Experience lies in Lions’ court

Photo Credit: Photo by Erica Aldridge

Senior Haley Parker commands the Lions offense during a home game against Olathe South. Parker scored 10 points against Free State in the first match-up against the Firebirds. The Lions guard will need to control the tempo and keep her team poised if the Lions want to win the rematch.

February 25, 2010 • Natalie Wilkins, Staff Writer
Filed under Sports

The girls basketball team will be playing their last regular season game against Free State at 5:30 p.m. this Friday. It will be their senior night, and the girls are seeking revenge from their last encounter with the Firebirds when they fell short of a victory and lost 34-37.

“It was a hard fought game that could have gone either way,” Head Coach Nick Wood said. “We had it tied with about 20 seconds left to play and just didn’t finish in the end.”

Leading scorers seniors Jordyn Tolfree and Haley Parker had 10 points each, but it was not enough to give the girls the win they were hoping for.

“It sucked losing to them last time, so I really want to beat them especially ’cause it’ll be the last time I play against Free State,” senior guard Jasmyn Turner said.

The LHS girls varsity team consist of mainly seniors, many who have had a lot of experience playing at the varsity level. They intend on using their experience to their advantage against Free State’s team which consists mostly of talented young players. Free State is planning on bringing up freshmen Kennedy Kirkpatrick once her basketball season at Southwest Junior High is over to play with some of the other young sophomores who have been vital members of their team this season.

Even though they have many talented underclassmen the Firebirds will still rely heavily on their two seniors, guard Chantay Caron and senior forward Ashli Hill. LHS senior guard Jasmyn Turner and senior guard Haley Parker will have the assignment of picking up these two players and shutting them down.

“Our primary focus is on being the best team we can possibly be,” Wood said. “The goal is to get better every day that we step foot onto a basketball court and regardless of who we are getting ready to play, be prepared to give it all we’ve got.”

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