Conference: 5A-East
Coach: Patricia Stave (four years at high school, 22 years at junior high)
Assistant coach: Tricia Provence
Last year’s record: 17-9 (third in conference)
Returning starters: None.
Best inside players: Hailey Hastings (junior, 5-8) and Kia Woodard (junior, 6-0). “They are our most dominant players,” Stave said.
Best outside players: Tess Hurley (junior, 5-7); Ariel Wann (junior, 5-6); Lana Blake (junior, 5-4); Tephany Spivey (senior, 5-3); and Sydney Staggs (sophomore, 5-5).
Match or exceed from last year: “This is a rebuilding year for us,” she said. “We have no previous experience returning and mostly sophomores and juniors playing. I expect that we will continue to grow as a team as the year progresses.”
Team strength: “Good effort in practice,” she said.
Team weakness: “We are lacking in team chemistry right now due to the fact that we have players just returning to practice, due to injuries, and players that are only part time because of other fall sports,” Stave said.
Toughest opponents: “Paragould and Beebe will probably be our toughest opponents this year, as well as Green County Tech and Nettleton in conference,” she said. “All of our nonconference opponents will be tough.”
College prospects: “We have some college potential players, but we are still a very young team, and how they progress this year will determine that,” Stave said.