Regional Finalists (2011 & 2012)
The 2011 and 2012 West Mesquite girls' basketball teams created a culture. Helmed by new head coach Darrin Samuels, the two teams put together a combined 49-15 record and achieved success the district hadn’t seen in two decades. The 2010-11 season saw the Wranglers take first in district and advance further than any of their predecessors. They took the state by surprise as they knocked number one ranked Frisco Wakeland out of the playoffs, becoming Regional Finalists for the first time in the school’s history. Finishing the season with a top 10 state ranking, the Wranglers opened the 2011-12 year as preseason number one. Eventual NCAA Tournament player Claudia Price led the way for the Wranglers, and the team strung together a win streak of 15 games, beating the likes of Highland Park and Lancaster along the way. The team made the regional tournament for the second year in a row, losing a close game to Rockwall in the final. The tenacity and winning mindset of the 2011 and 2012 WMHS girls' teams showcased what the athletic program in Mesquite ISD could accomplish.
