Warlassies ready to set new standard on the court
Youth movement brings wave of talent, depth and cultural shift to Owen basketball program
Fred McCormick
The Valley Echo
November 14, 2026
The experience of losing basketball games is not a new one for the Warlassies, who closed the 2025 campaign with one victory.
“My theory is sometimes you win, and sometimes you learn,” said second-year head coach Ann Marie Hammond, leading the program she once played for. “We did a lot of learning last year. We built character, but more importantly we built confidence.”
Despite a 43-37 loss at home against Patton to open the 2026 season, an influx of young athletic players brings depth and a commitment to shift the culture of Owen basketball.
Hammond’s first season at the helm marked a “rebuilding year” for the program, as she became the seventh head coach since 2017. Her initial goals were simple.
“We’ve had some losing seasons over the last few years, and it takes quite a bit of time to change the culture and build on that,” she said. “Last year was the planting of the seeds. Rome wasn’t built in a day, so we can’t go from winning one game to 25, but you teach competitiveness, grit and mental toughness.”
While key players, including senior team captains Ava Grant and Lucille Conner, juniors Audrey Mercurio and Madalynne Phillips and sophomore Aleah Myers returned this season to continue those efforts, the roster was bolstered by a talented core of new arrivals.
Sophomore Van Dasher, following her transfer to school, joins freshmen Evyn Core, Maeve Sterley, Zoey Stewart, Ava Godfrey and Hannah Evans on the roster, which welcomes faces familiar to the head coach, a cofounder and volunteer for the nonprofit Owen Youth Sports League.
“These are girls I started coaching at the youth level, and that’s what rec and youth sports should be in the Valley: a culture that feeds the high school system,” Hammond said. “They knew me, how I coach and my expectations coming in, so that is helping us mesh as a team.”
The Warlassies established an early lead over Patton in the season opener, falling behind, 16-15, at the half, following a Panthers shot at the buzzer. Owen reclaimed the lead with a 4-point play by Mercurio in the opening minutes of the third quarter, holding a 28-25 advantage heading into the final frame.
The Panthers pulled ahead with a 3-pointer from the corner to open the fourth quarter, before holding off a late Owen surge. The Warlassies were led by 9 points and 7 rebounds from Core, with Mercurio recording 9 points and 4 steals. Sterley scored 8 points while pulling down 9 rebounds, as the point guard, Dasher, added 7 points and 2 assists.
While the outcome was not ideal, according to the coach, the performance demonstrated the versatility and depth that forms a key piece of the team’s identity.
“We’re not the biggest, but the girls who play those positions are tough,” Hammond said. “Evyn Core was banging all game, and I was able to use Maeve Sterley at the 3 and 4 positions, because she has size and skills."
A steady rotation of fresh perimeter players offers an arsenal of scoring options.
“We have shooters, which gives us an inside-outside game that allows us to score,” Hammond said. “Our shots just didn’t fall against Patton, but there were a lot of nerves, so I expect that to improve. We have players who can go to the hole and shoot from the outside, giving us a very balanced attack.”
The complementary leadership styles of Grant and Conner set the tone for the young roster, she added.
“Lucille is my vocal leader. She leads, on and off the floor, runs practice and holds everybody accountable,” the coach said. “Ava is very much a ‘lead by example’ player, who also encourages her teammates. She is one of the most coachable kids I have ever seen in my life, she can jump out of the gym and will give you 110%, no matter what.”
The addition of Dasher allows Myers and Mercurio to develop their skills playing off the ball, according to Hammond.
“Last year we didn’t really have a true point guard, so having Van on the floor takes a lot of that pressure off of them,” she said. “Aleah and Audrey are both very capable on the wing, or as slashers, but that requires an adjustment period because they both played a lot at the point last season. We’re going to see them get better and better, while they also have the ability and experience to take the ball from Van when she needs rest.”
That versatility extends to players like Stewart and Core, who can play key minutes in the small forward position or fill key roles below the basket.
“This team can be as good as they want to be. I am just the facilitator and will be their biggest encourager,” the coach said. “Ultimately, they have to take ownership, but I see great things for these kids. They have grit, work ethic and are building mental toughness. Most importantly, they want it.”
The Warlassies will play their next four games on the road, before returning home at 6 p.m., Friday, Dec. 4, when they host East Henderson.
“I feel like we’re seeing a shift in the culture of this program of this season,” Hammond said. “We want to have a winning season and hopefully make a run in the conference tournament. Over the next couple of years, this group of girls is going to make the Valley very proud.”
Photos of the Warlassies’ 2026 basketball opener can be viewed in the gallery at the top of the page.