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PORTSMOUTH — As Notre Dame enters a tournament run this winter, a titanic — pun intended — career is coming to a close.
CREDIT: Derrick Webb/SOSA
In the past four years, senior Annie Dettwiller has helped her Titans continue to be an elite program.
And through that time, she’s done a little bit of everything. She’s been a role player, she’s been a scorer and she’s been the one who runs the team’s offense.
But no matter what she’s been called upon to do, with a smile on her face and an unmatched love for her teammates, she’s succeeded endlessly.
“Every team has been different and I’ve had a different role on each,” Dettwiller said. “There isn’t much that I haven’t seen. I think gaining that experience competing against great teammates and great opponents has made me the player I am today. My coaches and teammates are truly my family and they help me to rise up to every challenge, every game. Trusting them, trusting myself, and buying into my role this year have been the keys to that consistency.”
Two of those teammates she’s sparred with in the past have been sisters, Claire and Katie. Annie played with Claire in both her freshman and sophomore seasons while she undoubtedly had many matchups with Katie, a 2019 grad, while growing up.
When you throw in former teammates’ names like Ava Hassel, Taylor Schmidt and Isabel Cassidy, among many others, Dettwiller is correct — she’s played with a ton of talent.
But now she’s the one holding the torch once passed to her, getting ready to pass it onto the next Titan great.
“I’m definitely starting to feel it more as the season is winding down,” Dettwiller said. “It’s hard to explain how much of an honor it’s been to be a part of this program these past four years. It’s been such a blessing and it’s something I’m not quite ready to let go of yet. So for now, I’m trying to soak in every single practice, game, and moment in between and not take it for granted.”
With Dettwiller on its roster, Notre Dame has gone 86-11 over the past four seasons including a 55-0 mark in the Southern Ohio Conference — the team has now won 118 consecutive SOC I games.
Annie has been the definition of consistent, averaging 8.7 points, 4.8 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 2.4 steals per night. But in the past two seasons, she’s really taken those numbers to a new level — posting averages of 11.9 points, 5.6 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 3.1 steals.
However, individual numbers and accolades don’t mean anything to Dettwiller. She, along with the rest of her teammates, have one goal in mind.
“Every year, the ultimate goal is to win a state title. But as a team, we know there are so many goals we have to achieve before we can get there,” Dettwiller said. “We try not to talk about it much. Right now, our focus is on getting better every single day in practice and staying focused on each game at a time. We can’t win a state title if we don’t win the ones in between and as a whole, we know there is lots of work to be done and big games to win in order to get there.”
Getting to the state tournament is tough enough. Winning a state championship is even tougher.
But the Titans certainly have the personnel to make a real run at each of those goals.
The team sits at 20-2 overall with the two losses coming by a combined 15 points at the hands of Ashland Blazer (Ky.) and Berne Union, two programs who are a combined 42-6.
Dettwiller leads the group in scoring but has plenty of help in that department with the likes of Gracie Ashley, Ella Kirby, Katie Strickland, Kamryn Bradford and Annabelle Ball, who all average 5.5 points per night or more.
“This team is so well-balanced. Every night, the entire team shows up for each other,” Dettwiller said. “We don’t have to rely on just one or two girls to get the job done. Whoever is on the court can make a huge impact on the game, whether that shows up big on the stat sheet or it’s making the hustle plays that sometimes go unnoticed. It’s so exciting because you never know who is going to have a big night. But we wouldn’t have any success if we didn’t truly enjoy being with each other. These girls are like my sisters and caring about one another, on and off the court, has been key to this team’s success.”
The orchestrator of all those things is head coach JD McKenzie, who’s a legend in his own right.
McKenzie currently has 264 coaching wins under his belt and has led his team to at least 20 wins in eight consecutive seasons.
CREDIT: Cory Hall/SOSA
“Coach McKenzie is one special guy. He’s been such a prominent figure in my life and has loved and supported me these past four years on and off the court,” Dettwiller said. “He’s so much more than a basketball coach. He genuinely loves his players and would do anything for us. Every time we step on that court, we know we’re playing for someone who wants the absolute best for us and will push us to get there. It’s so easy to give everything you have on the court when you know you are playing for a guy like him. I know I, along with my teammates, would run through a wall for him. We know he’d do the same for us.”
Dettwiller and her teammates will begin their postseason run at 7 p.m. on Wednesday in a Division IV sectional final against the winner of Ironton St. Joe and Manchester.
They’ve got a plan in place. But they’re also trying to savor the moment they’ve been given. Dettwiller, as usual, is leading the charge.
“We’re trying to embrace the journey and support each other through it,” Dettwiller said. “Our team focus is on coming in every day in practice to work hard and get better so we’re prepared for the big games ahead. Besides being physically ready, we’re also trying to focus on being mentally ready. We know we have to stay focused on one game at a time.”
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