By Chris Parker
Blue Eye girls basketball graduated a decorated senior class and got a new head coach prior to last season, but that did not stop the Lady Bulldogs from winning 20 games for a seventh consecutive season.
“Coach Elfrink and his players built a standard here at Blue Eye and that standard was to play hard every single night,” Blue Eye head coach Jeff Dishman said. “We had great leadership last year in two seniors who graduated. We had a group of kids that would just flat out go play hard and never quit. Sometimes that mentality will win you some games. I’m most proud of that group since there were some skeptical people who thought we couldn’t win games.”
Kaylee Wilson earned first-team all-conference honors for Blue Eye last season in her first year as a member of the program.
“What makes Kaylee so good is that she has an incredible motor. She has a nose for the ball which is evident in her leading our team in rebounds last year at 10 rebounds per game as a sophomore,” Dishman said. “We expect the same and more this year, Kaylee has put the work in this summer on parts of her game that we thought were deficient and I’m anxious to see how she progresses.”
In total, seven of Blue Eye’s top nine players return. The other returning players include: Kieryn Fairchild (senior guard), Hailey Hobbs (senior forward), Emmelee Litel (junior guard), Angelia Bettlach (junior guard), Olivia Cardenzana (junior guard/forward) and Chloe Kilgore (sophomore).
Dishman on Fairchild: “Kie had a great summer. She is a tough-minded kid who plays hard every single trip down the floor on both ends. She can get to the basket and has improved her mid-range game from last year. She is a huge part of what we do here.”
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Dishman on Hobbs: “Hailey missed all summer recovering from an ankle injury that she fought through all last season. If she can stay healthy and buy into the work ethic needed to play each night, she can be very good. She showed us last season at times that she could be very good inside and outside.”
Dishman on Litel: “One of the players who played out of position last year but did a great job of learning on the fly. She is very athletic and can score which is evident in averaging over 10 ppg in conference play. Em had a great summer and is one of our best on-ball defenders. She is physical enough to play inside and outside. Em will be a huge component of what we do this season.”
Dishman on Bettlach: “Another player that had a great summer, maybe even a break-out summer. She played well on both ends of the floor. She works hard on her craft and had some games last season where she shot it very well, we need Lina to play well every night to be successful.”
Dishman on Cardenzana: “Liv just needs playing time. She does so many good things when she is out there, she can be a tough defender and can shoot it some as well. She is a player that the more she plays the better she will get. She is our best cross country runner, so she is tough for sure.”
Dishman on Kilgore: “Had to play meaningful minutes last year due to injuries and had a great summer for us. Another tough-minded player that can play inside and outside. Chloe will get better with playing time. We expect big things from her this season. If she keeps improving, she could be very good.”
The experience of the returning players will be a source of strength this season.
“As they say, strength is in numbers,” Dishman said. “We have quite a few players back from last year’s team and most of them played meaningful minutes for us at times. I love the group we have here right now. They want each other to be good and they play for each other. I also believe we have a good core group of leaders, without that, you will struggle to find your identity.”
Sophomore Karlee Goldsmith along with freshmen Ellie Finch and Meleah Mitchell will look to carve out roles on varsity.
Dishman on Goldsmith: “A very athletic kid who is just learning how to play basketball. She will be asked to give us minutes this year as she gets used to the style we play. She could be very good one day.”
Dishman on Finch: “Ellie, like most freshmen, will need some games under her belt to get used to how physical it can be in games. She is a very smart defender and will help us this year at times when needed. She played well this summer, and we look for big things from her in the future.”
Dishman on Mitchell: “Like Ellie, Meleah will just need games to get used to varsity basketball. She will get better with time. She can flat guard when she is engaged.”
Dishman will look for the whole roster to bring physicality this season.
“We need to be more physical in every aspect of the game,” Dishman said. “We have to come out every night and prove that the work we put in this summer has paid off. We talked over and over about becoming the tougher team, now we have to go show it.”
Blue Eye opens the season Nov. 18-22 at the Verona Tip-Off Classic.
“We want teams to know that it will be a tough grind it out 32 minutes of basketball,” Dishman said. “We have changed how we play some, and we want to be the mentally tougher team each night.”
