Even with four starters graduating from last season's 31-3 Southwestern Conference champions, the Edwardsville girls basketball team still commands plenty of respect.
The Tigers were 14-0 in the SWC and 31-3 overall, claiming regional and sectional titles before losing to Bolingbrook in a Class 4A super-sectional. Graduation losses included Caty Ponce, Mary O'Keefe, Cierra Gaines and Erin Anderson, who averaged a combined 35 points per game. But with only one starter returning, Edwardsville was still ranked fourth in the state in a preseason poll.
"We have a little bit of a different look this year," said Tigers coach Lori Blade, who enters her 10th season at EHS with a record of 239-35. "We lost some very good leadership in Caty Ponce and Mary O'Keefe, so that's one of my concerns. We have only two seniors and neither one of them got much playing time, but we have a good junior class with a little bit of varsity experience."
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It helps that the lone returning starter is one of the best players in the state - 6-2 junior Emmonie Henderson. As a sophomore, Henderson led Edwardsville (16.2 points per game) and rebounding (6.2 per game). With another year of experience, she figures to be even better.
Leigh Kesper, a 6-3 senior, will play a much bigger role this year after missing most of last season due to illness and injuries. Erin Bell, a 5-8 senior, is also in the mix after playing only seven varsity games as a junior.
A strong junior class should help the Tigers overcome the loss of last year's seniors. Lauren White (4.1 points per game), Sarah Parker (3.9) and Aaliyah Covington (2.8) were all part of the varsity rotation while Kortney Dunbar, Sydney Bloch and Ashia Jones should also be key contributors. Parker is the tallest of that group at 6-0 while Jones and Dunbar are both 5-11.
Edwardsville opened the season last weekend by winning three games at the Salem Turkey Smash Tournament. On Friday, Henderson scored 27 points and Kesper added 13 in a 70-31 victory over Civic Memorial. In the first of two games on Saturday. Henderson and Kesper had 17 and 12 points, respectively, in a 70-25 win over Olney. In the second game, Dunbar, Henderson and Jones had nine points apiece as Edwardsville defeated Carlyle 57-33.
The Tigers will face Belleville East (2-1) in the championship game at noon Saturday.
POST PLAYERS LEAD WAY FOR KAHOKS
Collinsville (10-16 overall, 4-10) hopes to improve after returning three starters. Shaye Barrett, a 5-11 senior, led the team in scoring (12.5 points per game) and rebounding (6.5 per game) while 5-5 senior Tori Bell and 5-7 Kayla Murphy averaged 7.1 and 7.9 points per game, respectively.
Rachel Scrum, a 5-9 senior, rejoins the team after not playing last season. Other players competing for varsity minutes are 5-9 junior Katie McCarthy, 5-5 senior Becky Hermes, 5-9 junior Brooke Meyer, 5-7 sophomore Katie Ringering, 5-9 sophomore Lexie Thompson, 5-5 junior Lauren Albertina, 5-11 sophomore Lauren Witte and 5-10 freshman Sammi Buettner.
The Kahoks will continue to rely on their post players to provide much of the offense.
"You're going to win games if you can get the ball inside and shoot from three feet," said second-year coach Lori Billy. "We'll continue to try to feed the ball inside and dominate in there.
"We're going to be a different looking team this year. We have more speed this year and we'll try to press a little more.
"Shaye Barrett and Karla Halde need to be able to finish for us, but we've got some guards that can score. Kayla Murphy can get up and down the floor pretty quick and she'll get some layups. Tori Bell is a dynamite 3-pointer shooter. Danielle Niepert can hit the three and she can also slash to the basket."
Collinsville was scheduled to play Mascoutah Tuesday in the first round of the Nashville Tournament, which continues through Saturday.
"Our first goal is always to be one step better than we were last year, so we want to be able to improve our record," Billy said. "We want to be able to run the new offense and be comfortable with it."
BILYEU TAKES OVER AT TRIAD
Triad has a new head coach in Zac Bilyeu, who inherits one starter (5-7 senior Becca Young) from a team that was 12-14 overall and 3-7 in the Missiissippi Valley Conference. The Knights lost to Jerseyville in the first round of the regional.
The other starters are 5-9 junior Amy Hunt, 5-10 sophomore Morgan Strom, 5-10 junior Kiel Chigas and 6-1 senior Maggie Carlson. Rounding out the varsity rotation are 5-5 sophomore Hannah Ditter, 5-8 junior Samantha Thacker, 5-10 freshman Leanna Mathews, 5-10 freshman Rachel Bilau and 5-5 freshman Madisen Thomas.
The Knights, who are looking to transform their style into a fast-paced, up-tempo type of game, opened the season Thursday with a 51-28 loss to visiting Granite. Triad trailed 36-13 at halftime but played the Warriors even (15-15) in the second half. Hunt, Thomas and Young had six points each.
Triad was scheduled to face the host Hornettes Monday in the first round of the Nashville Tournament.
METRO-EAST AIMS FOR REGIONAL TITLE
Metro-East Lutheran also has a first-year head coach in Rob Stock. The Knights return seven letter winners return from a 13-8 team that lost to Piasa Southwestern in a Class 2A regional final.
Starters include Molly Scharnhorst, who averaged 14.9 points per game; 5-11 senior Abby Edwards (8.2 ppg) and 5-5 senior Mackenzie Gottlob (2.8 ppg). Players competing for the final two starting positions are 5-5 sophomore Mackenzie Gocal, 5-7 junior Jessica Jump, 5-5 junior Madi Henderson and 5-7 sophomore McKenna Judge.
After multiple years of reaching the regional championship game, the Knights look to win a title this year. Jump (10.8 ppg) should provide both an offensive and defensive spark when she returns from an injury. Henderson is back after sitting out last season due to an injury and Judge provides additional depth.
Metro-East started the season last week by winning two of three games at the Dupo Cat Classic. On Nov. 15, Scharnhorst had 18 points and Gocal added 12 in a 49-14 win over New Athens. The Knights lost 41-38 to Roxana on Nov. 16 as Scharnhorst scored 14 points. On Saturday, Scharnhorst (23 points) and Edwards (13) led the way in a 54-41 win over Marissa.
The Knights were scheduled to play Tuesday at Dupo and return to action Monday at home against Roxana.
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