Winter came on like a fast break and means we're that much closer to everything that the hardwood will include! Every season has it's own flavor but with new additions to the local scene & significant turnover from last year to this one the 2022/2023 season will be a ride all it's own.
In preparation for the first games this edition comes courtesy of coach Michael Benson talking about West Fargo girls hoops.
Before looking ahead, what are the best memories from last season?
"I was proud of how our team did their best to combat a tough situation when Chloe went down with her season ending injury. During that time, Taylor Van Winkle, a starting guard, also missed 5 games. We were in scramble mode and I was proud of how our team handled adversity."
Did your team participate in any camps this past Summer? If so, how did your team benefit from that?
"We went to Jamestown, NDSU, University of Mary, and a tournament in Minneapolis. Our JV team played in Jamestown, Concordia, a tournament in Moorhead, University of Mary, and a tournament in Minneapolis. The summer is always a great time to tinker with offensive and defensive ideas the coaching staff might implement during the winter."
Miriley Simon & Chloe Pfau have been two of the top players in the state for a few years but last season was impacted by injury. What will it be like to get Chloe back? How might they both improve even more this season?
"It is going to be great to have Chloe back. She is the ultimate player who makes everyone on her team better. Losing her affected all aspects of our game and we are excited for her leadership to return to the court. I expect she is going to have a great year. Having her back will help take the pressure off of Miriley. It was incredible to see Miriley perform game after game knowing she was the focal point of everyone’s defensive game plans. Having Chloe back will ease that defensive pressure and I anticipate Miriley having an even bigger season than last years."
Who else might you count on to help fill-in for the departures? What do they bring to the roster?
"We only lose a handful of minutes from last year’s roster. With Chloe returning, we have the unusual luxury of having 5 players with starting experience. Chloe will be a 5th year, Miriley a 4th year, Brylie Peterson a 3rd year, and Taylor Van Winkle and Solveig Seymour as 2nd year returners."
"I am expecting great things from our other 3 starters. Solveig had a great shooting season last year and will do great again this year. Taylor is a defensive hound and steady playmaker and I expect her to have a great year. Brylie is lightning quick and has great vision. She has worked hard on her shooting and scoring and I am looking for her to average double figures in points."
"Two others to keep an eye on would be Sr. guard Joslyn Jackson and Fr. Guard Ellee McIntosh. Joslyn is a steady player who is going to come off the bench and give us some nice minutes. Ellee is an elite athlete who doesn’t even know how good she can be. She played JV last year as an 8th grader and I expect her to continue to grow into the HS game."
To boil it down, what would make the upcoming season a successful one?
"After last season’s disappointing ending, we are looking to come back and show everyone we deserve to be in the conversation as one of the best teams in the EDC and State. We are just going to try to keep getting better each game and practice, and hopefully the results will come at the end of the year."
There's been a lot of talk about the proposed three-class division. Do you have a comment about that?
"I believe the 3 class system is an excellent idea and I hope it passes. It will allow for competitive levels at all three and will allow AA teams to have some flexibility in scheduling. Instead of having 2 non-conference games and 3 two point EDC games, we will have a double round robin and 5 non conference games. Hopefully we will be able to continue our schedule with Minot going forward and add a few other WDA opponents."
Is there anything else you would like people to know about your program or players?
"It is an exciting time to be a Packer as I believe we will be very good at the C, JV, and Varsity levels. Our 8th grade team has also had a nice start to their season. With some exciting young talent in our feeder system, we should have nice teams for years to come."