By Shelley Ebbrecht
The Morrisville girls find themselves in a rebuilding year with a rookie coach, but first-year leader Shelby Johnson’s outlook on the season is optimistic.
“The team is going to strive to achieve goals others think are impossible,” Johnson said. “With losing two of their top scorers last year, they are going to have to reevaluate the team and find other ways to come together.”
Last year’s Lady Panthers finished the season 18-9. With a small roster and injuries to deal with, the team was forced to drop their JV schedule. Johnson said numbers are looking up this year but with everyone unable to show up in the off season, the final lineup is still unclear.
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“The off season was in place just to see what kind of team we might have and to see how the girls work together as a team, to figure out how to build for the upcoming season,” Johnson said. “My top players are probably my two juniors, but not everyone was able to show up over the summer, so that could change.”
The junior duo of Abby Painter and Michaela Presley are going to be looked at to fill some big shoes after the graduation of Kaitlyn Painter and Tabitha Francka—the two seniors and top scorers from last year’s squad.
Two newcomers to watch will be Keaton Painter and Katie Collins. Painter is a freshman and the cousin of Abby Painter. Collins didn’t play basketball last year but Johnson said she shows some promise for the upcoming season.
Johnson said her challenge is for the team to work together as a unit instead of focusing on a few individuals to carry the team.
“My expectations are for the girls to work as a team and not focus so much on one person or two people,” she said. “I believe the girls will succeed as soon as they are able to fully work together as a team, but it is going to take some building for that to happen.”
The Marion C. Early Lady Panthers kick of their season with an appearance in the Fair Play Tournament November 21 before hosting Fair Play in their home opener December 1. They will play in the Walnut Grove Invitational beginning December 17.
Johnson said the team is going to take the season one game at a time.
“Our games are going to be a game-by-game basis,” she said. “It is up to the girls on how they play every day.”
