, two juniors, two sophomores, and two new freshmen, Sienna Eng and Estrella Ramirez.
The 6 seniors include Ahria Mehta, Bridget Noonan, Reagan Myers, Alena Mirabal, Grace Kelly, and Esther Ibekwe.
Senior power forward Alena Mirabal’s excitement for her senior season began last year with how the team came together. “Last year was based mostly on our connection as teammates and this made me excited for the next season,” Mirabal said.
The connection has shown early with a strong start at the Raising Cane’s Tip Off Tournament at Justice winning both games. They started with a 55-50 win over host Justice on Friday, December 6. They came back Saturday with a resounding 50-26 win over Herndon.
With two freshmen on varsity, 5 ‘9 forward/center Sienna Eng along with guard Estrella Ramirez, it is a change from the usual of having just one or no freshmen. They have shown the veterans that they belong on the court.
Guard Aniston Kimble, a junior captain, said, “I think that they’re [the freshman] already making a huge impact. Our bond is coming together as a team which is actually showing on the court as well.”
Kimble points out that the team last season “struggled with effort on the court and just playing overall” and so “that really motivated me to have a better season.”
Saunders explains that the team is a “very talented group of girls” and that he is optimistic about the potential of this year’s squad. “We’re one of the biggest teams in the league and we have speed too and we also have experience,” Saunders said.
The Titans have the returning talent of Ahria Mehta, a senior captain who made the all-region and all-district team last year and was also the leading scorer for the team. Saunders explains Mehta’s role on the team, “She’s our catalyst, she’s our point guard and so when she is involving everyone in our offense that leads to our success.”
After the tough first game, when asked about the expectations for the team, Saunders, who’s been coaching girls basketball for 15 years, seven of them at Dominion, said, “Oh my goodness, they [the expectations] are high. We lost a tough one to Briar Woods, but I’m expecting us to finish in the top three.” The Falcons beat the Titans 55-42 on Monday, December 2.
The team is preparing for their upcoming rivalry game against Panthers of Potomac Falls on Friday, December 20th. Each school’s stands will be packed as this game is the most exciting of the season for both teams. There will be a doubleheader game at Potomac Falls with the girls playing at 6:00 pm and the boys varsity team playing right after at 7:15 pm.
Saunders explains how attendance for the girl’s game has a huge impact on the team. “We like to see more people come and support us. I think sometimes girls’ sports get a raw deal. They think it’s just all about the boys, but I think if they can come watch us play, they’d be a pleasant surprise how athletic these girls are,” Saunders said.
The girls are home next on Thursday night against Indy at 7:15pm but will be coming off a long trip on Wednesday to Washington High School in Charles Town, West Virginia.
