Your future, our focus
Postseason honors poured in for two Northwest College women’s basketball team members, with Darla Hernandez being named to the Region IX North All-Region first team and All-Defensive team while Roxanne Rogers was named to the Region IX North All-Region first team.
This is the second year in a row that Hernandez, a sophomore from Worland, was named to the first team. She said this year meant more after she was recognized on the All-Defensive team.
“I got first team All-Region last year, but to get defensive felt good too because I was getting recognized on both ends just not on offense,” Hernandez said. “Coach [Lauren Davis] always told us defense wins games, your offense will come but if you don’t show up defensively then it’s tough to win games.”
Hernandez led the Trappers in scoring for the second year in a row, upping her scoring from 12.2 to 16.2 points per game.
She upped her rebounding total from 6.4 to 7.5 per game, while also increasing her assists, steals and blocks from a year ago.
Over the two years Hernandez spent at Northwest, she said that on and off the court Davis helped her grow as a player and as a person.
“She has transformed me into a way more confident person and player. She believed in me when I probably didn’t believe in myself,” Hernandez said.
The second Trapper honored on the first team was Rogers, a freshman from Pinedale. Rogers was the second leading scorer on the team at 13.6 points per game in her first year at Northwest.
Rogers said that transitioning from 3A Wyoming competition to junior college competition was a huge leap, learning how to play at a high level while dedicating herself to basketball in a completely new environment.
“It was a huge slap in the face,” Rogers said. “It was a blast and a lot of hard work but it was definitely a big change from high school basketball. A lot more discipline, a lot more time, a heavy schedule and learning to live by yourself on top of that is a lot.”
She said that Davis was available to help her transition to this level, helping her learn to enjoy the process as the year went along — gaining confidence in the process.
“Coming in everybody is kind of nervous,” Rogers said. “Throughout the year putting so much time in it helped my confidence … By the end of the year I feel like a completely different player.”
Hernandez and Rogers competed against each other as 3A West foes in high school, but grew closer this year — both said that made these honors more special for the pair as the only two Wyoming players on the Northwest roster.
“That was super special,” Rogers said. “Darla is definitely one of my best friends here and the fact that we both got that award made it even better.”
Both players know that the the Trappers’ success this year was a team effort, and even though they were the only two honored this year, they couldn’t have done it without their teammates.
“We have a lot of talent on our team, and even though our teammates didn’t get the recognition we have to give credit to the rest of the team as well,” Hernandez said.
Rogers said she hopes to get in the gym and continue to work heading into next year for Northwest while Hernandez is searching for a new home at a four year college moving forward after her eligibility has finished with the Trappers.