Inside the Huddle: Hoops! Can the women do it again?
Last year was a good year for women’s basketball.
Can they do it again?
Women’s high school basketball appears to be alive and well in Davidson County. Non-conference games began recently, so the coaches and teams have had time to assess their readiness for the season. In recent interviews, several area coaches expressed their expectations for conference contests. The outlook? Here’s what they had to say.
Lynne (Sissy) Rausch, Oak Grove {Contributed Photo)
Lynne (Sissy) Rausch, coach at Oak Grove High School, is optimistic about their season. As for her team, she said, “We are expecting a great season. We did lose four seniors, but we have lots of experienced players who are filling those voids.” The sentiment she expressed is valid. The Grizzlies have compiled a five and one non-conference record so far.
The team appears to be talent laden. Junior Trista Charles, who has offers from NC A&T and Anderson universities, is a quick guard/post combo. She is the returning MPC Player of the Year. She is tall enough to play in the post but still a great ball handler who can shoot the three. Senior Avery Ray has three years of varsity experience and is a two-time all-conference player. She gives the Grizzlies consistent presence in the paint. As well, freshman Victoria Lockamy is a quick point guard with great vision.
Corey Cooper, West Davidson {Contributed Photo}
When Coach Corey Cooper, of West Davidson High, was asked about his upcoming season, he shared, “We are looking to be competitive in our conference. We have four juniors, two sophomores and five freshmen. So, we are young, but two of the juniors have two years of varsity experience.”
Standouts for the team include junior Wyatt Cooper, who is a three-year varsity starter and the team's leading scorer. Junior Zoey Taylor is a mainstay in the post and leads the team in blocks and rebounds. Additionally, she is a scoring threat. Junior point guard Ella Barbee is in her second year in that role. She is a good distributor of the basketball as well as a scoring threat
Cooper offered, “Our freshman class is strong and as they get more comfortable on the varsity stage, I expect bigger and better things from them. We should be competitive in most of our games this year with chances to win many of them. It will come down to execution at the end and how we come together as a team as the year progresses.”
Catlyn Moser, Ledford {Contributed Photo}
Ledford High Coach Catlyn Moser said, “Last year, we lost 90 percent of our scoring, due to graduation. This year, we are a young team that is looking to grow from players who haven't had to play big minutes, and players who have never been on a varsity basketball team, to a varsity program that is ready for the present and future.”
Returning this season is senior small forward Sophie Wheat. Last year, she played minutes off the bench. This year, she will play a good amount of the game because she is one of the more experienced players. Senior Aynsley Bruff is a power forward who will also see more playing time this season. Junior Ava Francis plays a small forward position and is expected to become a vital part of the defense. Freshman Izzy Smith is a small forward and has natural talent and works hard to improve.
Moser added, “We are currently starting three freshmen, one junior and one senior. We have a lot of players who have never played together and we are trying to grow chemistry between those players while also giving them varsity level basketball experience.”
First year head coach Haley Grimsley, of North Davidson High, said, “This is an amazing group of girls on and off the court. Each girl plays an important role on this team whether it's rebounding, scoring, defending or encouraging their teammates. This season, so far, we have had a tough non-conference schedule, but I've seen growth and improvement. We gave them challenges and goals and they are busting those goals and continuing to work hard.”
The new coach stated, “The entire team is important to the success of their season and not just one or two players.”
So, can the women do it again? According to several of the coaches, the season looks bright. According to others, it will be a season of growth and development of young athletes. But know this, it will be exciting to watch these young ladies giving their all to be the best they can be.
Good luck to all of them!
