By Jordan Burton (For OzarksSportsZone.com)
Ken Elfrink isn’t one to harp on losses, but last year’s 47-41 district championship loss to Crane will be one that stings for a while. The Lady Bulldogs had won 12 of their previous 13 games entering the district final.
While tough, that loss has been a motivating factor for Blue Eye all offseason.
“Last year’s loss was definitely tough on our kids,” said Elfrink. “We were still young but felt like we were the better team just not that night. Give tons of credit to Crane they have a great program, and they were not going to be denied.
“It did leave a bad taste in our mouth but I believe we will benefit tremendously from that loss. Our kids have been getting in the gym getting shots up – we had a great summer and our looking forward to the season.”
To say the expectations are high for the Lady Bulldogs would be putting it lightly.
Blue Eye returns all five starters from last year and eight letterwinners from a 21-6 team, led by standout sophomore Kohnnar Patton.
The 5-foot-7 guard was the team’s leading scorer a year ago (18.4 PPG), to go along with 4.4 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 3.1 steals.
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“Kohnnar had an outstanding freshman year,” said Elfrink. “She kind of flew under a lot of people’s radar. She is a competitor above all else and a good athlete and she commits a ton of time to her game in the gym.
“Kohnnar played with a ton of confidence last season which is a result of her countless hours she spends in the gym. I expect her to continue to have another greats sophomore campaign.”
Elfrink will also have an abundance of depth.
Junior guards Kenedi Larson and Ayshia Bettach are also back in the mix. Larson was the team’s second-leading scorer (10.1 PPG) and Bettach led the team in assists (3.9 APG). Both are extremely active defensively.
Seniors Addie Forester and Katelyn Hansen command the paint with physicality. The 5-foot-10 Forester averaged 6.1 points and 4.1 rebounds last season. Despite her 5-foot-7 frame, Hansen led the team with 6.1 rebounds and is one of the toughest players in the SWCL.
Junior Hope Smith and sophomore Maddie Box will also see rotational minutes.
Blue Eye will also receive a huge boost in the form of Kenzie Hobbs and transfer Taylor Arnold.
Hobbs tore her ACL early last season, but is an elite perimeter defender and great facilitator. Arnold, who comes in from Nixa, is a 5-foot-7 junior and was an All-COC pick for the Lady Eagles last season.
Both will provide immediate help at both ends of the floor.
“We’re excited to have Kenzie back,” said Elfrink. “She’s recovered well from her surgery and is looking strong.
“We are also excited about Taylor joining our team and feel she will have immediate impact on our ball club. She can handle it, shoot it, is a great defender and has a high basketball IQ. She has played at a high level against high level competition and will bring a lot of competitiveness too our team.”
Elfrink and Blue Eye are in a unique position this season, sharing a conference with a Clever squad that will be one of the best Class 3 teams in Missouri and sharing a playoff pod with the two teams responsible for more wins and state championships than anyone else in Class 2 over the last several years.
The team is not only excited about going toe-to-toe with Clever and everyone else, in what will be the final year of the SWCL as currently constructed, but the overall goal is to try to match the tradition that the Cranes and Skylines of the world have built.
In Elfrink’s 20th season, establishing the legacy of Blue Eye Basketball is the goal; the Lady Bulldogs haven’t won a district championship since 2006 and have never made a Final Four trip. Elfrink is hoping surviving the SWCL gauntlet will hope prepare the team for a postseason run.
“Our conference has always been a tough conference,” said Elfrink. “The SWCL on both boys and girls have represented well in the postseason the last several years. It is always a tough conference with this year being no different.
“Ultimately the key to our season will be to continue to develop our chemistry.This group has always been tight and I do not see that changing. Our practices will be a lot more competitive with everyone challenging for playing time. If we show to practice every day prepared to get better and be the hardest working team – I believe we will have a successful season.”
Blue Eye will open the 2017-18 season on Nov. 21 at home against Bradleyville.
