2016 Fairfield Lady Lions Preview: Can Fairfield use momentum from last year as a positive this season?
Lead Summary
By
Stephen Forsha-sforsha@gmail.com
The Fairfield Lady Lions had one of their best seasons in recent memory last season, playing in the district semifinals and finishing with a .500 record. This season, the Lady Lions return almost all of their lineup, as they look to keep adding to that improvement from a year ago.
This year, the Lady Lions, who are coming off a 12-12 overall record, will have two seniors, six juniors and five sophomores. The lone senior lost from last year was Macie Pauley, the second-leading scorer on the team.
Returning are seniors Abigail Newkirk and Carly Arnold. The junior class consists of Grace Shope, Carli Reiber, Chloe Barber, Sarah Young, Ashley Sowards and Blake Adams. Sophomores this season are Lauren Arnold, Trinity Huff, Alexis Tate and Brianna Barnes.
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“We only lost one senior from last season and have eight returning players, so even though we are young this year, we have experience that should help us,” FHS head coach Chad Hamilton said. “I expect to be very competitive and to be in contention for a league championship in our division.”
Shope returns for her junior season as the leading scorer from a year ago as a sophomore. The Division IV honorable mention All-Ohio selection played in 24 games last season, totaling 453 points (18.9 points per game). She also tallied 7.9 rebounds per game and 3.4 steals per game. In all, Shope collected 190 rebounds, 81 steals and shot 43.2 percent from the field.
Though no other player averaged more than 5 ppg last season, on a team that averaged 45.9 ppg, they were still able to keep half of their opponents at bay a year ago, plus be competitive in a number of the games they lost.
Adams averaged 4 rpg last season, and Carly Arnold led the Lady Lions with 2.3 assists per game for a team that won a sectional title against the Manchester Lady Greyhounds by a 60-55 score at Northwest High School.
“Grace led us in scoring, rebounding, steals, field goal percentage and three-point percentage last season. She is more focused this season, and I expect her overall game and leadership improve,” Hamilton said. “Brianna moved up to varsity about halfway through last season. She had a good summer and is a going to be a big asset with her scoring and rebounding.
“Blake has worked extremely hard since last season, and her overall game has improved. Abigail and Carly are our lone seniors, and they are leading by example in practice and have become more efficient since last year. Other returning players are Alexis Tate, who is an excellent on-ball defender; Trinity Huff, who has a very solid all-around game; and Lauren Arnold, who is a three-point threat.”
Last season, FHS averaged 20 turnovers per game, which is something Coach Hamilton has on his list of improvements this season. The Lady Lions also averaged 30 rpg.
“We must take much better care of the ball this season,” he said. “I would like to see our defense become more stable and be more efficient with rebounding.”
That improvement began this summer with the Lady Lions working on their game in scheduled events, something that can translate into the preseason practices and into the start of the regular season.
“Overall, we had a decent summer,” Hamilton said. “It helped some of the girls to become more comfortable in their roles, and we hope that translates to the season.”
That improvement will have to come in a hurry, as the Lady Lions have 10 games in the first 27 days of the upcoming season, a fact of the schedule Coach Hamilton has focused on.
“We have 10 games in the first 27 days of the season, so we have to be at our best from day one,” he said. “We have specific goals we want to meet in each game, and I'd like to see us achieving more of those goals as the season progresses, the biggest of those being limiting turnovers and limiting offensive rebounds for the opponent.”
FHS opens the 2016-17 season on Friday, Nov. 25 at the Lady ’Cats Classic at Paint Valley High School. FHS will face Waverly at 6 p.m. in a non-conference game. Their first home game will be on Thursday, Dec. 1 vs. East Clinton.
This year, the Lady Lions, who are coming off a 12-12 overall record, will have two seniors, six juniors and five sophomores. The lone senior lost from last year was Macie Pauley, the second-leading scorer on the team.
Returning are seniors Abigail Newkirk and Carly Arnold. The junior class consists of Grace Shope, Carli Reiber, Chloe Barber, Sarah Young, Ashley Sowards and Blake Adams. Sophomores this season are Lauren Arnold, Trinity Huff, Alexis Tate and Brianna Barnes.
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“We only lost one senior from last season and have eight returning players, so even though we are young this year, we have experience that should help us,” FHS head coach Chad Hamilton said. “I expect to be very competitive and to be in contention for a league championship in our division.”
Shope returns for her junior season as the leading scorer from a year ago as a sophomore. The Division IV honorable mention All-Ohio selection played in 24 games last season, totaling 453 points (18.9 points per game). She also tallied 7.9 rebounds per game and 3.4 steals per game. In all, Shope collected 190 rebounds, 81 steals and shot 43.2 percent from the field.
Though no other player averaged more than 5 ppg last season, on a team that averaged 45.9 ppg, they were still able to keep half of their opponents at bay a year ago, plus be competitive in a number of the games they lost.
Adams averaged 4 rpg last season, and Carly Arnold led the Lady Lions with 2.3 assists per game for a team that won a sectional title against the Manchester Lady Greyhounds by a 60-55 score at Northwest High School.
“Grace led us in scoring, rebounding, steals, field goal percentage and three-point percentage last season. She is more focused this season, and I expect her overall game and leadership improve,” Hamilton said. “Brianna moved up to varsity about halfway through last season. She had a good summer and is a going to be a big asset with her scoring and rebounding.
“Blake has worked extremely hard since last season, and her overall game has improved. Abigail and Carly are our lone seniors, and they are leading by example in practice and have become more efficient since last year. Other returning players are Alexis Tate, who is an excellent on-ball defender; Trinity Huff, who has a very solid all-around game; and Lauren Arnold, who is a three-point threat.”
Last season, FHS averaged 20 turnovers per game, which is something Coach Hamilton has on his list of improvements this season. The Lady Lions also averaged 30 rpg.
“We must take much better care of the ball this season,” he said. “I would like to see our defense become more stable and be more efficient with rebounding.”
That improvement began this summer with the Lady Lions working on their game in scheduled events, something that can translate into the preseason practices and into the start of the regular season.
“Overall, we had a decent summer,” Hamilton said. “It helped some of the girls to become more comfortable in their roles, and we hope that translates to the season.”
That improvement will have to come in a hurry, as the Lady Lions have 10 games in the first 27 days of the upcoming season, a fact of the schedule Coach Hamilton has focused on.
“We have 10 games in the first 27 days of the season, so we have to be at our best from day one,” he said. “We have specific goals we want to meet in each game, and I'd like to see us achieving more of those goals as the season progresses, the biggest of those being limiting turnovers and limiting offensive rebounds for the opponent.”
FHS opens the 2016-17 season on Friday, Nov. 25 at the Lady ’Cats Classic at Paint Valley High School. FHS will face Waverly at 6 p.m. in a non-conference game. Their first home game will be on Thursday, Dec. 1 vs. East Clinton.