Teams hope for big seasons in SCAC

MOSES LAKE — This season is a time for rebuilding and improvement for both South Central Athletic Conference (SCAC) teams, the Royal Lady Knights and the Warden Lady Cougars.

Two starting players returns for Royal to help build their team this season, while Warden faces a lack of varsity experience.

Royal Knights

Head Coach: Brock Anderson, second year

2008-2009 Overall Record: 6-14

2008-2009 District Record: 4-8, 4th in SCAC East

State Appearance: No

Starters Returning: Leslie Brown, Maggie Leal

Returning varsity members: Jadyn Allred and Lindsey Christensen

Newcomers: Macey Stakkeland, Stefhany Guaddarrama, Samantha Cera, Moriah Christensen, and Maria Garcia.

Outlook: Anderson and two returning starters have the task of building on a 6-14 mark in 2008-2009, where the Lady Knights struggled to fourth place in the SCAC East.

Brown averaged 11 points and nearly seven rebounds a game while earning all-league honors. Leal recorded just under seven points and rebounds per outing.

Brock Anderson returns for his second year at Royal, 13th as a head coach in Washington state.

The loss of Tawnee Gonzalez, and her 14 points per game, will hurt as will the departure of DanI Callahan and her shooting touch from behind the arc.

Anderson is trying to fit in many new faces with his six returning veterans.

Defensively, the Knights have to improve on their 12th ranking out of 14 teams in the SCAC, but offensively the question is staying in the top five as they were last season..

“We lost 25 points a game to graduation so we need to get some of that back and do a better job defensively,” Anderson said. “We missed districts last year thanks to two consecutive buzzer-beaters in the final week. The league did lose a considerable amount of talent though, so we’d still like to compete for a post-season spot.”

Season opener: Friday they host Highland

Warden Cougars

Head Coach: Todd Kisler, sixth year

2008-2009 Overall Record: 9-12

2008-2009 District Record: 2-8, 6th in SCAC East

State Appearance: No

Starters Returning: Kacey Kisler and Lindsay Cole

Returning varsity members: Emma Bisnett and Emily Shuler

Newcomers: Randi Wright, Elizabeth Pruneda, Brittnay Stavig, Chelsea Brown, Tanwie Gonsalez, Haley Yamane, and Hannah Bisnett.

Outlook: Only four veterans return for the Lady Cougars and coach Kisler, so his hopes are their basketball experience will suffice to make up for a lack of varsity-seasoned bodies.

“Our defense is also coming along as expected,” Kisler said. “We need to play stronger man-to-man defense and work on making our motion offense more productive.”

Kacey Kisler returns after a strong 2008-2009 season and have to continue her ways to aid the Cougars’ aims to improve their SCAC record.

If the newcomers can contribute and the veterans play to their ability, the Lady Cougars may be able to attain their goal of making the district tournament and place in the top four to qualify for state.

Season opener: Friday they play at Mabton