Mark Smith and his Burlington Central girls basketball players had something in common at the start of the season – no clue how the big picture of the Rockets’ season would shape up.

The underclassmen-loaded Rockets roster had little idea what it might take to win a conference title, let alone a regional or sectional.

And Smith, despite an extensive coaching background that included a stint as St. Charles North’s boys coach, was new to the Central girls program, along with the 3A competition in the Rockets’ regional and sectional.