They might be growing pains, but HIghland's girls basketball team hopes they will be worth it.
Highland is coming off a tough season in which the Fighting Scots went 8-15 and 4-10 in the Mid-Ohio Athletic Conference, but coach Matt Bradley hopes that another year of experience for his squad will lead to more wins this winter.
“We are excited about the start of the 2022-23 season,” Bradley said. “The loss of our four seniors from last year stings, but we have girls eager to step into those roles. The MOAC will once again be deep and talented, but we are excited to compete."
This is the second year coaching the Fighting Scots for Bradley, but he has 19 years of coaching basketball under his belt overall. He said with the team now in year two of his system, he said the team is becoming more familiar with the program expectations on and off the court. The Fighting Scots have multiple players who can score in a number of ways this season, and the team should also be able to mix up their defenses well.
A main area of concern, however, was losing a key senior group that included first team All-Conference and All-State player Emma West, along with Brylinn Tuggle, Ryleigh Howard and Jacinta Eblin.
Highland returns five letter winners, however. These are seniors Abby Jordan, Guinevere Jackson and Makayla Woods, as well as sophomores Aubree Bellamy and Kameron Stover.
The varsity roster also includes senior Shelby Conley, juniors Mattie Ross and Amarie Morgan, sophomores Abby Smith and Bryleigh Young and freshman Kate Clements.
The team will need to overcome its lack of size through rebounding by committee, Bradley said. With a deep and talented MOAC, Bradley knows the team will have to come out and play hard night in and night out.
"Our program follows the 'three "I"s in team': I serve others, I live with joy, I learn and grow,” Bradley said. “We hope that these core beliefs are evident in the way that we play. Our goals are to improve daily and over the course of the season, to become the best that we are capable of becoming.”
Highland opened the season with three losses but looks to tune up and prepare before starting their MOAC competition against Marion Harding at home Dec. 9
