As the spring semester rolls on, the girls basketball team is hard at work, cruising through their schedule along the way. With a 23-9 record, the Lady Wolves are enjoying another successful season, this time under first-year head coach Jessica Smith, who took over for Mark Myers shortly before the season’s commencement. The team has emphasized the importance of team chemistry and togetherness this year, getting behind Coach Smith and rallying to string together several periods of winning basketball.

Coach Smith marveled at some of her players’ abilities to stay strong through so much change.

“I think everyone on the team has done a great job bringing the team together and supporting one another,” Smith said. “Our focus has always been on us as a team.  We couldn’t be where we are today without one of our twelve players.”

Opening the season with a shocking upset of then 6A #9 Westwood in an overtime thriller, Cedar Park won ten of their first twelve games, including a convincing victory over Vandegrift. After a string of tough games against top-notch opponents like Ft. Worth Boswell and Waco Midway, the team opened district play dominantly, beating Hutto by over 50 points. Overall, the team is 10-2 in district, sitting second behind district undefeated Georgetown. With two league losses by a mere combined nine points, the Timberwolves are still very much in play for a district championship.

Unlike many other teams in the area, Cedar Park boasts a cleverly balanced varsity roster. With six underclassmen and six upperclassmen, the Lady Wolves are poised for immediate success, and look to be a promising squad in the future. Senior Cami Rettinger reinforced the importance of this balance.

“It’s important to balance because the more experienced players help the ones who are younger,” Rettinger said. “It allows them to get better and also prepare for the coming years they play.”

Even with so many changes at the helm of the program, the team still has high aspirations for the season. Still within reach of a district championship and a favorable place in the playoffs, the Lady Wolves are looking to continue their dominant district play. Getting contributions from all four grade levels, this team looks poised, not only to make way in the playoffs this year, but also to continue to make deep runs into the postseason for many years to come.

“We strive to play united as a team, with a goal of playing 100 percent every single time we walk out onto the court,” freshman forward Nicole Leff said. “We are also very excited for the playoffs and the journey ahead.”

The Timberwolves beat Hutto this past Tuesday in a nail-biter, 47-44. Their next home game, the last of the season, is Friday, Feb. 3, against district-topping Georgetown. The colossal matchup with district title implications will tip-off at 7 p.m. at the Timberdome.