By Matt Turer (For OzarksSportsZone.com)
The Springfield Catholic Lady Irish bring back a full roster from a five-win team in 2019-20 and will have a brand new head coach leading the way.
That combination of top-to-bottom varsity experience and a new voice leading the locker room has things looking up and moving forward for a program looking for its first winning season since the 2016-17 campaign.
That new head coach is Mike Foley. Foley is far from new in the high school coaching scene, having worked as an assistant for several high school boys teams over the last two decades and in girls programs on lower levels ranging from elementary to middle school.
“I hope that my experience can help increase this group’s basketball IQ,” Foley said. “Because there are several talented players on this team. If they can learn a new system quickly and unselfishly, they might surprise some teams this year.”
Two of Catholic’s returners were All-Big 8 Honorable Mentions in 2019-20 in senior Ella Lippelman (G, 5’5”) and junior Mallory Wilson (F, 5’7”).
“Lippelman and Wilson are both quick, scrappy and give 100% at all times,” Foley said.
Foley points to senior Emily Franklin (G, 5’7”), senior Samantha Messerly (G, 5’7”), and Grace Wohlgemuth as a trio who he sees as good ball handlers and good shooters. On the other end of the floor, he’ll be looking to senior Hayley Singleton (F, 5’9”), Jordyn Howe, and junior Avery Ahlstrand (F, 5’11”) to use their length and make an impact in the post.
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“They have matured and worked hard this summer and in the weight room in the fall,” Foley said. “This should help them win a few more close games.”
Foley believes the 2020-21 Lady Irish have a shot to finish in the top half of the Big 8 standings and again in district seedings.
“Varsity experience is the key,” Foley said. “I’m just not sure that some of the girls realized the speed and how physical other teams were [last year]. Southwest Missouri is a basketball mecca with many talented girls and players. Coach Morlan did a wonderful job with this group and I hope to finish what he started.”
After winning 17 games in 2016-17, the Lady Irish have combined for just 25 wins over the past three seasons—winning 11, nine and then five games over that stretch.
The young 2019-20 team showed promise in a number of close games, losing by 10 or less to Hillcrest, Aurora, Marshfield, Parkview, Logan-Rogersville, Summit Prep, McDonald County and Hollister.
The Hollister loss came in district play in a tight 38-37 defeat. The Lady Irish had previously beaten Hollister, which finished last season 17-11.
Springfield Catholic also adds a pair of freshman to this year’s varsity roster in Katie Galligos and Olivia Swisshelm.
“We just want to compete and make a run at some tournament championships,” Foley said. “We have huge aspirations and hope we can play well enough to make those come true.”
The COVID-19 pandemic has had just a minor impact on the program this summer and fall by shutting down offseason training on a pair of occasions due to cases at the school.
“Luckily no one on the team has gotten sick,” Foley said. “We will continue to practice safe distancing and see how things go. We are praying for a quick end to this pandemic, as is everybody else.”
The Lady Irish open their season on November 20 at home vs. Glendale. The Falcons beat the Lady Irish 48-38 in last season’s opener. Catholic hasn’t beaten Glendale since a 45-36 win on January 18, 2018.
