“We knew we were going to do it,” said Moreno Middle School Lady Trojan Taylor Lawson last week when asked what the teams’ expectations were for the basketball season. ‘It’ turned out to be two undefeated seasons for the eighth-grade Lady Trojans

The MMS eighth-grade Lady Trojan basketball teams accomplished several things this past season. They both won their respective district championships and both went undefeated for the season and won a couple of tournaments along the way.

The B team compiled a 10-0 regular season mark and the perfect 7-0 record in district play. The A squad had a perfect 16-0 season record and also went through district at 7-0.

It is not often that any one team can go undefeated through a season. But, the Moreno ladies did it twice in the same season.

The A team overcame its biggest obstacle early in the season by defeating the only squad that beat them last year, the Gregory-Portland Lady Cats. The first win over the Lady Cats this year was a 12-point triumph in an early season tournament confrontation. The Beeville girls followed that up with an eight-point win in their first district tilt with the G-P girls. The final game with G-P was all Beeville as the Lady Trojans ran away from the Lady Cats for a 51-15 lopsided victory.

The B team had a scare or two, but all the girls felt their 24-23 win over Flour Bluff was definitely the toughest game of the year.

That game was almost over and tied at 23-23. A foul was called on Flour Bluff as time expired and Krystall Cuellar went to the free throw line with a chance to win the game with no time left on the clock. She calmly netted the shot and the Beeville girls captured the exciting one-point win.

Both squads exhibited the best of teamwork and determination all season long.

“We’ve played together in every sport since we were five or six years old,” said A team player Randi Maupin.

“The teamwork just comes naturally.”

“They had high expectations and were very focused,” said Moreno coach Nidia Barrera.

“The girls are very coachable and really listen well,” Barrera continued.

“They are unselfish on the court and work really well together,” said B team coach Sonia Cano.

“They set their goals early in the season and worked hard to accomplish those goals.”

The girls hope to continue playing all the sports available next year and the years to come in high school. Their hope is to bring a few more district titles to the JHS Lady Trojans in the future.