Less than 24 hours from tipoff against Buford, a perennial powerhouse and No. 3 ranked team in Class AAAAAA, the LCHS girls basketball team was without a coach.
Just over three hours before the game was set to start and after some indecision from the school’s administration on who to give head coach duties for the week, that lot finally fell on assistant coach KatyBeth Rentz, who had just two games under her belt as an assistant coach heading into the week after joining the Indians over the offseason.
Nearly 48 hours exactly after former head coach David Dowse’s surprise resignation, which was later reversed (see story). Rentz earned her first ever win as a head coach, when her team battled to a 19-point win over St. Pius X, who was previously ranked No. 6 in Class AAAAA.
And around 10 minutes after that first win, Rentz emerged from the locker room saturated after being doused with water from all angles by her players, in celebratory fashion.
After the whirlwind of a week was finally over, Rentz said she was relieved for her team to get the win.
“It feels pretty indescribable,” she said of her first win as a head coach. “First and foremost I am so happy for those girls because I think a win right before this break is what they needed….I just wanted this win for them so bad because I knew it’s just something that we all needed as a team and so they got it done and I’m proud of how they responded to everything that they’re going through right now.”
While never expecting to make her head coaching debut so soon or as a mid-season surprise, Rentz never doubted that she was made for this moment.
“I fully believe that God puts people in situations for a reason and I know that God knew that I would be put in this situation long before I did and I think there’s little things that prepared me as much as possible,” the coach said following her first game on Monday, a 56-39 loss to Buford. “I don’t think anybody prepares for something like this. I wouldn’t say I was 100 percent prepared, but I did try and give my very best for the girls in the situation that we’re in.”
When it came to leading the team to the win on Tuesday, she said it was a team effort, noting her supporting cast of coaches which included members of the boys basketball coaching staff joining her on the bench.
“It was a good feeling considering the circumstances, but at the end of the day, it may say that I got the win, but I don’t see it that way because Coach [Michael] Parker, Coach Megan [Crane], Coach [Zach] Pulley, Coach [Steve] Horton, Mr. [Billy] Kirk, all of our assistant coaches and the girls are what brought that win together, definitely not just me and it never will be. It’s definitely because of the girls and all the summer stuff that we’ve done, all the 5 a.m. workouts, it’s just a culmination of all that coming together. It’s all of us working together and coming together in the situation that we’re in and I’m proud of that.”
The coach also was quick to credit her mentor Dowse for helping her be as ready as possible for the moment.
“Coach Dowse is an incredible coach and has a knowledge of the game better than anybody I know and even in our short time together that I got to work with him, I’m thankful for that,” she said. “I wish him the best in whatever he does, but I’m just so thankful for him taking a chance on me as an assistant and just pouring into me day in and day out to help me eventually become a head coach.”
Leading the way on the court for the Indians in the win was Lexi Pierce, who had 18 of Lumpkin’s 63 points en route to the 63-44 victory. Pierce, who hit four threes in the game was one of four Indian starters to score in double digits, as Averie Jones, Mary Mullinax and Kate Jackson scored 17, 16 and 12 points respectively.
Pierce said the tough week brought the team closer and added extra meaning to getting the win.
“It means a lot,” she said. “We came together as a team and teamwork is what got us here. I’m thankful for my team in these hard times and I’m glad that we can do this together.”
Pierce said the team was also excited to celebrate Rentz in the moment, leading to the celebration that left her soaked.
“That’s so exciting for her and we’re so excited for her as well,” she said. “We’re thankful for her and she’s also helped us get through this hard time that we’re going through. She’s just a great coach.”
Rentz applauded her players for the resilience shown throughout the week, to stay mentally sharp despite the uncertainty surrounding the program.
“They are resilient and have pretty strong heads on their shoulders,” she said. “They’re mentally tough and that state championship goal is still in mind. Nothing is going to stop us from that, because we started the season with that mindset and we’re not going to stray from that.”
