LITTLE RIVER LADY REDSKIN BASKETBALL

YOUTHFUL LADY REDSKINS LOOK TO CAPTURE STATE TITLE

By Staff

            LITTLE RIVER – In 2023/24 the Little River girls under first year coach Cy Rolfs finished second in the Class 1A Division I state tournament and won 24 of 25 games.

            For the upcoming 2024/25 season the Lady Redskins will need to replace five quality graduated seniors, including leading scorer Alaina Eck, and top rebounder Aubrey Olander along with Ashley Stephenson, Kami Grasser, and Kate Ellwood.

            While most teams would be looking to rebuild, Little River looks  to simply reload as they return three players with starting credentials along with four others who played in 18 games or more.

            Among the returnees for head coach Cy Rolfs and assistant Brad Crump will be Arika Feldman who as a six-foot-one sophomore starter, led the team in steals (2.8 per game), and blocked shots (1.8 per game) while finishing second on the team with 6.0 rebounds and 14.1 points per game as well.

            The other pair of juniors who return after starting as sophomores will be Havana Olander (5.7 points, 2.8 rebounds, 2.4 steals, 1.7 assists per game) and Adelynne Strecker (3.6 points, 2.5 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 1.5 steals per game).

            Five-foot-nine junior Lucy Wright plus five-foot-seven junior Evie Look along with a pair of five-foot-ten sophomores in Saelyn Raleigh, and Avery Lafferty also return with plenty of game-time playing experience. The four underclassmen together averaged 9.8 points, and 8.2 rebounds a year ago in limited time played.

According to coach Rolfs, the upcoming season will be seen as an opportunity to reach goals such as improving every day, compete as hard as they can each time they step on the court, and be great leaders both on the court and outside of the sport itself.

Coach Rolfs finished his season preview notes by saying, “The key to success will be working hard day in and day out while staying focused and playing disciplined basketball.”

 The Lady Redskins will kick off the 2024/25 season playing in the Goessel Bluebird Classic. Their first game will be Monday, January 9 against Canton/Galva followed by a  game with host Goessel on Tuesday, January 10. The Classic ends with a game on Saturday, January 14.

            Other games leading up to the holiday break for the Little River girls will be a home opener with Moundridge on Tuesday, December 17 followed by a road trip to Wakefield on Friday, December 20.

 (The Staff covering McPherson County Activities can be reached by email at macks.people.places@gmail.com)