The Fredericktown girls’ basketball team struggled last year going 8-15, but the Freddies lost only one senior and Coach Jared Pryor hopes his talented group of returners can get above .500 and compete for a Knox Morrow Athletic Conference (KMAC) title.
“We have a lot of players returning with varsity experience as we only lost one senior from last year's team,” Coach Pryor said. “Kit (Bellman), Cally (Carpenter), Mya (Bryant), Ella (Bouton), and Jill (Bouton) all played and started in varsity action last year and bring experience for this year.”
Carpenter, a captain, was named All-KMAC first team last season and led the conference in scoring with 332 points and a 15.1 average. She was also second with 2.8 assists and tied for fourth with 2.7 steals.
Sophomore Ella Bouton was All-KMAC honorable mention in her freshman year, and averaged 9.5 points, 5.7 boards, 2.5 steals and 1.2 blocks per game, which was good for second.
Senior Jill Bouton was the block leader in KMAC with 65, and three per game, while tallying 6.5 boards per game.
The team lost Grace Sipes to graduation, who was second team All-KMAC and accounted for 10.2 points, 2.8 steals and 2.7 assists game.
“Our team has height and length that we hope to cause problems for other teams,” Coach Pryor said. “Some areas of concern at this moment are taking care of the basketball to limit turnovers.”
The team will also rely on the leadership of Emily Feeney, who is a senior captain. Rounding out the roster are juniors Gracie Lester and Olivia Harris, and sophomores Peyton Blakesley and Vika Arnett.
“They are a close knit group that really enjoys just being together and playing this game that they love,” Pryor said.
This is Pryor’s sixth year coaching, but the first at the varsity level and at Fredericktown. Previously he coached the JV team at Riverview High School and the middle school team at Mount Vernon. He said he has taken ideas, plays and concepts from coaches he has worked with along the way, and has formed what he thinks will be most successful for the program.
“I'd like to think that I am an aggressive coach,” Pryor said. “I like to take risks, force the action, and keep the other team guessing.”
The season is underway and the Freddies are off to a great start with a 2-0 record, beating Highland and Utica in non-conference matchups.
The Freddies begin conference play on Dec. 6 at home against Cardington-Lincoln starting at 6 p.m.
