There’s going to be a new look to the Iola-Scandinavia girls’ basketball team this season.
The Thunderbirds will have a totally different lineup when they tip off against Wild Rose Friday, Dec. 3, in the season opener after losing all five starters from last season to graduation.
Only two players on coach Mark Wester’s roster – seniors Morgan Oppor and Mary Marx – have varsity experience.
“Morgan and Mary are the only two players returning that had varsity experience last year,” he said. “They’re bringing leadership and experience. We had five senior starters and we’re going to miss all of those kids. They were an athletic group for us.
“Samantha Griffin’s another senior, but she’s been out the better part of the last two years with a knee injury,” he said. “We’re looking for positive contributions from Samantha. She has some offensive capabilities and can help us out a lot.”
The T-Birds are hoping to improve on last year’s sixth-place finish in the Central Wisconsin 8 Conference. The team was 5-9 in league play and 8-15 overall.
“We’re looking for some contributions from some underclassmen, too,” Wester said. “This is the time to see who can do what. We’re looking for competition from within the ranks that we have here as a team. We’re hoping they can push each other and get better. Putting the best people on the floor is the goal.”
As far as the teams to beat this season in the CWC, Wester said the best competition will be in the T-Birds backyard.
“Amherst is going to have a very nice team,” he said. “They have some key returning players and some younger players are going to step in for them. Weyauwega-Fremont lost some key players, but they have some nice young players coming up, too. I expect those two teams to compete for the championship. We’re hoping to sneak in the middle of the pack and be competitive.”
Travis Bassett replaces Dale Bestul as the junior varsity coach, while Mark Vold is back as a volunteer assistant.
Despite the inexperience, Wester has seen some positive signs from his squad during the first two weeks of practice.
“There’s a level of scrappiness from some of our players that also equates to some toughness,” he said. “There’s a little competitive spirit there and we’re going to need that.
“We’re going to have some ups and downs, so we’re looking for some strong leadership from those seniors and the ability to be resilient,” he added. “This is a very inexperienced group. We’re waiting to see how they respond.”
Iola-Scandinavia 2010 Girls’ Basketball Schedule
Varsity
Friday, Dec. 3 – vs. Wild Rose, 7:30 p.m.
Tuesday, Dec. 7 – at Amherst, 7:30 p.m.
Friday, Dec. 10 – vs. Manawa, 7:30 p.m.
Friday, Dec. 17 – at Weyauwega-Fremont, 7:30 p.m.
Thursday, Dec. 30 – vs. Auburndale, 7:30 p.m.
Tuesday, Jan. 4 – vs. Tigerton, 7:30 p.m.
Thursday, Jan. 6 – vs. Bonduel, 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, Jan. 8 – vs. Wisconsin Rapids Assumption, 7:30 p.m.
Tuesday, Jan. 11 – at Wittenberg-Birnamwood, 7:30 p.m.
Friday, Jan. 14 – vs. Stevens Point Pacelli, 7:30 p.m.
Monday, Jan. 17 – at Stratford, 7:30 p.m.
Friday, Jan. 21 – at Shiocton, 7:30 p.m.
Tuesday, Jan. 25 – vs. Amherst, 7:30 p.m.
Friday, Jan. 28 – at Manawa, 7:30 p.m.
Tuesday, Feb. 1 – at Rosholt, 6 p.m.
Thursday, Feb. 3 – vs. Weyauwega-Fremont, 7:30 p.m.
Thursday, Feb. 10 – at Bonduel, 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, Feb. 12 – vs. Wisconsin Valley Lutheran, 1 p.m.
Thursday, Feb. 17 – vs. Wittenberg-Birnamwood, 7:30 p.m.
Tuesday, Feb. 22 – vs. Port Edwards, 7:30 p.m.
Friday, Feb. 25 – at Stevens Point Pacelli, 7:30 p.m.
Thursday, March 3 – vs. Shiocton, 7:30 p.m.
Junior Varsity
Friday, Dec. 3 – vs. Wild Rose, 6 p.m.
Tuesday, Dec. 7 – at Amherst, 6 p.m.
Friday, Dec. 10 – vs. Manawa, 6 p.m.
Friday, Dec. 17 – at Weyauwega-Fremont, 6 p.m.
Thursday, Dec. 30 – vs. Auburndale, 6 p.m.
Tuesday, Jan. 4 – vs. Tigerton, 6 p.m.
Thursday, Jan. 6 – vs. Bonduel, 6 p.m.
Saturday, Jan. 8 – vs. Wisconsin Rapids Assumption, 6 p.m.
Tuesday, Jan. 11 – at Wittenberg-Birnamwood, 6 p.m.
Friday, Jan. 14 – vs. Stevens Point Pacelli, 6 p.m.
Monday, Jan. 17 – at Stratford, 5:45 p.m.
Friday, Jan. 21 – at Shiocton, 6 p.m.
Tuesday, Jan. 25 – vs. Amherst, 6 p.m.
Friday, Jan. 28 – at Manawa, 6 p.m.
Tuesday, Feb. 1 – at Rosholt, 7:30 p.m.
Thursday, Feb. 3 – vs. Weyauwega-Fremont, 6 p.m.
Thursday, Feb. 10 – at Bonduel, 6 p.m.
Saturday, Feb. 12 – vs. Wisconsin Valley Lutheran, 1 p.m.
Thursday, Feb. 17 – vs. Wittenberg-Birnamwood, 6 p.m.
Tuesday, Feb. 22 – vs. Port Edwards, 6 p.m.
Friday, Feb. 25 – at Stevens Point Pacelli, 6 p.m.
Thursday, March 3 – vs. Shiocton, 6 p.m.