Morgan Rode sports@newmedia-wi.com
Leader file photo Gresham’s Makayla Belongia (4) goes up for a rebounds in a game against Suring last year. Belongia is one of three returning starters for the Wildcats.
A year after claiming the Central Wisconsin Conference-North Division title, the Bowler High School girls basketball team will have a new look this upcoming season.
Bowler, which finished 11-1 to edge Northland Lutheran in the division standings, will be under the direction of a new coach and without the standout play of Reanne Kietlinski, last year’s player of the year.
Even with the changes, new coach Tonia Pagryzinski believes the team can still succeed.
“I am very excited about this year; we are a young team and kind of rebuilding with the loss of some key core players,” Pagryzinski said. “The challenge for our girls is dealing with losing those core players but also having a new coach and learning a new system and style of basketball. Overall, with the returning players we have and some new ones coming in, we are going to have a strong team and are looking forward to this season.”
Senior Jodi Wolf and junior Kayla Pecore were each second-team all-conference selections last year and will help lead the Panthers this season. Juniors Alyssa Strassburg and Brooke Thiex also figure to be in the starting lineup.
Junior Ireland DeRoos and sophomore Tynea Johnson also got varsity experience last year and will help some of the voids left by three key graduated seniors.
Gresham, a team that finished at the bottom of last year’s standings, also has reason for optimism this year as new coach Tiffanie Ferguson takes over.
The Wildcats will need to replace Mackenzie Hoffman, a second-team all-conference selection last year, but do return senior Tiana Ferguson, an honorable mention pick, and sophomores Makayla Belongia and Kaylee Bohm, who were all starters last year.
Senior Kristen Bowman, junior Brooklyn Hoffman and sophomore Destiny Reindl also should see time in the team’s rotation after gathering varsity experience last year.
Coach Ferguson is hoping for growth as the season progresses and a more aggressive approach that will help the Wildcats put more points on the scoreboard.
Marion and Tigerton finished tied for fourth in the conference last year with 4-8 records.
The Mustangs enter the season in an interesting dilemma. Marion returns four starters — seniors Bridget Bazile and Elizabeth Radtke and juniors Tessa Brei and Kyla Zillmer — but have no varsity experience outside that quartet.
For that reason, coach Brad Fischer will be counting upon a few newcomers to fill the voids and help the team strive towards its goals.
“We have some upcoming freshman and two exchange students that will fit right in on the varsity team, but they have no experience to the quickness and pace of a varsity game,” Fischer said. “I am excited to see how our team will do this year.”
Marion lost a first-team all-conference selection from last year, but both Brei and Bazile were honorable mentions.
The Tigers are another team will plenty of optimism heading into the season, as it will return all three of its all-conference performers from last year.
Senior Monika Minniecheske was a first-team selection last year and will lead Tigerton on the court this fall. Seniors Raven Dewhurst and Jaidan Miller were each honorable mentions.