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Girls Basketball Preview 2023-2024
KMS sophomore Madelynn Luft, back, guards RCW's Bailee McLagan during a Camden Conference game on Monday, Jan. 2, 2023 at Kerkhoven. Joe Brown / West Central Tribune
With half its roster made up of sophomores, Renville County West hopes to improve upon last year’s 8-19 record
BY MICHAEL LYNE | West Central Tribune
RENVILLE — The Renville County West girls basketball team lost a handful of key pieces following a 2022-23 season where the Jaguars had zero seniors on their roster.
RCW, which was 4-14 in Camden Conference play and 8-19 overall, lost three juniors and two sophomores from last year’s team for the 2023-24 season. Their previous season came to a close in a loss to Cedar Mountain in a Section 2A-North play-in game.
Not returning for the Jaguars is Johanna Braun, Rachel Jakel, Laila Ridler, Avery Roxberg and Breana Winzenburg.
Despite those losses, RCW still returns two starters to its lineup from a season prior. They are Emily Lippert and Holly Hinderks.
Lippert is a 5-foot-7-inch senior forward and Hinderks is a 5-8 sophomore point guard.
“Emily is our lone senior and is one of our best shooters,” RCW fifth-year head coach Derik Johnson said. “She is our leader, both on and off the court.”
Johnson, who will be assisted by Austin Bulthuis and Aaron Slagter, has elevated the roles of Baliee McLagan (5-4 point guard) and Shelby Allex (5-7 guard). Both are sophomores.
“Bailee and Shelby will be starting for the first time,” Johnson said. “They played limited roles last year. They will have to step into much bigger roles this year.”
Lippert is joined by fellow upperclassmen Hope Hendriks and Eliza Agre. Hendriks is a 5-8 guard and Agre is a 5-7 center. Both are juniors.
Sophomores makeup half of RCW’s roster. Alongside Hinderks, McLagan and Allex, is Ella Gustafson and Taya Halvorson. Gustafson is a 5-5 guard and Halvorson is a 5-8 forward.
Rounding out the Jaguars’ roster are a pair of freshmen. That is Maggie Rice, a 5-9 forward, and Vivia Hebrink, a 5-6 point guard.
