No. 5 Lehi girls poised for state title run behind Warren sisters
LEHI, Utah (BVM) – Sean Seastrand took over the Lehi High School girls basketball program in August after 10 years as a boys basketball assistant. He inherited a team that reached the semifinals each of the previous three seasons, but Seastrand said the transition from an assistant to head coach was overwhelming, nonetheless.
Paperwork, buses, staff, schedules and finances were now the first-year head coach’s responsibility.
“I felt like a part-time accountant for a while there making sure the program’s finances were in order,” Seastrand said.
Seastrand said he learned right away that there’s so much more to running a program than basketball, but another transition – from coaching boys to girls – was much easier for the longtime assistant.
There’s more dancing with the girls team, Seastrand said, but the girls are also better listeners. Seastrand’s 7-year-old daughter loves basketball, so the Pioneers’ head coach said he felt an instant connection with his new team in terms of being an advocate for girls athletics.
“These girls are tough; they’re not sensitive,” Seastrand said. “They don’t take things personal; they want to be pushed and challenged. They’re so much tougher and competitive than they’re given credit for.
“In short, they’ve been really fun to coach.”
It’s always fun when you’re winning, and that’s exactly what the Pioneers have done in Seastrand’s first season at the helm.
Lehi is 18-3 and the No. 5-ranked team in Utah due in large part to its senior leadership and experience. The Pioneers start four seniors and one junior, and for a first-year head coach, that on-court maturity is invaluable.
Seastrand said he’s been complimented several times after games for his “in-game adjustments,” when in reality, all it took was a look in the eyes and a reminder that they had to be better at what they do.
“It’s a classic example of the players making the coach look smarter than he is,” Seastrand said. “I didn’t do anything; they are just able to flip a switch when it’s needed. They are just ready to win and they are locked in.
“But the best part is that there is really no panic, ever. If the other team makes a run, they respond. If the game is tight, they are poised. That is just so nice to have as a coach.”
Another nice component to have as a coach is an all-around duo as talented as Maddie and Macie Warren.
Maddie leads the Pioneers in both points (13.2 per game) and steals (2.4 per game) while Macie leads the team in both rebounds (5.7 per game) and assists (3.1 per game). The twin sisters both recorded their 1,000th career point in Thursday’s win over Timpanogos which wrapped up an 11-0 region season.
As great as the Warren sisters’ statistics are, Seastrand knows they don’t tell the full story. Their competitiveness and talent makes them great basketball players, but their humility makes them incredible teammates and leaders.
“You really can’t measure the impact of Macie and Maddie on this team,” Seastrand said. “They’re so competitive that it makes every single drill, even free throws, a battle to win. Yet, at the same time, they’ve got this perfect balance to them of being humble and selfless as teammates. It really makes for a couple of ideal leaders.
“You add on top of that all the individual accolades and the three region championships, and I feel that they’ve truly solidified themselves as the best basketball players to ever come through Lehi. Their legacy on this program will continue through how they’ve built relationships with younger girls that will in turn become great leaders.”
The Warren sisters get much of the shine, and rightfully so, but being one of the best teams in the state has been a complete effort. Junior Jamisyn Heaton averages nearly 10 (9.3) points and 4.6 rebounds per game while Brinly Whiting, Lizzy Rees, Gracie Hinckley and Sesly Fowler are also part of a senior class that “set that bar really high.”
Seastrand says his coaching staff has challenged the team to take things one day at a time, and the Pioneers have done that all the way to accomplishing one season goal: a regional title. The next objective is winning a state championship, and Lehi has as good of a chance as anybody at doing just that.
“You can obviously never guarantee a championship to a group, there’s lots of great teams out there, but I think everyone knows at our best, we’ve got a pretty good shot to win it,” Seastrand said. “It’s just a matter of doing everything in our power to make that happen.”
