By TYLER HENRY
Lead Sportswriter - Salina Post
Following yet another 20-win season, the Wamego girl’s basketball team will look to restock and run it back ahead of the 2023-24 campaign.
Lady Raider head coach Brian McIntosh returns for a seventh season at the helm with an overall record of 92-40.
Despite losing several key veterans to graduation, Wamego does return a core of starters who will anchor a lineup that should look like this come tip-off.
G- Rylie Meinhardt (Sr)
G- Sara Springer (Sr)
G- Lexi Hecht (S0)
F- Isabella Wilber (Jr)
In addition to the usual suspects, the Raiders will look for big rotational minutes and for a fifth starter from a group that includes Grier Panzer, Sariah Pittenger-Reed, Amber Kinsley, Dallas Frazier-Brown, and Leah Winter
Ahead of the 2023-24 campaign, we had a chance to catch up with Coach McIntosh and get his thoughts on this year’s squad.
Q: When you had a chance to look back on it, what were your overall thoughts on last season?
A: We had an incredible season and were dominant in most games. It was unfortunate that it ended the way it did but I'm extremely pleased with how our girls competed and conducted themselves. We had a special group of seniors that left a powerful legacy for our younger girls to follow.
Q: Entering this year, what would you say are the biggest known strengths of your team?
A: They know what it takes to be one of the best teams in the state and they understand the work that goes into every practice and that your focus has to be in the present. They know that if you look too far ahead, you will stumble. I've been impressed with their focus on continuous improvement up to this point.
Q: What are the biggest looming questions or challenges that you’ll look to sort out in these first few weeks?
A: We have kids who are stepping into different and more intense roles on the team and it will take them some time to get acclimated, but we are confident it will happen sooner than later.
Q: What are the biggest goals and expectations for this group heading into the new season?
A: This group has high expectations and they understand what it takes to be one of the best teams in the league and the state. We will have some adversity, but it's all part of the process. We also have a very young team, so it will be even more important to focus on taking things one day at a time.
The Lady Raiders open their season with a road game against Topeka High this Friday.