Between the lines
by JASON GORDON
When I learned Monday that Hays girls head basketball coach Donny McDonald had decided to hang it up after 35 years in the business, my brain started flooding with memories.
Some of my fondest recollections as a sports writer have been covering Lady Rebel basketball games through the years.
When I was asked a couple of seasons ago to add an entry into a book to celebrate McDonald’s 600th career coaching victory, one moment among many stood out.
It was Hays’ first year in Class 5A, playing with the big dogs, and the Lady Rebels somehow managed to advance to the regional finals in the spring of 2001.
That’s when “The Miracle at the Convocation Center” on the University of Texas-San Antonio campus took place.
The Lady Rebels were going up against three-time defending Class 5A Region IV champion Corpus Christi-Carroll and its all-state phenom and Texas A&M-signee Sabrina Mitchell.
By all accounts, Hays had little to no chance to win and advance to the state tournament.
Something incredible happened that Saturday afternoon besides the fact Hays and Carroll delayed a trip I had planned to take to the beach in Galveston by more than three hours.
They kept playing, and playing, and playing.
In all, three overtimes were needed to decide the outcome.
With Carroll trying to milk the clock for a final shot in a tie game in the third overtime, Lady Rebel point guard Lauren Guerrero stole the ball and dribbled the length of the court for a layup.
When Jennifer Capps blocked Mitchell’s potential game-winning three-point shot seconds later, Hays earned a trip to the state tournament.
There were many other memories I could have chosen.
Eight years later in 2009, Hays faced its arch-rival, the Del Valle Lady Cardinals, who the Lady Rebs battled many years for district titles.
This time, however, another trip to state was on the line in the Class 4A Region III finals.
Despite being down nine points in the first half, Hays battled back thanks to three Shelby Calabrese 3-pointers to trim the gap to one point at halftime.
Del Valle forged ahead in the second half, but Hays battled back, and Calabrese found a wide-open Ashley Rankine with a pass for a layup that gave the Lady Rebs the lead with under 10 seconds to play. When EJ Joyner stole the ball moments later, Hays had earned another trip to state under McDonald.
“I’ll always remember 2001 and 2009,” McDonald said. “All of my teams have meant a lot to me, but those were special groups.”
And who could ever forget Hays’ All-State guard Lindie Kimbro scoring 42 points and grabbing 22 rebounds to almost single-handedly beat Lake Travis in the 2007 playoffs?
“I’ll never forget the night Lindie had 42,” McDonald said. “That was an amazing night for an amazing player.”
I’ll always remember how McDonald could always crack you up no matter what the situation.
I’ll remember the priceless quotes he gave me for the newspaper after games, and the even funnier ones I couldn’t print.
I’ll remember Coach McDonald always thinking his team was the underdog before a game when almost all of the time they weren’t.
I’ll remember him telling all of his players to wish me a happy birthday after I followed the Lady Rebels three hours into East Texas darkness to see Hays win what would turn out to be the final victory of McDonald’s career during the playoffs this season against Beaumont Central in Waller.
I’ll always remember the quote underneath every one of the emails he sent, “Wrong is wrong even if everyone is doing it; right is right even if no one is doing it.”
Coach Mac will definitely be missed for more than the 399 wins he amassed over a 16-year career at Hays and the 668 overall victories he had in his coaching career.
“He was just so fun to be around,” Guerrero said. “I have so many incredible memories of going to tournaments, and all the fun we used to have no matter where the team went. It wasn’t always about wins and losses with Coach Mac. We were truly like a family.”
Lindie Kimbro said McDonald’s impact won’t soon be forgotten.
“Coach Mac is ending his career with hundreds of wins, yet the vast number of young people’s lives he influenced is what he will be remembered for,” Kimbro said. “His passion for the game and his unwavering commitment to his faith are what I admire most about him. I feel very fortunate to have played for not only an incredible coach but an incredible man. I love coach Mac.”
