LONDON — “The hurt may still be fresh from the loss, but the joy I have felt with this year’s team, trumps every other feeling.”
Those words above from North Laurel coach Eddie Mahan best summed up the 2022-23 campaign of the Lady Jaguars that saw them reach the top of the 13th Region mountain for the second time in four years while making the girls’ basketball program’s second trip to the Elite Eight.
North Laurel has accomplished many things dating back to the 2017-18 season, compiling a 13th Region-best 164-38 record while winning 42 consecutive 49th District contest, and six straight 49th District titles.
“I have coached at multiple levels from college all the way down to travel ball for 24 years now, and this team has for sure notched a special place in my heart,” Mahan said. “Going into this season, I knew we were talented enough to make a deep postseason run, but I knew that talent alone rarely wins when it counts. As the preseason, started though you could hear the players start talking about the season, and it was often with a selfless and sacrificing motive to it.
“You kept hearing the juniors and sophomores talking about playing for their senior ‘Emily Sizemore’, and how they didn’t want to let her down this season,” he added. “It was then that I thought this team might actually have what it takes to win. It’s not meant to be an insult but in today’s sports, we have made it so much about the individual that most players are not learning many of the biggest lessons team sports are supposed to teach. This team understood that and it is what made this team so special.
“The core players love North Laurel, they love their teammates and they were willing to sacrifice for both,” Mahan continued. “We still had our ups and downs, but at no time did selfishness ever boil into the core. The hardest part of them coming together and becoming such a good team is it made us feel we could beat anyone, so when you finally did lose, even in the Elite Eight, it felt like such a heartbreak.”
Mahan also credits dedication from his players as one of the main reasons North Laurel has been successful for so long.
“Our program has had a lot of success over the last seven to eight years,” he said. “I think most people know that year in and year out we are going to be fighting at the top of the region, but for us the real success comes from making the state tournament and looking to make a run once we get there. It takes a tremendous amount of dedication from our players to sustain that amount of success, but I think all of my players would say the feeling we experienced this week makes it all worth it.”
Losing the program’s career leader in points, assists, and rebounds, senior Emily Sizemore, leaves a gaping whole for next season.
“Emily Sizemore will never be replaced,” Mahan said. “A player that has 186 wins in her varsity career, all-time leading scorer, all-time leading rebounder and leader in assists, don’t come through your program often.
“However, it’s not her talent that will be the hardest thing to replace,” he added. “We have multiple talented players that are coming up behind her, but will they have her leadership and dedication will be the true test. She has never missed or been late for a practice. She shows up to work hard every day with a servant leadership that inspires.”
One big plus for next season is the sudden emergence of sophomore Brooke Nichelson, who turned heads this past week at the Sweet 16 along with being named to the all-tournament team.
But that’s not all, Mahan returns a solid nucleus of talent for next season.
“I had to laugh when my phone blew up at the state tournament about how talented Brooke Nichelson is,” Mahan said. “I knew she had a chance to be one the best in the state back when she was in sixth grade. She was limited last year with an injury that kept her out much of the season.
“This year though, you could see her maturing each and every week,” he added. “If she will take the lessons of how to approach the game from the senior she just played with, then she will be dominate over the next two seasons. Her athleticism is unmatched in our area and as the skill and leadership improves, I think we will all see her become one of the most unique players to come through our region.
“Personnel wise, I know we have the talent to continue to be very good,” Mahan continued. “We are only losing one player and have some great young kids coming up. We have the athleticism in the post play, and depth to be successful with a core of upperclassmen players like Brooke Nichelson, Chloe McKnight, Bella Sizemore, Gracie McKnight, and Jaylen Black. We also have some of the best young talent coming up like Mariella Claybrook, 6’0” wing but it will not be the amount of talent we have next year that will make or break us. It will be the amount of leadership we have that will determine the amount of success we will have.”
As for next season, Mahan said, “each season is different and each team will develop its own personality.”
“Until we see what our team product looks like next year, I don’t want to say what our chances are,” he said. “I will say we have the talent and my favorite part of coaching is seeing how the pieces come together.”
