Magdalena girls off to strong start for season

Head Coach Sara Sue Olney has been leading this team for five years now, and she started coaching about 10 years before that even. Olney’s years of experience show in the smooth running practices, the performances of the players in the games, and in the team’s record.

The Magdalena girls varsity team is now 11-2 overall for the season, after a 62-32 win at Tularosa on Jan. 3 and a 49-40 win at home over Ramah on Jan. 6.

Their only losses of the season so far came on the road against a Texico team that Magdalena had already beaten this season at home and to a strong Fort Sumner/House team that came into the game on Jan. 1 with a matching 9-1 record.

Olney runs practices with a lot of structure and discipline, but there is also a lot of smiling and laughing. The games are much the same. They have fun and show lots of respect all around while putting in the effort needed for success.

“Working with the kids and seeing them put it all together on the floor.” Olney said of what she enjoys about coaching basketball.

The Magdalena girls have two seniors and five juniors who provide lots of experience and leadership, but they also have depth with solid skill sets in their younger players. All-around, they are sharp shooters, they pass well and have great team chemistry. 

“We work together very well and play for each other.” Olney said.

Olney and her team are aiming high for this season. They hope to carry the momentum of their great start on through district play and beyond.

“Make it to state.” Olney said of the team’s goal for this season.

The main challenge that Olney sees for the team in really competitive games is their height. Without the taller players that some other teams have, they have to work to their strengths of strong fundamentals, teamwork and high basketball IQ. 

Jema Ganadonegro currently leads the team with 17.6 points and 5.8 rebounds per game. Elia Cleveland averages 4.8 assists and 3.6 steals per game; plus she has a 51% field goal shooting accuracy. Winona Apachito gets 1.2 blocks per game. Jewel Mirabal shoots at 69% from the free throw line and Nikole Torres at an impressive 64% for 3-pointers.

See more player stats here: https://www.maxpreps.com/nm/magdalena/magdalena-steers/basketball/girls/stats/

The Magdalena girls were 23-7 overall last season. They came in second for their district at 6-2. They won one state playoff game in March before losing to Quemado.

Roster:

#0 Amberlee Apachito, junior; #1 Brooke Anderson, junior; #2 Jema Ganadonegro, senior,; #3 LaNisha Vicente, junior; #4 Kali Bruton, freshman; #5 Elia Cleveland, senior; #10 Nikole Torres, junior; #11 Kacilyn Bennett, sophomore; #12 Winona Apachito, junior; #14 Falene Montoya, sophomore; #15 Sophia Haggenmiller, freshman; #23 Jewel Mirabal, sophomore.

Assistant Coach Baylie Daniels; Assistant Coach Danny Daniels; Assistant Coach Melique Vinyard; Statistician Jesus Perez.