Article By: Brian Smiley Despite competing in seven straight provincial championships, the St. John's College Green Eagles will be taking nothing for granted when the Brant County high school senior girls basketball season starts Thursday.
"There's a lot of parity among the top teams and that's exciting because that means there's significant games being played every night," said SJC coach Matt Lynch, whose team hosts Assumption College on Thursday at 5:30 p.m.
"We just look to be competitive and in the mix."
The eight-time defending Brant County champions began the game portion of their season on the weekend at the Purple and White tournament at Western University in London.
The Green Eagles went 2-1, losing to Windsor's Holy Names in the quarter-finals. SJC also lost to Holy Names at the tournament last year and then went all the way to the Ontario Federation of School Athletic Associations quarter-finals.
Lynch said this year's team has the ability to repeat the success of last year's squad.
"We don't want to be in danger of looking beyond anybody," he said.
"But I think if we play to our potential we do have the opportunity to go to OFSAA."
The Green Eagles lost starters Brianna Bavota and Monica Polgar to graduation.
But the Eagles will get a boost from fifth-year player Megan Thompson back in the post position.
Maddi Cohoon also returns at post and she's joined by point guard Kendra Van Leeuwen, a national level player whose future is bright. Both players are in Grade 11.
Lynch said rounding out the starting five will be Grade 11 player Leah Coon and Grade 12 student Jen Garner.
New to the team is Grade 9 player Alaina McMillan, as well as three juniors from last year's undefeated Central Western Ontario Secondary Schools Association champions. They are Alex Girardi, Lauren deMontmorency and Ashley Derks.
Also on the roster is Sam Dupont, an injured player who will serve as the team's manager.
Lynch, who is being assisted on the bench by Steve Van Leeuwen, said he hopes his team will play a high-tempo game.
"We're hoping to play at a high speed, run the floor and put lots of pressure on defence," he said. "The energy that the girls are bringing to practice every night kind of indicates that that's the way they want to play, too.
"It's been a good two weeks of practice. We've already made huge strides from the first week."
Although a majority of players are in Grade 11 or lower, lack of experience is not issue with the Green Eagles.
"The chemistry seems good," said Lynch.
"Everyone on the team has shown some leadership and stepped up in different situations.
"There's not really a concern about experience or the level of competition because these girls have all played at a high level in high school and club ball."
With such a youthful team, it must be hard to not look at things from a two-year perspective. But Lynch said the Eagles have no trouble focusing on this season.
"We always look to see what's coming in from the junior program," said the coach. "The juniors are usually pretty successful but each year presents its own challenges and its own opportunities so we're really excited about this year.
"Once we get to next year, that's when we'll start worrying about it.
"We're looking forward to this season. There should be lots of great basketball."
Retrieved From: http://www.brantfordexpositor.ca/2014/09/15/high-school-girls-basketball-preview-season-starts-thursday
