The Lady Bison beat Mogadore 53 – 48 last night, advancing to the regional finals against Orrville this Saturday.

The girls have set the record as the best team in BHS basketball history with the most wins in a regular season, and advancing farthest in the playoffs. The Lady Bison finished the regular season with a record of 20 – 2, ranking 10th in the state, and winning district championships for the first time in the team’s history. This is the first time the team has gone to regionals.

In addition, head coach Mike Coreno was awarded Division III Coach of the Year by the Northeast Lake District. Junior Mikah Aldridge was awarded first team player, junior Aneisha Hardin got second team honors and senior Terrina Robinson was a special mention. Aldridge was also a runner-up for the Cuyahoga Valley Conference’s Metro Division MVP award.

While the team has had four different coaches in the past four years, and have consistently been a small team, the Lady Bison have overcome these challenges.

This year’s new coaches are Head Coach Mike Coreno and Asst. Coaches Candace Frost and Craig Alexander. The team has 11 players, four of whom are freshmen.

“This team has really worked on focusing, working together instead of being a team of individuals, and strengthening defense,” said Alexander. “I think [the player’s] dedication and hard work is starting to pay off. Going through essentially three coaches in three years has been really hard for the upperclassmen to get used to a coach’s style, [but] they’ve bonded really well with Coach Coreno and the coaching staff, and that has led to good things.  [The girls] are comfortable and happy and they’re playing harder.”

Coreno said the team’s success is due to the senior leadership. “Terrina Robinson is a great senior and she leads by example because she’s always in the gym, always working hard, and the kids in the junior class have picked up on the senior leadership. There’s no dividing line [between grades]. They all get along pretty well.”

Despite the history of one-year coaches, both Coreno and Frost said they enjoy coaching in Beachwood, and plan on staying.

“It was the best decision I ever made, coming to this school,” said Frost, who previously coached at Brush. “It’s a different type of work ethic here. They work harder and they seem to be more focused and they have support from the family.”

“I’d like to stay [in Beachwood]. I like it here. I like the kids, I like the community. I like the support we’re getting from the school, so [it’s my plan] to stay right now,” said Coreno, who coached last year at Shaker Heights.

As the girls get ready to play Orrville, the team must continue to stay focused.

“It takes a lot of practice and we have to stay really humble and stay together as a team,” said senior captain Terrina Robinson.

But regardless of whether or not the Lady Bison advance to States, the girls agreed they have learned a life lesson.

“When we work together, we can accomplish a lot,” said freshman Maurina Nunn.