Expectations High For Lady Trojans
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
By Anthony [email protected]
With just one senior on the team last year, the Triton Lady Trojans went 16-6, falling 53-47 in the Class 1A Sectional 51 championship game to Oregon-Davis.
This year, Triton enters the season as the No. 7 team in Class 1A, but Heckaman knows he’ll miss his graduated center Megan Howdeshell.
“We have a lot back from last year, but we lost a big piece with Megan,” he said of Howdeshell, who averaged 6.7 points and 6.2 boards last year. “(Rebounding's) one concern that I've had and we've really talked about in practice. With the experience we have, we'll be able to handle the ball, our offense will run smooth because we won't have any lapses, but Megan was a big piece of our rebounding and defense. That worries me a little bit.”
The most experience will be in three-year starter Shana Anderson, as well as senior Breanna Lemler.
“Shana and Bre are excellent leaders,” Heckaman said. “I know they're going to step up in the leadership roles we need from them. Bre is the more vocal leader, while Shana's Shana. She's going to go out there and she's going to play hard and she's going to perform.”
A year ago, Anderson filled the stat line, leading the team in scoring (11.7), steals (2.8) and assists (2.1) to go with her 5.4 rebounds a game.
Helping to fill the rebounding void will be Lemler, who averaged four a game a year ago, but junior Mallorie Jennings will also be down low to help.
“Breanna Lemler will be playing down there all year,” Heckaman said. “She's strong. Not real tall, but she's going to battle. This year is also going to be a lot of team rebounding. Everyone needs to get down in there. If they don't get down there and rebound, teams are going to be able to rebound over us.”
With a lack of size, Triton will look to utilize its guards, as junior Taylor Hatfield and sophomore Kylie Mason return as starters from a year ago, while sophomore Krystal Sellers will also be right in the mix.
“We are planning on running and getting after teams as much as we can with our quickness,” Heckaman said. “We want to get the ball out and get going. We don't want to get caught in a half-court game if we don't have to with teams, because size-wise, that wouldn't be to our advantage. With our athleticism, I think we can get out and run on some teams and really make teams push themselves and see what kind of shape they are in.”
And its the aforementioned girls that will see the brunt of the minutes this year.
“I have six kids that are going to start, if they'd allow me to,” Heckaman said. “Since they don't allow me to, I think it will switch a lot this year. We have six solid kids that are ready to go. They'll go in and out for each other very fluidly.”
The other roster positions will be filled by sophomore Becca Kennedy, sophomore Hannah Jennings and junior Allie Kann.
“Allie Kann has been a real pleasant surprise so far,” Heckaman said. “She's done a nice job in practice and at the scrimmage. I really think we'll be able to get her in and out of there for people. Hannah Jennings and Becca Kennedy are also ready to give Breanna some breaks when we need it. Across the board, we have some kids that can perform the way they need to.”
With only nine girls on the varsity roster, Heckaman will need to pick and choose when he implements the pressure defense he likes.
“We have a short bench,” he said. “We have nine girls dressing, with two or three of them without a lot of experience. We don't want to wear ourselves out to where we don't have our legs in the fourth quarter. We're definitely planning on getting after teams in the full court, as well as the half court. It's going to depend on what the other team brings.”
After getting off to an 8-0 start a year ago, a more seasoned Triton team may have some higher expectations, but according to Heckaman, none are higher than the ones the girls are putting on themselves.
“This group of girls sets a high standard for themselves,” he said. “I don't need to do that for them. They know they want to win every night. They know they want to compete and they know they're capable of it. We know we had that hot start last year, but we were also winning by an average of two, three points. They were all very close games.”
And if they get off to that same kind of start this season, it would be quite the feat.
Among the team's first five games are visits to Class 1A No. 10 Argos for its second game of the year Tuesday, followed by a Thursday home game against Plymouth then a Nov. 16 game at Class 1A No. 21 South Central, rounded out by a trip to Class 3A No. 3 NorthWood on Nov. 20.
“The northern part of the state, especially this area, has a lot of good teams,” Heckaman said. “That's going to help us out in the long run, because we can't take a night off. We have to be ready night-in and night-out to compete at a high level and at a high level for the complete game. If we're not, teams are going to get us.”
Along with those games, Heckaman's not looking past tonight's season opener at home against North Judson.
