Seniors Dawson Driggs and Maddie Morgan prepare to embark on one final season

As guards Dawson Driggs and Maddie Morgan stepped off the court at North Idaho College this past March, the 2018-19 basketball season didn’t have a closing scene that most Sandpoint girls basketball supporters were familiar with.

It wasn’t supposed to end with a loss to Moscow in the loser-out game: The season was supposed to end with more shots of Driggs slashing to the basket, more corner threes from Maddie Morgan and more moments for the juniors to shine on the state tournament stage. But the pressure of not only getting to state, but also of trying filling the shoes of a massive senior class from the year before weighed on both of the juniors, who were expected to be leaders on a much younger, less-experienced roster. Even though last season took a toll on team morale, both Driggs and Morgan have vowed to turn over a new leaf during the offseason and into the 2019-20 season.

“Last year we had this toxic environment,” Maddie Morgan said. “We had this pressure after losing so many seniors. I think there was a lot of stress last year on how our season was going to go, and I think we were all super nervous. But this year, since we had such a crappy record we know we can only go up from there.”

If the Bulldogs are going to improve on last season’s 5-15 record, then they’ll almost certainly be led by the senior sharpshooter (Morgan) and combo guard (Driggs). The duo was responsible for 20 of the team’s 26 double-digit scoring performances last season; Morgan scored in double-figures in 13 times, while Driggs accomplished this feat in seven of her 15 games.

That last figure is worth noting: Despite missing the first five games of the season with an arm injury, Driggs’ return not only brought life to the Bulldogs, who were adrift without a consistent point guard, but also gave them another weapon on offense. In her shortened season, Driggs averaged 10.5 points per game, including a career-high 19 against Lewiston on Jan. 21. This season, Driggs hopes she’ll suit up more than 15 times by working out more in the offseason to improve her durability as a player. But that has come with its own set of challenges.

“I’ve been trying to work out more but I also hurt my ankle right after basketball season ended and I tore two ligaments,” Driggs said. “This year, I’ll focus on not playing scared or not being afraid to get on the floor. It’s just scary because every time I go down on my ankle, that could tweak it or mess it up.”

Injuries aren’t the only mental obstacles the duo has had to overcome. Morgan has worked through more internal challenges of her own; instead of dwelling on missed shots or blown opportunities, the senior has learned to shake off the mistakes as she has matured as a player.

“Comparing myself from freshman year to now, I used to get so nervous, tense up and play bad,” Morgan said. “Now it’s having a short-term memory. If I airball the basketball or have a turnover or something, then I just forget about it and try to make a good play after that. I’ve grown a lot from earlier to now.”

Unsurprisingly, both have started the college recruiting process. Morgan, who has wanted to play college basketball since eighth grade, plays on a club team, which gains her some exposure. On top of that, has reached out to several schools in Oregon, including Division III Williamette University, plus the United States Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colorado. The latter has taken interest in Morgan over the past couple of years: She played at the Air Force’s team camp earlier this month on top of the team’s stint at the University of Montana camp.

“I’ve been using the Montana camp and summer league to get ready for these [club] tournaments,” Morgan said. “I need to play well or else, you know, coaches won’t want you. It’s pretty intense.

Driggs’ family has reached out to a filmmaker to make an “inspirational video” with highlights, full games and everything in between to try to gain interest from college coaches. Given that they’re from a smaller school in a smaller state, both of them have similar tasks: Be persistent in reaching out to other coaches, then getting the job done on the court.

“I feel like we’re going to make the most out of it,” Driggs said. “Last season just felt like an off season — we weren’t really bonding together. But this year, since it’s our last year, we have to make it count, play hard, bond and be there for each other.”

In the interim, Driggs will be working out on her own while Morgan takes on a new sport: cross-country. Morgan cited Matt and Angie Brass — both of whom know Morgan from being on Sandpoint Track and Field’s coaching staff — plus the endurance aspect that will help her on the basketball court.

Yet in spite of senior year’s hectic nature, both Morgan and Driggs want to enjoy the moment.

“It’s definitely going to be a little weird because every bus ride to Timberlake — that’s going to be our last bus ride there — or we’ll have our last Battle for the Paddle,” Morgan said. “So I think we’re definitely going to make the most of it because it goes by so fast.”