Lady Longhorns have winning season

The 2013-14 season for the Kimball High girls' basketball team may not have played out quite like coach Chauncey Pedersen and his girls would have liked, but none the less, it was a winning season with 13 wins and 11 losses. The Kimball ladies met up with some very good and state ranked teams in the likes of Hershey, Dundy County, and Sutherland, and also had 3 close losses to the Western Trails Conference champs Mitchell losing at home 44-43, and at Mitchell 51-50 in two overtimes plus one more loss to the Lady Tigers in the conference tournament. Considering two losses each to Dundy County and Sutherland, a loss to Hershey, along with a pair of losses to a very good Hemingford team, and you get the picture that they faced some outstanding competition this past season, and still came out with a winning record.

Coach Pedersen is going to have to replace five graduating seniors off this year's squad which includes three starters, but he still feels next year's team has a good chance of being as good, if not better, than this year's unit. Departed will be starters Brooke Hager, Shelby Vogel, Kelly Green along with Laura Flores and Brianna Jones. Vogel was all conference and Green was honorable mention, but on the other note, returning are starters Danika Daum, an all conference sophomore and junior Jessica Hanks, honorable mention all conference. Other players who will return next year with a lot of experience and playing time from the past season are sophomores Arica McCloud, Madison Biesecker, Kailey Dickerson, and Myriah Tyan. The incoming freshman class will also provide some talent that could possibly be of varsity help.

In reviewing the team stats from this past season, Kimball scored 1047 points averaging 43.6 per game while allowing 1014 points or 42.25 points per game. Another indication of how close the girls were to improving on the win side of the ledger. Danika Daum was top scorer this year with 316 points averaging 13.2 a game, also led in rebounds with 179 for 7.5 a game, led in blocks with 12, had 46 steals and 30 assists. Shelby Vogel had 270 points on the year averaging 11.3, 125 rebounds for 5.2 a game, led the team in steals with 55 and charted 24 assists. A stat on the negative side was leading the team in personal fouls with 72. Kelly Green ended up with 167 points averaging 7 points per game. She was the long range sharp shooter hitting on 30 of 91 3 point attempts for a team high 33%. She had 70 rebounds, 36 steals and 20 assists. Brooke Hager tallied 48 points and led the team in free throw shooting making 16 of 21 for 76%. She had 65 rebounds, 37 steals and 35 assists. She also handled the point position most of the time. Jessica Hanks scored 123 points averaging 5.1, hit 19 3 pointers, had 97 rebounds, 21 steals and 22 assists. Remember, she will be back for her senior year.

Laura Flores had 41 points, 34 rebounds, 22 steals and 23 assists and would win the Hustle award if one was given. Brianna Jones played a big role off the bench and was a team leader as well. She scored 7 points, had 38 rebounds, 13 steals and 10 assists. Arica McCloud came on strong later in the season and ended up with 32 points, 34 rebounds, 11 steals and 3 assists. Madison Biesecker had 34 points, 34 rebounds, 10 steals and 13 assists and has great athletic ability with her speed and jumping ability. Kailey Dickerson scored 5 varsity points and Myriah Tyan 2. Alexis Gawith also saw some varsity court time as a junior.

Members of this year's team shot their way into the school record books. Shelby Vogel moved into the top groups with her 25 point game that Alisa Mueller holds the top mark of 38 points set back in the 1996-97 season. Vogel is also #12 now in points in a season with 270, has 28 career 3 point field goals, Kelly Green has 33 career 3 point fielders which includes 30 this past season, and made 5 in one game this year, just one shy of the school record of 6 shared by Hannah Stull, Danielle Perry and Amber Perry. Jessica Hanks also hit 5 in a game this season. Danika Daum took over the #8 spot in points in a season with her 316, her 67% free throw shooting shows up in the records, as does her 28 3 point field goals in a career with two years to go. Her 179 rebounds this season move her into the #7 spot and her 12 blocks this season matches her number of her freshman year and is #9 all time on the school records. Miss Daum is just getting started!

As mentioned, coach Pedersen will have to replace five seniors, but he has a solid sophomore class that will be back for their junior year along with some good incoming freshmen players, and things are not so bleak. With a summer of camps and open gym nights, fans can look forward to another winning season next year.