Hanford Girls Work Hard for Section Supremacy

"We just learn the fundamentals of the game and I think that helps when they get into high school," said Parrish. "Because now they know how to dribble and they know how to do a layup and they know how to certain things and we just expand on that."

Eventually Coach Parrish took over the local high school team, and the results have been impressive. Five West Yosemite League titles in five years coaching the Bullpups. Three straight valley titles. A second daughter going to Fresno State in the fall.

"I think we all just work really hard and we all want to play," said Bullpups point guard Madison Parrish. "Like everybody that's here wants to get into the gym and practice. And I think we have more of a drive than everyone else around here."

The work ethic the Bullpups have shown in practice has proven successful come game time. Hanford will go for its sixth straight WYL title this season; a coaching performance Coach Parrish calls his best.

"This is a mixture of seniors, juniors, sophomores and freshmen," Coach Parrish said, "so it's been a little more teaching the little things. The finer points to getting better."

And for the Bullpups, it starts with grueling practices and a willingness to outwork everyone else. Opponents have taken notice.

"They'll just compliment us on how hard we work and stuff," said Bullpups guard Bayli McClard, "and how everybody wants to go hard. It feels really good to know that it gets noticed."

"There's not a lot of programs that you can go as hard as we do it in girls basketball." Coach Parrish said. "We go pretty hard. They're not just here just to win WYL. They want to play college basketball. They want to move on. So that kind of helps the process too."

But before they move on, they have a new challenge to conquer: A fourth straight section title, this time in Division I after winning last year's Division II crown. Just one more challenge for the Bullpups to work past.