NORTH MANCHESTER – Experience, it's been said, is the best teacher. Manchester High School's varsity girls basketball team returns plenty of experience for the 2011-2012 season. "Of the 14 girls who played on the varsity last year, 10 of them are back," said 11th-year coach Mark Underwood. "That's definitely going to be a big plus for us. We do have some experience returning. Some of our juniors are in their third year on the varsity, and some of our seniors are in their fourth year on the varsity. We've got quite a bit of experience." The Lady Squires' varsity roster lists five seniors, four juniors and a sophomore. Headlining the list of returning players is junior Kayla Flack, who has led the team in scoring the past two seasons. The 5-foot-7 Flack averaged 13 points and eight rebounds per game last year for the Lady Squires, who finished the season 15-7 overall and 5-2 in the Three Rivers Conference. "Kayla Flack has led us in scoring the past two seasons," said Underwood, whose team opens the season Friday when it hosts Bluffton. "She's a big part of what we do, but we also have some balance. We were very balanced last year, and we have the majority of those girls back." Seniors on the team include Malyssa Bedke, Meika Kennedy, Hanna Schmidt, Kaylee Watson and Hannah Little; other juniors are Bekah Brunn, Lindsey Budnik and Autumn Brewer; and the lone sophomore is Sydney Snep. Watson averaged six points per game last season, while Little and Kennedy scored five points per contest. Underwood said he didn't forsee a lineup that is set in stone, saying that a number of players could work their way into the starting lineup, but said that he would likely put Flack, Brewer and Little at forward and Kennedy and Schmidt at guard for Friday's season opener. "Experience and balance are two things we're going to bank on this year," said Underwood. "We have both experience and balance, and I don't anticipate a set starting five. Any of those 10 girls could be in the starting lineup." Following Friday's game with Bluffton, the Lady Squires will have a week before they play again. Manchester, however, will then play four games in a span of 10 days – playing at Mississinewa Nov. 18, hosting Winamac Nov. 19, entertaining Oak Hill Nov. 26 and making a trip to Lewis Cass on Nov. 28. The Lady Squires open TRC play Dec. 3 when they host Northfield. Last year, Wabash won the conference championship with a 7-0 record, while Manchester and Rochester tied for second at 5-2. Underwood said he anticipates the TRC will be good from top to bottom this season. "I think the entire conference will be strong," he said. "Wabash is going to be strong again, even though they graduated Kayleigh Hensely, and Whitko should have an outstanding team. Tippy Valley and Rochester are going to be tough. Southwood and Northfield have young coaches and could have an exciting season. I don't think there's going to be any easy games in the conference. Any team could pull off an upset. You're going to have to be ready to play."
