LHS ladies off to good start under new leader

By Kyle Mooty

LPR Editor

Being the head coach of a program was thick in Mark Rague‘s blood, and being an assistant just didn’t cut it at this point in his life after he had tasted it in different states over the years.

After returning to Texas and being an assistant at Leander, Rague discovered that Lockhart had an opening. He pounced on it.

Now at the helm of the Lockhart Lady Lions’ basketball program, Rague sees LHS needs stability to compete in its tough District 25, as he is the third leader of the program in the last four seasons.

“I prefer being a head coach because you can directly impact everything going on in a program.” Rague said. “I wanted to be more directly responsible for everything.”

Originally from Iowa and a graduate of the University of Northern Iowa, Rague had been a head coach in the girls’ basketball-rich state. However, after moving to Austin in 1997, he found the weather was much more pleasing here during basketball season.

Currently residing in Jonestown, he was willing to make the lengthy daily trek to Lockhart to start at his post.

Sophomore Peyton Johnson, and junior Lizzie Staton started last season, while junior Marissa Sosa, senior McKenzie Hess, and Guzman saw playing time, some on the junior varsity.  Alvarado skipped her junior season but is back on the team this year.

The status of senior standout Rakaia Walker is still uncertain.

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Lockhart has played three games and are 2-1 overall, having lost its season opener to Rudder in College Station without its full roster available. They then beat Valor South Austin, 50-26, and Lampases, 51-47.

One team canceled on Lockhart 10 minutes before the players loaded the bus to travel. And just recently, Rague had to cancel again because he could not find game officials. 

Against Lampases, Johnson poured in 20 of her 22 points in the second half, while Rakaia Walker had 16, all coming in the final here quarters. Zoe Goerlitz finished with 7 for the Lady Lions.

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LHS remaining schedule

November

22 –vs. TBA

23 – vs. TBA

25 – at Bastrop, 11:30 a.m.

December

3 – HOME vs. Crockett, 7 p.m.

5 – vs. TBA

6 – HOME vs. Jourdanton, 1:30 p.m.

7 – vs. TBA

10 – *at Lehman, 7 p.m.

13 – *HOME vs. Glenn, 7 p.m.

17 – *at Liberty Hill

20 — *HOME vs. Hays, 6:30 p.m.

27 – vs. TBA

28 – vs. TBA

30 – at Navarro

January

3 – *at Cedar Park, 1:30 p.m.

7 – *HOME vs. Leander, 7 p.m.

10 — *at Rouse, 7 p.m.

14 — *HOME vs. Lehman, 7 p.m.

17 — *at Glenn, 7 p.m.

21 — *HOME vs. Liberty Hill, 7 p.m.

24 — *at Hays, 7 p.m.

28 — *HOME vs. Cedar Park, 7 p.m.

31 — *at Leander, 7 p.m.

February

4 — *at Rouse, 7 p.m.

* — District 25 games

LHS Roster

1 –  Beah St. Leger (soph)

2 — Delilah Perez (soph)

5 – Kayla Portillo (soph)

10 – Lizzie Station (junior)

11 – Natalia Hinojosa (junior)

12 – Peyton Johnson (soph)

14 – Zoe Goerlitz (junior)

15 – Marissa Sosa (junior)

21 – McKenzie Hess (senior)

22 – Madison Knoblauch (junior)

25 – Elli Greenwood (soph)

42 – Rakaia Walker (senior)