They didn’t compile a winning record or a state playoff spot, but Sweet Home Athletic Director Larry Johnson told parents at the girls basketball awards dessert that he was “no more proud of any other team than the girls team.”
It was a team that made strides in its performance, Coach Mark Tyler said, especially comparing the first half of the season with the second.
“We started off kind of bumpy,” Coach Tyler said. “But it takes more than one year to build a program.”
Coach Tyler pointed out that this team was competing against teams that had 24 to 32 games under their belts before the season even began.
Summer ball helped knock the rough edges off the Husky team, then it lost a post player but gained another. By the end of the season, the Huskies needed to win only their last game, and they would have been in conference playoffs.
The girls played an excellent game in that final contest, against Cascade, with just minutes left in the game, they trailed by only five points, but foul trouble finished them, and they lost by 17.
The team had good times, such as wins over Creswell and Marshall and overtime with Central and later a win. The team had some rough games, with losses to Central and Sisters.
“They never said quit,” Coach Tyler said. “They knew they were going to come out the next day, and they knew they were going to compete. I’m really optimistic about next year.”
Coach Tyler is looking forward to summer season and having the girls back next year.
Among them is junior Kaci Trask.
“Kaci just did an outstanding job for us this year,” Coach Tyler said. Trask played point and was a strong team leader. “She took control. Mahria’s (Zook) coming back. Mahria didn’t have the season that I’d hoped for or she’d hoped for.”
Zook dealt with injuries during summer ball and then again in regular season.
“She never really got into her swing,” Coach Tyler said. At the end of the season, she had some good games, with a number of rebounds and good play on the court.
Teresa Lewis was another who had a rough season, but Coach Tyler is looking forward to having her back, he said. She is an excellent shooter, and with confidence will do well next year. Amanda Burcham also will return.
Among others, Coach Tyler is watching how the solid junior varsity player Katie Reynolds works out in summer ball. He also is looking toward freshman Kendra Green and junior varsity swing player Crystal Allen and Cindy Jones.
Earning their first letters this year were sophomores Reynolds, Allen and Jones. Earning their second letters were sophomore Lewis; juniors Burcham and Trask; and seniors Jessica Brocard, Kara Watkins and Sara Gaskey. Earning their third letters were junior Zook and senior Elizabeth Aman. Earning her fourth letter was Angela Fentiman.
Even as optimistic as he is with the players coming back, “I’ve got to tell you, the five seniors we lost, our underclassmen have some huge shoes to fill,” Coach Tyler said. “These girls have set the standard for what it takes to be a Husky. It’ll take hard work. They can do it but it won’t be easy.”
During the dessert, the team presented videotapes of the team’s final games to exchange students Mayumi and Rina. The tapes were focused primarily on those two players to create a souvenir to take home to Japan with them. They also received signed mini Husky basketballs.
Coach Tyler wanted to thank the parents for their help all year and especially Dave Preston for doing a “super job” on stats.