The girls basketball team is entering their preseason conditioning with hopes for a strong roster after last year’s COVID-affected season ended in a sectional loss.

Tryouts for this year’s season are on Oct 18. 

Kennedy Blakely is a sophomore guard this year and is hopeful to get more girls to try out for the team. 

“If you’re scared don’t be, we don’t bite,” she said. “If you go to tryouts, don’t try to do all these impossible things. Play who you are and to your best ability.”  

 Blakely said her goal this year is to  make it out of sectionals and to lead the  team into a better winning record than last year.

Last year, the team went 15-8 and was ranked 1st in their conference. They lost in the sectional semifinal to Lake Station 66-63. 

This year’s team has a string of returning players, including Blakely and juniors Mariah Robinson and Brianna Gonzalez. rade. Both players gave us their thoughts for who we should keep an eye out for this year’s season.

“You can be keeping an eye out for Icesis Thomas, and Kennedy Blakey has been putting in a lot of work this year,” junior Mariah Robinson said.

Brianna Gonzalez agreed that there is a full roster of talent, saying, “Everyone. Everyone has their own strengths and talents that brings the team together, so I definitely would watch out for the whole team.”

Although the girls still had a strong season last year, they were not left unaffected by COVID. 

“Last year, we weren’t able to have any fans at home games so we had to rely on each other for energy and we all had to push each other,” Gonzalez said. “COVID affected it a lot because we couldn’t play a lot of games and we missed out on a bunch of things that a normal basketball season would have if COVID around.” Blakey mentioned.

After last year’s 3 point loss to the Eagles that would’ve put them in the sectional championship, the team is ready to taste victory. 

“We are very guard heavy and determined to win,” Robinson said.