Valley Vista girls basketball coach Rachel Matakas said God guided her through the fall and basketball season, after she was diagnosed with thyroid cancer Aug. 26, 2021, and had a massive heart attack Aug. 30.
She had four stents put in and recovered, but required a second heart surgery around Thanksgiving after passing out several times.
While she was away, assistant coaches Brooklyn Hinkens, Derek Johnson and Zon Thompson and players kept the program humming. When Matakas returned to start the new calendar year, Valley Vista was already on its way to its fifth state title in the past six seasons.
