MHS Girls' Basketball Preview
13 Nov 2008

by Eric Chrisitansen
The Manchester High School girls’ basketball team won’t intimidate anyone with their size this season, but head coach Mark Underwood hopes that his team’s work ethic will speak volumes.
“Size can be measured in different ways,” Underwood said. “It can be measured in stature, but it can also be measured in heart, desire, and hustle. When it comes to those attributes, we have a lot of girls with big hearts, and they play like it.”
Underwood (100-57 in eight seasons at MHS) returns five letter winners, seniors Katie Bowers (10.9 ppg, 4.6 rpg, 3.5 apg, 4.4 spg), Noelle Patrick (5.4 ppg, 1.2 apg, 1.7 spg), Becka Guthrie, Amber Fratus, and junior Jessica Bedke.
Also earning a spot on the varsity team are senior Josi Cripe, junior Emily Hill, sophomore Erika Milam, and freshmen Hanna Schmidt, Meika Kennedy, and Hannah Little.
“We’re trying to blend the five returning letter winners with some younger players that are showing some promise, and that will take a little bit of time,” Underwood said. “They are working well together, getting along well, their attitudes are good, and the girls are really working hard.”
While the Lady Squires will not have the size advantage in too many games this season, they are looking to score in a number of ways.
“We’re going to be able to put five girls on the floor that can score at any time, and that makes a team hard to guard,” Underwood explained. “From what I’ve seen, we’re shooting the ball really well. We’re going to be one of the better outside shooting teams we’ve had for a few years. Any team can have an off night shooting, but we’re going to be more than an outside threat.
“The ability to put the ball on the floor and take it to the hole will be a big part of our game,” he continued. “If we are hitting the outside shots, they will come out and guard us, so we have to have the ability to take it to the basket too.”
The Lady Squires will also rely on a scrappy defense.
“We want to try to use our quickness to cause the other team problems and put pressure on the basketball,” Underwood said. “With our size, we will need to have a lot of help-side defense. There will be times we will have to get in front of their post players, but when they lob the ball inside, we have to be aware of it and be ready to react.”
With a lack of size, Underwood isn’t worried about rebounding, but it has been a focus in practice.
“The girls hear me talking about rebounding every time,” he said. “It’s really a no-talent thing, just a matter of doing it. You can be a good rebounding team if you are small, especially defensively, if you block out every time. We have to have all five block out every time.”
Underwood has been especially pleased with his five returning letter winners, and the leadership they have shown.
“Last year, we basically had one player with varsity experience,” he said. “This year, with five, they are more able to lead, just because they have gone through it. They are great leaders. Whatever these five do, the others follow suit.”
There is a new look to the coaching staff with Janna Simcoe taking over the JV team, while Heather Boggs will coach the C-team, and Lindsey Bradtmueller coaches the 6th grade team. Brittany Rager will return as an assistant coach, while Matt Webb and Bill McNeeley return as 8th and 7th grade coaches, respectively.
The Lady Squires will open their season this Friday at Bluffton. The home game scheduled against Prairie Heights for this Saturday, November 15 has been canceled.