In a league filled with perennial favorites like Pioneer High School, Dixon and now even Casa Roble, the Woodland High School varsity girls basketball team will always have a tough road to traverse on their way to either the playoffs or a Golden Empire League Championship.
To add one more obstacle this season, the Wolves must do it with a new head coach following Jay Munoz’s move to the boys varsity baseline.
Although Munoz is only about 100 feet away in the main gym with the varsity team, a head coach departing after a year of installing his system can devastate a program on the upswing.
Luckily, the cupboard is not entirely bare as the foundation of last year’s team, filled with a few key returning players, will help first-year head coach Mike Barron lead the charge.
“Jay did a phenomenal job last year and left me with a great foundation, but now, I just want to add to it,” Barron said. “I want to compete. I want us to compete and have fun. If we do both of those things this year, I think we will be ok.”
“I think we can compete for a league title or at least make a little nose,” he continued. “We may be able to sneak up on some teams, but everyone knows the team to beat is Pioneer. Sean (Goldston) does a great job over there. We have to set our sights up high, and hopefully, we can compete with them over there and be around at the end.”
Gone and graduated from last year’s team are star guard and GEL first-team all-league recipient Bella Montez and honorable mention recipients Olivia Pollock and guard Younique Wethington. One backcourt starter would be hard enough to replace in Montez, but Barron has quite a challenge filling both spots.
“Honestly, I don’t think you can replace them (Montez and Wethington),” Barron said. “The only thing you can do is have the ones here step up. We are dynamic. I’m hoping all five starters and the sixth man can be ball handers out there for us.”
Luckily for Barron, the returners and last year’s junior varsity players have shown a real gutsiness in preseason practices.
The backcourt to start the year will include exchange student Margarita Marzo, who will be with the team until January, and senior Julissa Garcia Lopez. Sophomore Mayte Leon Perez will come off the bench to give either player a break and take over a starting spot when Marzo departs.
Madilyn Watkins figures to be the team’s starting wing, while the frontcourt will include senior Joie Perez and junior Sage Owens.
“We have a good nucleus for the future, but I’m super excited about this year,” Barron said. “We have pieces that have the potential to be a really good team, but time will tell. We will have to develop our depth early in the year, but we have the potential to have a deep team.”
In their season opener on Monday on the road against Yuba City, the Wolves saw how much work they still need to put in when they fell 54-10. While the scoreline looks crooked, the Wolves were missing three key starters in Perez, Marzo and Owens.
“Yuba City is an excellent team and shot lights out,” Barron said. We missed our opportunities.”
Woodland begins GEL play at home on Tuesday, Jan. 2, against Mesa Verde. They host Dixon on Jan.5 and Rio Linda on Jan. 12 before five consecutive road games. Their first road game will be a 10-minute drive across town to take on rival Pioneer High School on Jan. 16.
They will enjoy a break from GEL play on Jan. 31 when they take another short trip to their other crosstown rival, Woodland Christian. Woodland will host the Patriots on Feb. 6 and finish the season at home against Casa Roble on Feb. 8.
“We want to win home games and compete on the road,” Barron said. “When these girls leave, I also want them all to look back and say they learned how to compete. That’s what life is all about. If they take that with them into the future, that will be huge.”