2024-25 Winter Preview: West Plains Girls Basketball

By Dana Harding (For OzarksSportsZone.com)

The West Plains girls basketball program enjoyed another successful campaign during longtime head coach Scott Womack’s final season at the helm.

The Zizzers compiled a 24-9 record, falling to Branson in the district semifinal round.

Heading into the 2024-25 season, a new face will patrol the sideline as Christy Otter takes over the reins for the retired Womack.

“The Lady Zizzer basketball program has been well respected for more than 35 years across Southwest Missouri, and the expectation of success will be no different this year,” Otter said. “We have girls that got a taste of what success is like from the last state championship at West Plains, and they are determined to get back to that level of play.”

Otter’s first order of business will be replacing a talented class of graduates, including three-time all-state selection Alyssa Joyner, who will continue her basketball career at College of the Ozarks this season.

“Having lost the majority of scoring to graduation, we have a lot to prove in the scoring column,” Otter said. “Right now we have a mix of kids with good size and good speed. We’ll determine what style of play fits them best and work to improve throughout the season and peak at the right time going into district play.”

5-foot-9 senior Ashley Culton returns to lead the new-look Zizzer lineup this season.

“Ashley is doing a great job being a senior leader fulfilling her role of coming in and providing a lift to her team,” Otter said.

Culton will be joined by a trio of returning juniors in 5-foot-8 Lucy Hafer, 5-foot-6 Zoe Scharnhorst and 5-foot-6 Zoe Shrubb.

“Lucy is the heartbeat of this team,” Otter said. “She will compete every possession, and she does all the little things that a true leader does.”

Both Scharnhorst and Shrubb received all-conference honors as sophomores.

“[Scharnhorst] is the first one in and the last one out – a versatile player with a big heart,” Otter said. “[Shrubb] has the ability to score the 3-ball and is expected to be a big contributor to the team.”

In addition to her returning corps, Otter expects big things from 5-foot-10 junior transfer Shaylee Peterson.

“Shaylee transferred from Thayer and is expected to make an immediate impact,” Otter said. “She is a solid presence on the inside and is developing her game on the perimeter. She will bring a lot of varsity experience to a young team.”

A pair of freshman newcomers will also compete for varsity minutes in 5-foot-11 Gillian Green and 5-foot-5 Ainsley McWilliams.

“Gillian is a very talented player on the rise,” Otter said. “Her athleticism provides her the ability to score in multiple ways and allows her to play various positions on the floor.

“Ainsley is a very skilled ball handler with a high motor. Her ability to make decisions in the open floor, create for her teammates and score will be a big piece to the success of this team.”

For West Plains to enjoy another successful run this season, Otter believes her team – particularly the freshman duo – will need to develop quickly and adjust to the speed and talent featured at the varsity level.

“We have multiple players that will bring great qualities to the floor, and I feel like we are a team that will play to win,” Otter said. “We will have a deep bench and players that I feel confident to put in and have no let down in level of play. The x-factor will be consistency. Having two young players that will get significant minutes against the level of teams that we play will be a huge factor.”

Following a Nov. 19 jamboree at Doniphan, West Plains will open its season Nov. 22 in the Rolla Bluefish Shootout.