Mariana Hurtado is an ASU Cronkite School of Journalism student assigned to cover Notre Dame Prep for AZPrep365.com

The Notre Dame Prep Saints girls basketball team said goodbye to their four seniors on the team this season.

The foursome of Ava Pautz, Lexi Good, Anna Brodar, and Kamryn Eskew said their farewells after a quarterfinal loss 57-37 to the Millennium Tigers in the AIA 5A playoffs. 

“I thanked our seniors because they were able to lay the foundation for our future. As we entered the postseason we talked as a team about playing for our seniors and putting it all out there for them,” said coach Patricia Hollerbach.

The team has had a lot of changes with coach Hollerbach being the third coach the team has had in the past four years. With her experience, this is the first time the Saints have made it past the first round of playoffs.

The team had an amazing season with a 16-2 record and a No. 2 ranking in the 5A to end the regular season. The season featured an 11-win streak along the way.

“I am really sad about the season-ending obviously but also really proud of the girls on the team for going further than we have in a long time,” senior Kamryn Eskew commented. 

Eskew is the point-forward player and with 24 games over the course of her senior year, she averaged 29 points per game.

“We have a lot to be happy about and even though it wasn't the result we wanted; we still gave it our all,” said Eskew, on the roster since her sophomore year.

“The program gave me my best friends and I am so happy I got the experience I did playing for this team," she said. "Something I am going to miss most about the team is how close we all are. Just making memories with them is something I'll forever miss. We really are a family and I'm going to miss them so much when I go to college."

Playing college basketball, however, is not in the plans for Eskew.

“I don't really want to pressure of playing a college sport and I love playing basketball but it's just not something I see myself doing any further,” she said.

Pautz is committed to Missouri Southern State University to continue her career in basketball.

“It’s definitely a bittersweet feeling,” Hollerbach said about her seniors leaving. “It’ll be tough to replace them.” 

“My best highlight with our seniors was senior night and seeing them all play together on the floor was amazing. I don’t think those four have ever played on the court at the same time in all their four years, so to see it take place was beautiful and emotional,” coach Hollerbach said. “They all love Drake the rapper - they could all talk about him for days." 

Hollerbach will now start looking for new athletes to join the team for the next few seasons.

“With new Saints coming in, I am looking forward to maintaining the same goals: culture through a team-first mindset."