King, Dollar earn Athletes of the Week

Christmas Day has come and gone and New Year’s Day is fast approaching on the horizon. The year 2023 is coming to an end, but things move forward for high school sports teams.

While teams at the county’s schools took time off from competition to enjoy their time with family and friends, there are still athletes that deserve recognition for their play before the break and throughout the season.

Basketball is in full swing at all levels and last week, a couple of Newcastle players stood out for their performances. Mattie Dollar, of the Ladycats, and Isaac King, of the Bobcats, shined for their teams, despite each one coming away with different results.

The Newcastle girls earned a 44-31 win over the Graford Lady Rabbits while the boys took a hard-fought loss against the visiting Rabbits. But Dollar and King made big plays throughout the games and earned their selections as The Graham Leader’s Athletes of the Week.

Mattie Dollar, shooting guard, Ladycats basketball

Dollar simply knows how to score. Whether it be a deep ball from 3-point range or a drive to the hoop, she can get her team points. And that’s exactly what she’s done all season.

In the game against Graford, the Ladycats came out of the gate a tad slow which led to a close game after the first quarter. But it was Dollar who kicked things into gear and led the team the rest of the game to the win.

She was the team’s leading point-scorer in the match-up with 29 of her team’s 44 points. While a lot of her success came on the offensive side of the ball, it started with her defense.

Near the end of the first quarter, Dollar recorded three steals in a row and took them all the length of the court for layups to boost her team. She finished the game with eight steals overall, most of which led to points for either her teammates or herself.

As a junior and upperclassmen, Dollar often takes charge when her team needs her. She’s grown in confidence every season she’s played and continues to improve.

Now, she’s at the head of a highly successful Ladycats team.

“Mattie is a great leader for this team; she is like a general on the floor,” head coach Ryan Dollar said. “She has been in my system for many years and knows the expectations, offenses and defenses. Mattie is like having a coach on the floor, which is truly beneficial to us.”

Isaac King, point guard, Bobcats basketball

King is a senior who stands out no matter what field of play he’s on. He was one of the top players on the football field this fall and is now making himself known on the basketball hardwood.

King is one of three seniors on the Bobcats’ roster, along with Ty Strawbridge and Jaren Beaver. On a team full of youth, King often gets looked at for leadership, in good times and bad.

During the team’s game against Graford, King led the charge for the Bobcats with his offensive abilities. The visiting Rabbits were ranked No. 1 in the state in Class 1A so Newcastle was in for a challenge.

While the home team couldn’t come up with the win, King made his presence known by dropping 29 points, a team-high and over half the points his team scored in the game.

He scored from inside and out as he knocked down five 3-pointers in the game while also getting to the rim and finishing at the basket. The Rabbits played a tough defense but King was able to figure them out and still get his shots off.

It’s been a bit of a difficult season for Newcastle so far, but King has maintained a positive attitude and regularly competes night in and night out, no matter the opponent.

He’ll continue to be relied upon throughout the remainder of his final season and he should continue to make a difference every game.