The past few seasons have been difficult for fans of the Scott City girls basketball team, but head coach Kerry Thompson believes better things are on the Rams' horizon.
Thompson welcomes 10 underclassmen to his roster this season, and he hopes their youthful exuberance plays a key role in improving on last season's 2-18 record.
"They play hard every day," Thompson said of his squad, which features just two returning starters among its three seniors. "I've been impressed with that."
The Rams lost seven seniors from last year's team, which means Thompson will be counting on several new faces to make key contributions.
Getting those underclassmen to meld with the returning players is Thompson's main goal heading into the season.
Thompson will look for production from a trio of freshmen -- Chloie Raines, Paige Cummins and Courtney Enderle -- to complement the Rams' returning players.
He likes what he sees from his early-season practices. He said the new players are beginning to blend in well.
"I think so far they have," he said. "They've done everything we've asked of them. Every practice has gotten better.
"We play hard, and we're learning more every day."
Guard Hannah Shenonia and forward Bella Bowers are the only returning starters for the Rams, who fell to Arcadia Valley in their district opener to close last season.
Thompson isn't counting on any one player to carry the Rams this season; rather, he's hoping for every player on the roster to contribute in any way she can.
"I don't think it will come from one person," he said. "It will be a total team effort."
---
Scott-Mississippi
Kerry Thompson
(1st year)
---
Player Year
Diamond Ham 9
Emma Wilhelm 9
Britne Parker 9
Rylee Venable 9
Courtney Enderle 9
Paige Cummins 9
Chloie Raines 9
Faith Grant 10
Katie Smith 10
Paige Nanney 10
Tori Buckner 11
Ginny Mott 11
Hannah Shemonia 12
Morgan Pettit 12
Bella Bowers 12
Anna Kern
Michaela Kiefer
Carly Howell
Hannah Shemonia
Bella Bowers
---
Date Opponent Time
11/23 East Carter County 6 p.m.
11/24 @Clearwater 7:30 p.m.
11/30 Chaffee 7:30 p.m.
12/3 @Charleston 7:30 p.m.
12/7 Lady Devil Invitational
12/14 @Woodland 7:30 p.m.
1/4 @St. Paul Lutheran 6 p.m.
1/11 Scott-Mississippi Conf. Tourn.
1/18 @Kelly 7:30 p.m.
1/21 @Scott Co. Central 7:30 p.m.
1/25 Puxico 7:30 p.m.
1/28 @Saxony Lutheran 7:30 p.m.
1/30 vs. Hayti 11 a.m.
2/1 East Prairie 7:30 p.m.
2/4 Sikeston 7:30 p.m.
2/8 Delta 7:30 p.m.
2/9 Perryville 7:30 p.m.
2/10 @Meadow Heights 7:30 p.m.
2/17 @St. Vincent 7:30 p.m.
2/18 Oran 7:30 p.m.
---
2-19
Connect with the Southeast Missourian Newsroom:
For corrections to this story or other insights for the editor, click here. To submit a letter to the editor, click here. To learn about the Southeast Missourian’s AI Policy, click here.