Ranked first in the state, the girls’ varsity team won their distict opener against Cedar Park Tuesday with a score of 58-54. The next big game is tonight against Rouse.

“We really can’t overlook any [games],” Head coach Pecos McDaniel said. “Since we’re in district. They’re all big.”

The team has been to the regional tournament twice in a row, but they have yet to go all the way to state and are really pushing for State Championship this year.

Head Coach Pecos McDaniel is new to the team, but the girls said he is a great coach. A former AP at Leander High School, McDaniel said he loves the team and has great hopes for it.

“We definitely have a chance to get to state championship,” said McDaniel. “They’ve been to regional finals the past two years and gone 16-1, so we have a good chance.”

McDaniel, sophomore Japreece Dean said, is prepping them for regionals all ready.

“We’re working on defense [in practice],” she said.

The staff is newer, and a lot about the team is changing affecting the girls and their performance.

“We have new staff this year,” McDaniel said. “It’s kind of new, we’re not fully polished. But we’ll get there. It’ll just take some time.”

The team has work to do, yet they have a good advantage. McDaniel said the team is more up-tempo this year, and that could help them go far.

“We’re a lot quicker than other teams,” senior Rachel Purl said.

Since this is her senior year, Purl is hopes to make it to state.

“We’re doing really well. [For the State Championship], we just got to work harder and we can make it,” Purl said.

However, girls’ basketball seems more than just a sports team.

“I started learning life lessons from it,” Purl said. “It’s more than a game.”

Purl has played for the varsity team her entire high school career.

“We’re best friends,” she said. “We encourage each other; we’re like a family.”