The Grand County High School girls basketball team is having a great season. The Red Devils have played 14 games this season so far, nine of which they have won. This is a significant improvement over the 2020-21 season, which ended with just three wins.
“The team’s most accomplished moment this season is beating San Juan in an away game,” said head coach Andrea Noyes, referring to a Dec. 7 game the Red Devils won with a final score of 69-38. “Last year, they could not beat the San Juan team, so they worked to get better by changing their mindset and working harder during practice, and it is definitely paying off.”
This season is Noyes’s third year coaching the team. Noyes says that she coaches basketball because she loves the sport and is invested in helping the youth in our community.
The season is more than halfway over; the girls will compete in the state championship tournament on Feb. 11.
This year, the team is keeping up its good spirits, according to one of the co-captains, Josalyn Murphy. Murphy also said that there are a lot of freshmen who can compete at the varsity level, who will be good assets for future basketball seasons when the older girls graduate. Murphy has been playing basketball since the fourth grade and is currently talking to various colleges about basketball scholarships.
Tenney Cook, a senior and the other co-captain on the basketball team, also commented on the team’s mindset for this season.
“I think every day is an accomplishment,” said Cook. “We came from a rough past with our previous seasons. And we still have the heart, courage, and endurance to show up and keep going. This has led us to a successful, fun, and rewarding season this year!”
Cook is the only senior on the team this year, meaning that next year’s team will likely have close to the exact same roster. A big fraction of the team is made up of the lower grades; the team has a good outlook for the next couple of years.
“The freshmen this year are very talented,” Noyes said. “They are able to compete at a varsity level and this gives good depth to our games. Instead of just juniors and seniors playing, the freshmen and sophomores are able to get in and play as well.”
Both of the co-captains this year said that the environment and atmosphere on the team are very positive and welcoming.
“Our girls basketball team is just such a positive, healthy environment!” Cook said. “We have amazing coaches and girls on the team! It is very refreshing, especially because there are some teams that aren’t as positive as we are.”
The team only has four home games left before their state tournament, on Jan. 25, 27, and Feb. 3 and 10. Noyes encourages fans to turn out to support the team.
“Historically, the girls basketball team has not been very successful but this season has been a significant improvement,” she said. “If you have the chance, go to a home game. You will be surprised at how good they have gotten.”
