What started as an unknown has blossomed into a special season so far for the Taylorsville girls' basketball program.
The Warriors lost their starting point guard, Siu Lo'amanu, to a torn ACL and meniscus suffered in the last soccer game of the year, a blow that could have sunk the Warriors before the year even begun.
Coach Jace Hymas could not have foreseen what transpired next. The Warriors rolled off six straight wins to start the season, including wins over Jordan, Murray, Davis and Woods Cross, before dropping a tough loss to perennial powerhouse Alta before the Christmas break.
"Can't win them all," said a jovial Hymas. "No way do I predict six straight to start the year after losing my floor leader; it's a testament to these girls heart and desire."
Picking up the slack for Siu is her sister Saane Lo'amanu. Saane has started off the year on a roll, scoring over 20 points in four of the seven games played thus far.
For the year Saane is averaging just under 18 points per contest, helped by the strength of her three-point shooting and her ability to break down her opponent on the dribble if they play her too close.
"Oh, man, has Saane stepped her game up," said Hymas, "Her progression from last year to this year has been nothing short of remarkable."
Although Saane averaged 11 points per game last season, even she is quick to admit that this year has been miles ahead of where she was last year.
"I feel like I'm just more of a complete player [this year]. My all-around game has picked up to the point where things feel like they have slowed down for me," said Lo'amanu. "I credit coach Hymas with helping my game grow, and giving me the confidence to just go out there and play my game."
Even though she has started off the season hotter than a summer day in St. George, Saane admits that there is a sense of apathy involved due to her sister Siu's season-ending injury.
Without Siu out there, Saane has had more opportunities to fill up the bucket, a fact not lost on her.
Said Saane, "It breaks my heart to see Siu on the sidelines, especially with the start we have had. I know it can't be easy for her to be sitting out. There's no doubt in my mind we are a better team with her, than without, but her absence has definitely opened up more chances for me to score."
Stepping into the void that Siu left has been sophomore Whitney Mitchell, who has more than held her own so far. The 5-foot-7 Mitchell is averaging 13 points per game and has already made 13 three-point field goals. Mitchell had her best game of the year against Cottonwood, scoring 17 points in the Warriors' 52-38 victory.
Brooke Slade was also instrumental in the Cottonwood win, throwing up a stat line that would make Andrei Kirilenko proud. The 6-foot-3 junior notched eight points, pulled down 10 rebounds, swatted four shots and swiped four steals off the bench for Taylorsville.
"Brooke is our wild card this year," Hymas said. "She is so long, and is a very good athlete, when she plays well, our team plays well. Come region play, we will be counting on some big minutes from her."
Region play is where Taylorsville will need to show up the most. Playing in Region 3 in Class 5A affords the Warriors the unfortunate luxury of facing a murderer's row of opponents headlined by Bingham and Riverton. Throw in a vastly improved Kearns team and a solid West Jordan squad and you can see why coach Hymas is not resting on his laurels.
"This has been a wonderful start, I could not have scripted it better," Hymas said. "But at the same time this could all be for naught if we do not show up in region play."
Taylorsville has already exceeded its preseason expectations. If the Warriors can keep it up, a season that once was thought of a wash could end up be one of the more memorable in recent Warrior history.
