The Boulder City girls’ basketball team will debut a new look today as the Lady Eagles play in the Lake Mead Invitational. It is the fourth new look in as many years.
The Lady Eagles begin their season with their fourth head coach in four seasons bringing his philosophy to the team.
Paul Dosch, an assistant coach for the Boulder City boys’ basketball team for two seasons, is the new coach.
“It has been unusual to play for four coaches,” said senior Whitney Barlow, who has been named as one of the top players to watch this season in Division 1-A by area sports experts. “Each coach has brought something different to the court. We are a sum of all four parts. But we are ready, and I think we are going to have a great season, again.”
A year ago, under coach Kirk Frantz, the Lady Eagles were 18-8 overall and reached the state tournament.
Boulder City was the regular season champion in the Sunrise League and reached the Southern Region championship game, where it lost to Faith Lutheran. The Eagles advanced to the state tournament, but lost a semifinal game to Spring Creek High of Elko County.
The Lady Eagles will return seniors Barlow, a forward, and Jana Williams, a guard.
The backcourt of junior guards Katlyn Daly and Alyssa Ybarra are experienced ball-handlers and shooters. Sophomore Megan Morton and senior Ali Rovacchi will play guard and forward.
“Finally, we are old enough to be the upperclassmen and to be leaders for the team,” Ybarra said. “I am excited about the season and the new coach. We have learned a lot from each coach, and now we need to pull together the best of each coach.”
The Lady Eagles begin their season today with two games in the Lake Mead Invitational. The girls’ tournament, although being hosted by Lake Mead Christian, is being played at Calvary Chapel School.
The Lady Eagles are scheduled to play Bishop Gorman’s junior varsity team at 11 a.m. today and San Diego Calvary Christian at 3 p.m. They return Friday to play The Meadows at 2 p.m. and another opponent at 6:30 p.m. The opponents and game times will be determined depending on results from the first day of play. They also are scheduled to play Saturday.
“I think we can win the league and make the state playoffs again,” Daly said. “I think we will have a very good season.”
On Dec. 11, the Lady Eagles play Liberty at home at 5 p.m.
“Not all first-year coaches are lucky enough to have all the talented players I have here,” Dosch said. “We plan to play an up-tempo running and shooting game. Teams will know they played Boulder City afterward. I hope to build a tradition of hard-pressing defense that can quickly get the ball out and into a fast-paced offense.”
The past two seasons, Dosch was assistant coach for the boys’ program under head coach John Balistere. He was an assistant at Foothill High from 2006-10 where he also was the head coach for the boys’ junior varsity and freshmen teams.
Dosch said he is happy to be back at Boulder City High where he is familiar with the court. He is a 1990 graduate and played guard as a junior and senior for the Eagles. The 1989 team won the state championship.
Joining Dosch on the team will be his 15-year-old daughter, Rylee, who is a sophomore. Dosch follows Frantz, who also coached his daughter, Avalon.
The previous coach, Kate Elles, guided the Lady Eagles to 22-6 overall and 3-1 in the Southern League. They didn’t advance to state when they lost the Southern Region final to Virgin Valley.
The Lady Eagles were 12-9 overall and 4-2 in the Southern League and reached the league championship game in 2010-2011 under coach Brian Lemmel.
Last season, the Lady Eagles moved from the Southern League to the new Division 1-A Sunrise League.
“I hope to bring stability to the program and build a winning tradition,” Dosch said. “It all starts today.”