A shot at the Division IV state championship Friday, Feb. 26, created excitement around the Sedona Red Rock High School girls basketball program.

Next year, head coach Dave Moncibaez intends to build on that feeling with even more talent.

“It’s the deepest they’ve ever gone and the best record they’ve ever had,” said Moncibaez, whose team, in his first year, finished 27-7 after a 68-56 loss to ultimate Division IV champ Thatcher High School in the state semifinals.

“The good news is, the first year’s done. Now we get the wrinkles ironed out and get on the same page so we can get to our ultimate goal, which is a state championship,” Moncibaez said.

Sophomore guard Liza Westervelt led all scorers with 16 points Saturday, Feb. 27. Senior point guard Annie Parrella, in the final game of her Scorpions career, added eight points, while juniors Xan Hawes and Hannah Ringel each scored six in the state semifinal.

But that wasn’t enough to overcome a 14-point halftime deficit, as Westervelt would foul out early in the fourth quarter at the Prescott Valley Events Center.

“The first half of the game was a little bit rough,” Moncibaez said after a 23-11 second-quarter sank the Scorpions’ hopes. “With foul trouble, we couldn’t match up with the size underneath.

“We came out in the second half and we had them on their heels for a bit but Thatcher moved the ball well. We like to stay in full-court pressure, then fall back in a half-court zone. But Thatcher sucked us out, so we had to just hustle in a man-to-man the second half, which we rarely do this year.”

The loss was disappointing to Moncibaez after his half-court defense was able to extend out and smother No. 3 seed Gilbert Christian at Yavapai College, 42-22, in their Friday, Feb. 26, quarterfinal.

“The Arizona Republic had Gilbert Christian beating us by eight,” Moncibaez said. “After Gilbert, we said, ‘Let’s keep the ball rolling.’

“I think they felt like they missed a shot. I think the girls really believed that they could’ve been playing for the championship.”

Sophia Perry led the team with 11 points, while Ringel had 10 as SRRHS expanded a 25-15 halftime lead into a 13-point lead in the third quarter over the Knights.

“We held their main shooter to five,” Moncibaez said. “We got underneath, got the calls and got to the line a lot more. Sometimes, that’s just the way it goes.”

But the Scorpions, who lose only Parrella, are poised to be a regular contender for the Division IV Final Four beginning next season.

“I feel bad for Annie,” Moncibaez said. “It’s hard losing her, or even replacing her. At the same time, we’ve got a good core of good scorers coming back.”

Incoming freshman Mary Claire Westervelt, the leading scorer for undefeated Big Park Community School, is projected to join her sister Liza at guard.

Starting forwards Xan Hawes, Perry and Ringel will all be seniors.

Add the other pieces of 24-0 Big Park Community School, last month’s State Small Schools Champion, and the future of the Scorpions girls basketball program looks brighter than ever.

“I hate to say next year so soon, but I think the girls are confident,” Moncibaez said. “We want to have teams look at us and say, ‘We need to get through Sedona to get to that next level.’

“I told the girls, ‘Sometimes, they don’t believe in us. They look at us walking in the gym, or photos online, they don’t see it. But when we start playing in the gym, our hustle and will to win shows them.’”

Incoming freshman forwards Morgan Fritz, Grace Hafner and Jacki King will certainly bolster the SRRHS bench — which was virtually nonexistent during the Scorpions’ seven losses this season.

“Considering we had eight girls – I think we had to recruit three to come out — I’m proud of them,” Moncibaez said. “I didn’t know what to expect, but we worked through and overcame some obstacles. After December, the girls felt they belonged at the top point in state.”