Head Coach Mike Herrington begins his third year at the helm of the Eagle girls basketball team with the most returning experience he’s had yet. He knows it is a strength they now need to take advantage of in a tough Top of Iowa West.
“I have to blend in several other returning or freshman players in with them,” stated Herrington. “Those kids have pizazz and excitement for the game. They enjoy the sport and are very coachable. We also have some height in the freshman group, so we just have to focus on trying to get the most we can out of that height.”
His 19-20 edition finished 3-19 overall, so they should have the ability to surpass that total this time around. The foundation of this team lies in seniors Ariane Lyman, Lea Friedl and sisters Hannah, Kaitlin and Megan Sampson. They are all battled tested, and while they’ve all had their nice moments they have also taken their share of lumps so would like nothing better than to dole out some of their own on division teams this year.
Lyman brings back the highest average at 7.7 ppg a year ago, and was also in the top three at 87 total rebounds to show she is equally capable on the other end of the floor. Friedl brings back a 6.7 ppg average and will always be an offensive threat on any given night. Hannah swished the nets for a 6.4 ppg average, and led in three-point shooting and steals to show her defensive quickness. She was also the most accurate at the free throw line. Kaitlin scored at a 6.3 ppg clip, and was second only to the departed Jozey Gump in rebounding. She has the ability to make up for some of Gump’s 100 rebounds, which would help the team immensely on that end. Megan will look to help out on both ends of the floor in her game minutes.
“This group has quickness and good ball handlers, and we are pushing them in practice to increase the defensive pressure,” said the head coach
The next tier is not without some talent, as both Olivia Andersen, Alaura Lewis and Emma Thul can all provide good support to the seniors. “We will have Olivia in the post, and need to utilize her height advantage,” said Herrington. “It can be harder to rebound on the taller teams in this league.” While none of them saw a lot of minutes individually, that could change a bit this year to give the seniors a break during game action.
Two sophomores looking to add help as well are Braxton Steil and McKenna Woodbeck. Steil did see action in 18 games, and has the potential for a break-out season if she can elevate her game. Woodbeck will look for a bigger share of minutes as she continues improving her skills. “Steil had a good JV season,” said Herrington. “She’s not afraid to go to the hoop.”
He feels his freshmen are a fun group to watch and see develop. “They have the heart for the court when out there, but we need to work on developing their skill set,” said Herrrington. “I think they can help us.”
Herrington feels the teams potential weakness is lack of experienced depth. “We need to close that gap so we can play 8-10 girls every night out,” said the coach. “The deeper our bench, from a skills perspective, the better off we are. Closing that will be a key to our season, along with getting good extra minutes from the newcomers. We’re going to build our offense around what we have and find what offense works best for us. We need an inside/outside game to be able to do that. Either take it inside or kick it back out to the open girl.”
He is assisted this year by Radney Roosa. In sizing up the West Division, he feels Garrigan might still be the favorite as they return three players including a post player. “Forest City has a lot of seniors, while West Hancock has the tradition of a strong program,” said the coach. “Garner will be in that top four mix as well. With the rest, it’s who comes along the best and can play as a team. The middle tier teams will all be more balanced.”
For these seniors, it’s now their time to shine and make a statement that the Eagle program is to be reckoned with this year.
