Scouting Lakes girls basketball
LAKES
COACH: Pete Schneider (second season)
LAST SEASON: 9-18, 4-8 in NSC Prairie
LOSSES: C Asja Triplett (Trinity International University), G Jen Totten (Marian University), G/F Jenna Schellinger
RETURNEES: Jr. PG Katie Brinser, Sr. G Ashley Parmly, Sr. G Mary Doupis, Sr. F Badeia Saed
NEWCOMERS: Jr. G Evan Morris, Jr. G Kaleigh Sprague, Jr. G/F Sara Berry, Jr. G Ashlee Cunningham, So. G Amanda Smith, So. G/F Terese McMahon, Sr. C Debbie Berg
OUTLOOK: The Eagles might have another surprise season in them. But that's it. If teams underestimate them this season, after their out-of-nowhere season last winter, coach Pete Schneider expects it won't happen again. “I think after this year we won't surprise anybody,” he said. That would be a testament to how far the Eagles have come. Last year, Schneider took over a program that had a collective two wins in four seasons. After losing their first three games, the Eagles won back-to-back games for the first time ever. They then did it again. And again. They finished with 9 victories, including their first four ever in the NSC Prairie. They return two starters in senior guard Ashley Parmly, who led the team in scoring last season (around 10 ppg), and junior point guard Katie Brinser. Parmly, guard Mary Doupis, who played varsity as a sophomore, Badeia Saed and newcomer Debbie Berg (6-foot) are the only seniors. A year ago, Schneider had eight seniors who he called “extraordinarily good kids” and a big reason why the Eagles took the strides they did.
He seeks new leadership this season for a team whose new faces include athletic types Evan Morris (5-11), Ashlee Cunningham (5-9) and Terese McMahon (5-11). “We're a hard matchup,” Schneider said. “All five girls we'll put on the floor, you got to guard them.” Schneider is encouraged by what he's seen since last season ended. “We played 50 games over the summer and played very, very well together,” he said. “We're pretty excited about the possibilities.” What won't help the Eagles early on is what Schneider calls a “brutal” schedule. They open Saturday (1 p.m.) against Oswego at Geneva and get St. Charles North (Tuesday, 7 p.m.) and Montini (Friday, 1 p.m.) in the tournament next week. “But my kids are positive,” Schneider said. “We're athletic. We got speed and skills, and we've been working a ton.”