Conference: 5A-West
Coach: Alvin Riley (Coach Riley enters his 10th season at Vilonia and 25th as a senior high head coach, with approximately 600 wins and fewer than 200 losses.)
Assistant coach: Kirk McDonald
Last season’s record: 25-5 (Tied with Greenwood for the conference championship and lost to Watson Chapel in the quarterfinals of the Class 5A State Tournament).
Returning starters: Lydia Gordon, 5-foot-9 senior forward, averaged four points per game last season, but Riley said he expects that number to rise this season. “Lydia has improved drastically in her aggressiveness and overall play. She should be one of the team leaders and play a lot bigger role in the scoring department,” the coach said.
Also returning are seniors Colleen Farris, Baylee Daves and Alaina Riley. Farris is a 5-1 guard who averaged 4 points per game as a junior. “She will be a key player at the point guard position,” Riley said. “Colleen is quick and a good ballhandler and shooter.” Daves stands 5-7 and plays the forward position, but can also move out to the perimeter when needed, Riley said. “Baylee can contribute inside and out. She is a strong, aggressive player.” Alaina Riley also has game experience and the 5-6 guard “can shoot the three,” Riley said.
Best inside players: Daves, Gordon and newcomers Ashlyn Hightower (6-0) and McKenzie Morris (5-8)
Best perimeter players: Farris, Riley, Jill Evans (5-7 senior) and sophomores Audrey Moran and Hannah Schnebelen,
How will you match/exceed/fall short of last year’s success? “It will be hard to match what we have done over the past three years,” Riley said. Vilonia won the 5A state championship in 2009 and has won or tied for the 5A-West Conference title the last three years. In addition, the Lady Eagles have been ranked in the top two most of the past two seasons with a three year record of 80-9. “We lost a lot of our offense to graduation and will need some players to step up and fill that role. We hope to be competitive again this season,” Riley said. “Our goal is to get good enough to finish in the top four in the 5A-West and go as far as possible in the state playoffs.”
Strengths of the team: Riley said the experience his new crop of players received in last year’s practices against some very good players has made them very competitive.
Weaknesses of the team: “Overall game experience as players in an offensive role,” Riley said.
Games to watch: The coach said all of the conference games will be worth watching and “the teams that make it to the state tournament are often involved in tie-breakers and every game and every point counts.”
Toughest opponent: Greenwood. “They’re not only the best team in 5A-West, but probably in 5A state,” Riley said.
College prospects: Gordon, “because of her athletic ability and her improvement,” Riley said.