By Maria Cook
Zionsville Girls Basketball Head Coach Andy Maguire knew there was something special about his current group of senior players back when they were freshmen.
“They had been undefeated in middle school and we traveled to Lebanon to play a very good team led by a Kristen Spolyar,” Maguire said. “We got beat soundly. After that game it was obvious to me that this group really cared and they didn’t want to ever feel that way again. After that loss they helped us go 20-4 on the season and helped lead us to our first sectional win since 1996. Since their freshman year we have gone 25-2, 22-6, and currently are 14-8. An 81-20 record with three sectional championships, one regional championship, one semi-state championship and state runners-up.”
The group of seniors, which includes Maddie Nolan, Delaney Richason, Lily Bird, Chloe Wilson, Gabby Woodworth and Megan Sheridan, were recently honored on Senior Night, against McCutcheon, Jan. 8. Five of the six seniors were able to start, including Nolan, who had been recovering from knee surgery.
“We had a great crowd and a very nice ceremony afterwards to honor these outstanding young ladies. It was nice to recognize the seniors and their families,” Maguire said.
Maguire himself was named a Coach of the Year by the Indiana Basketball Coaches Association in 2018. However, he believes that it is his players’ own work ethic which makes them so successful.
“This senior group has been very dedicated to basketball. They obviously work hard every day in practice, but where they have made the biggest impact on our program is their extra work before and after practice, time spent in the summer, and time spent playing AAU basketball during the spring and summer. They are also excellent students and role models for our younger players,” Maguire said.