“We start right off with North Judson, and they have six seniors returning, with four of them playing since they were freshmen,” he said. “They're very experienced. I think they may have underperformed last year and they're probably ready to make a little bit of noise this year.”[[In-content Ad]]
With just one senior on the team last year, the Triton Lady Trojans went 16-6, falling 53-47 in the Class 1A Sectional 51 championship game to Oregon-Davis.
This year, Triton enters the season as the No. 7 team in Class 1A, but Heckaman knows he’ll miss his graduated center Megan Howdeshell.
“We have a lot back from last year, but we lost a big piece with Megan,” he said of Howdeshell, who averaged 6.7 points and 6.2 boards last year. “(Rebounding's) one concern that I've had and we've really talked about in practice. With the experience we have, we'll be able to handle the ball, our offense will run smooth because we won't have any lapses, but Megan was a big piece of our rebounding and defense. That worries me a little bit.”
The most experience will be in three-year starter Shana Anderson, as well as senior Breanna Lemler.
“Shana and Bre are excellent leaders,” Heckaman said. “I know they're going to step up in the leadership roles we need from them. Bre is the more vocal leader, while Shana's Shana. She's going to go out there and she's going to play hard and she's going to perform.”
A year ago, Anderson filled the stat line, leading the team in scoring (11.7), steals (2.8) and assists (2.1) to go with her 5.4 rebounds a game.
Helping to fill the rebounding void will be Lemler, who averaged four a game a year ago, but junior Mallorie Jennings will also be down low to help.
“Breanna Lemler will be playing down there all year,” Heckaman said. “She's strong. Not real tall, but she's going to battle. This year is also going to be a lot of team rebounding. Everyone needs to get down in there. If they don't get down there and rebound, teams are going to be able to rebound over us.”
With a lack of size, Triton will look to utilize its guards, as junior Taylor Hatfield and sophomore Kylie Mason return as starters from a year ago, while sophomore Krystal Sellers will also be right in the mix.
“We are planning on running and getting after teams as much as we can with our quickness,” Heckaman said. “We want to get the ball out and get going. We don't want to get caught in a half-court game if we don't have to with teams, because size-wise, that wouldn't be to our advantage. With our athleticism, I think we can get out and run on some teams and really make teams push themselves and see what kind of shape they are in.”
And its the aforementioned girls that will see the brunt of the minutes this year.
“I have six kids that are going to start, if they'd allow me to,” Heckaman said. “Since they don't allow me to, I think it will switch a lot this year. We have six solid kids that are ready to go. They'll go in and out for each other very fluidly.”
The other roster positions will be filled by sophomore Becca Kennedy, sophomore Hannah Jennings and junior Allie Kann.
“Allie Kann has been a real pleasant surprise so far,” Heckaman said. “She's done a nice job in practice and at the scrimmage. I really think we'll be able to get her in and out of there for people. Hannah Jennings and Becca Kennedy are also ready to give Breanna some breaks when we need it. Across the board, we have some kids that can perform the way they need to.”
With only nine girls on the varsity roster, Heckaman will need to pick and choose when he implements the pressure defense he likes.
“We have a short bench,” he said. “We have nine girls dressing, with two or three of them without a lot of experience. We don't want to wear ourselves out to where we don't have our legs in the fourth quarter. We're definitely planning on getting after teams in the full court, as well as the half court. It's going to depend on what the other team brings.”
After getting off to an 8-0 start a year ago, a more seasoned Triton team may have some higher expectations, but according to Heckaman, none are higher than the ones the girls are putting on themselves.
“This group of girls sets a high standard for themselves,” he said. “I don't need to do that for them. They know they want to win every night. They know they want to compete and they know they're capable of it. We know we had that hot start last year, but we were also winning by an average of two, three points. They were all very close games.”
And if they get off to that same kind of start this season, it would be quite the feat.
Among the team's first five games are visits to Class 1A No. 10 Argos for its second game of the year Tuesday, followed by a Thursday home game against Plymouth then a Nov. 16 game at Class 1A No. 21 South Central, rounded out by a trip to Class 3A No. 3 NorthWood on Nov. 20.
“The northern part of the state, especially this area, has a lot of good teams,” Heckaman said. “That's going to help us out in the long run, because we can't take a night off. We have to be ready night-in and night-out to compete at a high level and at a high level for the complete game. If we're not, teams are going to get us.”
Along with those games, Heckaman's not looking past tonight's season opener at home against North Judson.
“We start right off with North Judson, and they have six seniors returning, with four of them playing since they were freshmen,” he said. “They're very experienced. I think they may have underperformed last year and they're probably ready to make a little bit of noise this year.”[[In-content Ad]]
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