Basketball

A new wave of underclassmen make up the starting five. JUNIOR VARSITY 6 | SPORTS

Junior Max Close jumps for a board. Close made the game winning shot. Photo by Naomi Mitchell

Stories by Ben Curtis Reporter

Last year Shawnee Mission South’s Varsity basketball team had five seniors starting – night in and night out. As student athletes can only compete for four years, there tend to be cycles in high school athletics. A great group of senior leaders who work hard and perform at a high level is a gift to coaches and the program. However, after they graduate, a program can often be left scrambling for leadership and performers to compete. “The other seniors… are learning how to come together as a team,” senior and Varsity basketball player Mac Wissel said. “It takes a while [because] we had such little Varsity experience.” Coaching a young team striving to perform at a Varsity level is a challenge. Inexperience at the Varsity level is a real obstacle. To contrast this, boys’ Varsity basketball coach Brett McFall is very experienced at the high school level.

“Our team is extremely tough, hardnosed and gritty,” McFall said.

The boys look forward to establishing a groove and having consistent starters heading into the later stages of the season. “We’re going to be playing our best basketball in February,” Wissel said. “The more we experience, the better we get.”

As ONW Ravens descend upon her, sophomore Lillian Kovalcik, number 30, falls to the floor grasping the ball. Photo by Landrea Van Mol WESTERN FRONT T he girl’s basketball program has experienced a major change on the coaching side. Girls’ Varsity basketball coach Mark Western began his first basketball season at South in November, but has been involved in the program since May. Western organized off-season weights and conditioning and took some of the team to a tournament in Pittsburgh, Kansas, this summer. Culture in the program has been on the rise according to senior Liz Crawford, which is a focus of Western’s. “Culture isn’t something that you get to and it’s done; it’s consistent actions on a daily basis,” Western said.

The team has responded well to Western’s new focus.

“We’ve been able to grow… more as a group this year,” Crawford said.

For the program, the transition in coaches has been smooth.

“We have an extremely high character group of seniors,” Western said. “The transition to South [has been] a dream come true.” New head coach brings new philopsopy to girls’ basketball team. After losing to Olathe Northwest, senior Elisabeth Crawford and her fellow Varsity teammates congratulate the Ravens on their sportsmanship. Photo by Landrea Van Mol