Sean C. Morgan
The Sweet Home High School girls varsity basketball team is young, but the players have had a taste of success.
As last year’s junior varsity team, they won seven or eight games toward the end of their season, and Coach Dave McNeil wants to expand on that success as the same girls play this season and next season.
His program has no seniors, with the exception of Ria Chiba, an exchange student from Japan who will play on the junior varsity. Last year’s freshmen and sophomores fill the varsity roster.
His varsity roster is full of solid and semi-solid players, he said, and “I have literally two years to work with this group.”
Sophomores include Ashley Farthing, Anna Coleman, Sydney Mauer, Alana Silver and Kennedi Waldrop. The juniors include April Underwood, Abby Underwood, Kayla Miller, Elizabeth Chelstad and Hailey Silver.
Notably missing from the lineup this year are juniors Ally Tow and Bethany Gingerich, the latter who had played basketball for the first time last year.
Tow is focused on earning a college scholarship to play volleyball and is playing club volleyball this season, McNeil said. “Gingerich is just a heck of an athlete,” who wants a variety of experiences, and she is focusing on long-distance running right now.
The team returns two varsity players.
Miller swung between junior varsity and varsity last year, and she played a substantial number of varsity minutes, McNeil said. She is a strong forward and will anchor the three position.
Hailey Silver was a starter last year,
“Given her height, she’s got some pretty solid post skills, and her shooting is strong,” McNeil said. “She’s a natural athlete. I’m really excited to see what she can do at post.”
He is especially interested in seeing how she works together with her sister, Alana Silver, he said. They motivate each other. Alana Silver also has a lot of athleticism.
“She’s going to be a beast when she’s a senior,” McNeil said. He sees them them both at post by next year.
Coleman has blossomed at post, McNeil said. “Her shot is lovely, really strong.”
She’s a good team player and all-around solid post player.
Waldrop “improved a lot on her strength over the summer doing weights for softball,” McNeil said. She is an aggressive, physical team player.
Farthing is an aggressive defender, McNeil said, and she has great endurance, which will fit his plans for his team’s new defense.
“We’re going to put in some really spicy defense,” he said. The team will leave the zone behind and switch to a man-to-man offense.
Abby Underwood brings a great personality and work ethic, McNeil said. She improved a lot during summer basketball, and she’s going to help in strong-guard, small-post action.
Chelstad is a left-handed left-side guard, McNeil said. She is an excellent shooter and the best free throw shooter on the team at 70 to 80 percent. She also contributes a fun, unifying personality.
April Underwood will be the team’s point guard, McNeil said. She brings a lot of ball-handling skill. She has a good outside shoot and is a good defender.
Mauer is aggressive, one of the team’s best defenders, he said.
The team will use some “read and react” offense, which it has used for the past two years, but it will have other offensive options, primarily a type of motion.
“We’re decent-sized, but we’re not real, real big,” McNeil said. The team is kind of average in terms of height. “What I’m excited about is our athleticism. These girls are fast.”
They’re forming a fast team with an aggressive help-side man defense, he said. A zone is not really aggressive, and it’s nearly impossible to win from a zone defense without some other kind of advantage or against a team that penetrates well.
On offense, McNeil is planning a “really aggressive offense, attacking the basket. Our offense will be diverse, outside and inside action.”
With all 10 players returning, McNeil is really looking at next year, he said. “We’re going to look at being competitive against these teams and get some comfortable wins.”
The Huskies will build on the basics and develop specific skills depending on the situation over the next couple of years, he said.
To that end, varsity players and JV players will swing up and down, McNeil said, giving them all the maximum playing time they can. The varsity squad will dress down 12 players each game, including two JV players who excel at practice during the week.
At the JV level, McNeil is excited about freshman Ashtyn Walker, who is an aggressive ballhandler. She is athletic and will be the team’s point guard.
Sophomore Christine Belcher is back as a solid JV post, he said. Coming into the program, sophomore Kelika Aiona brings a lot of physical play and athleticism as a small guard and point.
Chiba has never played basketball, McNeil said, but she is athletic and has fundamental skills.
Sophomore Shahalie Erickson played in middle school but took a break to cheer, McNeil said. She offers height and athleticism and is a good ball handler.
JV2 players include sophomores Rachel Huss and Haley Barron and freshmen Saharra Stroup, Addi Ingram, Hannah Powell, Nevaeh Grajiola, Karla Perez, Gracie Stutzman, Danielle Tressel, Kassidy Vandehei and Kirsten Watkins.
McNeil doesn’t have a lot of research on the league, but he will begin to build the team’s library, recording video of each game and researching the other teams, he said.
Last year, Sutherlin was the state champion, undefeated in league, winning 27 games overall and losing just one. Elmira finished second with a 7-3 record in league, and Junction City finished fifth with a 5-5 record.
Cottage Grove and Sisters tied for fourth with records of 4-6, while Sweet Home was unable to find a win during league play. The varsity Huskies defeated three opponents during the season.