By Matt Turer (For OzarksSportsZone.com)
The Mt. Vernon girls varsity basketball program got its start in 1973-74. The Mountaineers won their first district championship just two seasons later in 1975-76, and they haven’t slowed down since.
The last five years alone have seen five more district titles added to the list, including a run to the state championship game last season—a close 58-52 loss to a 27-win Boonville team by a Mountaineer group that finished 28-4. It was the program’s third state championship game appearance—winning the previous two—and its fifth appearance in the final four.
“These teams are consistently in the hunt for conference and district championships,” Mountaineers head coach Grant Berendt said of his group, which cruised to a Class 4 District 12 championship behind wins of 57-22 over Cassville and 84-23 over Seneca last season.
“The ultimate goal is to try to compete at the highest level and make the final four. Our young girls see that and want to be a part of that and want to leave their mark on this program as well.”
The Mountaineers have won at least 23 games in each of the last five seasons and have held opposing offenses to under 40.0 points per game in three of those seasons—a recipe for consistent success. Teams haven’t averaged 50.0+ points against a Mt. Vernon team since the 2015-16 season.
“This year, we’re very excited about the team we have,” Berendt said. “A Lacy Stokes and an Ellie Johnston don’t come along every year, but we like to talk about the team that came before us as a tradition to uphold. We think of it as next girl up.”
DOWNLOAD THE O-ZONE APP NOW!
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD FOR APPLE
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD FOR ANDROID
Many of those next girls up are familiar. The Mountaineers return five varsity letterman from last year’s state runner-up team, and two all-district selections in Cameryn Cassity (7.5 PPG, 3.0 RPG) and Raegan Boswell (4.9 PPG, 4.8 RPG).
Mt. Vernon will also look to senior Jolie Prescott, juniors Kadence Krempges (G) and Allie Schubert and a slew of incoming freshman.
Berendt mentioned Krempges as a Division I caliber soccer player who plays club soccer due to the Mountaineers not having a varsity soccer program. Shiebert started every game for the Mountaineers as a freshman and the majority of games last season.
Both Cassity and Boswell had double-digit scoring efforts last season.
“We have been very successful the past two seasons,” Berendt said. “Our players knew their roles. Last year, we returned the same team. This summer when we started, we guarded well but didn’t know who should score or how we should score, so we struggled with whose turn it was and how to execute.
“But by the end of the summer we were clicking, and our kids are excited with what we could build on there. Our girls expect to win, but we’re going to have to win differently this year based on the personnel we have.”
The Mountaineers will jamboree with Webb City and Carl Junction at McDonald County on November 16.
