Team Preview: Lynchburg-Clay Lady Mustangs
Lead Summary
By
Stephen Forsha-sforsha@gmail.com
The Lynchburg-Clay Lady Mustangs are beginning the 2013-14 season by looking for a new leading scorer, while trying to blend a team that has a variety of grade levels competing at the varsity level.
LC is coming off a season where they went 18-6 overall (9-4 in the Southern Hills Athletic Conference) but will have to replace four seniors, including leading scorer and All-Ohio player Laney Lewis, who graduated.
Last season, the offense of the Lady Mustangs ran through Lewis, as she scored 441 points and went over 1,000 points for her career.
Replacing a player the caliber of Lewis isn't easy, and head coach Whitney Lewis knows that. She said one thing she knows headed into her third season as head coach is that you “don't replace seniors”.
"You really don't replace seniors … I've learned that," Lewis said. "Your hope is you can fill the roles that were vacated, come together as a team and play better than we did the previous year.
"As far as replacing a senior class, I've only done this three years, and I haven't seen it yet."
The lone senior this season is Sarah Rosselott, who is a three-year player. There are also three juniors on the team in Madysyn Creighton, Morgan Fittro and Shelby Stewart. Sophomores are Madison Wills, Ali Little and Bailey Leininger. The freshmen this season will be McKayla Binkley, Hannah Binkley and Lexi Waits.
"We are really young with one senior and a handful of juniors with varsity experience," Lewis said. "Those juniors do have varsity minutes, so we hope that helps our younger players, in terms of taking care of the ball.[[In-content Ad]]
"That's going to be our biggest challenge, and getting used to the style of play we'll face, especially against the older teams. Speed is one of our strengths, so hopefully our upperclassmen will be able to show us how to use that to our advantage."
One aspect of this team Coach Lewis is looking forward to is that they bring something new to the team each day.
"I don't know how to describe this group … it is fun every day," she said. "I learn something new every day. I'm looking forward to seeing how they grow throughout the season and how they are going to play together."
Being competitive every game is one expectation that Coach Lewis has for her younger team.
"I expect to compete in every game," she said. "I expect us to come out on top in every game, whether it be on the scoreboard or by getting better each game. Like I said, we haven't had a lot of time to see how this team meshes together, but I'm looking forward to a successful season.
"This is the youngest team I've coached so far, but it is fun teaching them and seeing it click in practice. When you finally see it click, it is neat. They are all eager to learn and to play. With most of them playing soccer, they know how to win and they are competitive, so that'll give us an edge every night."
As for their play on the court, there will be some new faces in the top part of the lineup. The freshmen didn't lose a game their seventh or eighth grade seasons.
"We're looking to push the ball up the court," Lewis said. "Everyone will have to contribute if we want to win, so I'm looking forward to that. We have some underclassmen who I'm looking forward to contributing.
"This is a team of athletes. Our freshman group didn't lose in junior high, but it will be quite an adjustment from middle school basketball to varsity and even the JV level. It is a different world. All of them can bring something to the table, and I'm looking forward to seeing how they can play at this level."
LC is coming off a season where they went 18-6 overall (9-4 in the Southern Hills Athletic Conference) but will have to replace four seniors, including leading scorer and All-Ohio player Laney Lewis, who graduated.
Last season, the offense of the Lady Mustangs ran through Lewis, as she scored 441 points and went over 1,000 points for her career.
Replacing a player the caliber of Lewis isn't easy, and head coach Whitney Lewis knows that. She said one thing she knows headed into her third season as head coach is that you “don't replace seniors”.
"You really don't replace seniors … I've learned that," Lewis said. "Your hope is you can fill the roles that were vacated, come together as a team and play better than we did the previous year.
"As far as replacing a senior class, I've only done this three years, and I haven't seen it yet."
The lone senior this season is Sarah Rosselott, who is a three-year player. There are also three juniors on the team in Madysyn Creighton, Morgan Fittro and Shelby Stewart. Sophomores are Madison Wills, Ali Little and Bailey Leininger. The freshmen this season will be McKayla Binkley, Hannah Binkley and Lexi Waits.
"We are really young with one senior and a handful of juniors with varsity experience," Lewis said. "Those juniors do have varsity minutes, so we hope that helps our younger players, in terms of taking care of the ball.[[In-content Ad]]
"That's going to be our biggest challenge, and getting used to the style of play we'll face, especially against the older teams. Speed is one of our strengths, so hopefully our upperclassmen will be able to show us how to use that to our advantage."
One aspect of this team Coach Lewis is looking forward to is that they bring something new to the team each day.
"I don't know how to describe this group … it is fun every day," she said. "I learn something new every day. I'm looking forward to seeing how they grow throughout the season and how they are going to play together."
Being competitive every game is one expectation that Coach Lewis has for her younger team.
"I expect to compete in every game," she said. "I expect us to come out on top in every game, whether it be on the scoreboard or by getting better each game. Like I said, we haven't had a lot of time to see how this team meshes together, but I'm looking forward to a successful season.
"This is the youngest team I've coached so far, but it is fun teaching them and seeing it click in practice. When you finally see it click, it is neat. They are all eager to learn and to play. With most of them playing soccer, they know how to win and they are competitive, so that'll give us an edge every night."
As for their play on the court, there will be some new faces in the top part of the lineup. The freshmen didn't lose a game their seventh or eighth grade seasons.
"We're looking to push the ball up the court," Lewis said. "Everyone will have to contribute if we want to win, so I'm looking forward to that. We have some underclassmen who I'm looking forward to contributing.
"This is a team of athletes. Our freshman group didn't lose in junior high, but it will be quite an adjustment from middle school basketball to varsity and even the JV level. It is a different world. All of them can bring something to the table, and I'm looking forward to seeing how they can play at this level."