By Denise Tucker (For OzarksSportsZone.com)
The Mount Vernon Lady Mountaineers have come a long way since their injury-shortened season of 2022-2023.
The Lady Mountaineers bounced back and rebuilt to finish 11-15 overall and 1-6 in the Big 8 East Conference in 2023-2024 after going just 1-8 in a season that was abruptly cut short.
“We didn’t know really what to expect, so we approached it as starting a new program,” said head coach Dusty Killingsworth, who is 352-284 in 26 years of coaching. “We were building to the very end of the season, including the district run to the championship game. We were still building things that we want to install this season. We were fortunate to win some games and compete, so that was a blessing we will build on this season.
“Last year was a blur, so we now have our feet underneath us and I am thankful for our coaches and players that made last year positive and productive.”
Mount Vernon returns the experience of seven seniors and two sophomores who will look to continue building upon last season’s success and momentum.
Cheyenne Bieber, senior guard – Averaged 13 points, 6.1 rebounds 3.3 assists and 2 steals per game; named to the Class 4 All-District 12 and All-Big 8 East Conference teams. “She has an outstanding all-around game, she can score, handle, pass and rebound,” Killingsworth said. “She is a very competitive player, so she is aggressive on the defensive end and can score it on all three levels on offense. She is a great multi-sport athlete and we will rely on her to put all of that experience on the floor. She will be asked to do a lot, which she is more than capable of doing. We expect her to be a leader and to be that versatile player at the highest level.”
Audrey Bittle, senior forward – Averaged 5 points, 4.6 rebounds 1 assist and 1 steal. “She has the ability and intelligence to accomplish a lot in the game and should make an impact for us during her senior year. She can be a dynamic player on both ends of the floor and make plays, rebound and defend. She is a great teammate and we look forward to seeing what she can become as a player this season. Confidence will be the key for Audrey as the season moves along.”
Isabel Cloud, senior guard/forward – Averaged 4.5 points 1.5 rebounds and 1 steal per game. “Once again, we will ask her to be a multi-positional player. She has the ability to extend her range and we expect her to be a difference-maker. She is a good leader and we expect great things from Isabel this season on both the offensive and defensive ends of the floor. If Isabel can do what we believe she can do, she will have an outstanding senior year and be a huge difference-maker.”
Taylor Gaddy, senior guard – Averaged 1.7 points, 1 rebound. “Taylor works extremely hard. She is a big difference-maker on the defensive side and is working hard to increase her offensive productivity. She is a great young lady that deserves all the best we can give her. I look forward to seeing what she can do this year and what she can bring to the team.”
Teagyn Huver, senior forward – “We will rely on Teagyn to provide leadership and athleticism on the court. She has been through the fire of varsity competition and knows what it takes to be successful. We will need her to provide defense, rebounding and to use her athleticism on the offensive end. She keeps growing in her offensive skills, which we saw over the summer. We will rely on her as the season moves on.”
Madison Rinker, senior – Averaged 2.1 points, 1.6 rebounds. “Madison worked her way back from injury last season and became a key contributor for us. Madison has a fantastic attitude and work ethic, which makes her great for our team. We will rely on her to do a variety of things on both ends during the season, as she always defends and looks to facilitate on offense. We also will rely on her to extend her game, which she has the ability to do.”
Aubree Rogerson, senior – Averaged 1.3 points, 1.1 rebounds. “(Aubree) will bring toughness to our team. She works hard to be the best she can be. She will be asked to defend and shoot with confidence. She has been in during the fall working on her game. Along with many of our players, she will have to play a few spots on both offense and defense, which she has the ability to do and excel.”
Emmie Schubert, sophomore – Averaged 3.2 points, 4.5 rebounds. “(Emmie) is a multi-sport athlete that has had great success. She worked into a key contributor last season as a freshman and we look for her to expand that role this year. She is a great rebounder, can score and is very tough as a defender. She works hard in all aspects both on and off of the court.”
Mary Fields, sophomore – Averaged 1.1 points. “Another sophomore that came in and competed for minutes on the varsity level. She has worked hard this summer, and in the offseason, to increase her role. She is a very good athlete that continues to work on all aspects of her game. We will rely on Mary to do a lot for our team and she has proven she wants to. And as she continues to gain confidence, she will become a very good player.”
Killingsworth has a strong sophomore class, led by guard Bella Hernandez, as well as freshman guard Kenley Eidemiller, looking to make an impact in 2024-2025.
Bella Hernandez, sophomore guard – “We will rely on Bella to bring ballhandling and an offensive mind to our team,” Killingsworth said. “We expect Bella to work hard and bring all those great aspects of her game to our team.”
Kenley Eidemiller, freshman guard – “Kenley had a great summer for us and loves to play basketball. She has a very good all-around game and is a smart player as a freshman. We are looking forward to seeing how she can transition from middle school to high school.”
Jocelyn Liss, sophomore – “Jocelyn is a multi-sport athlete that had a great freshman year, and we will rely on her to continue to improve and use her athleticism and effort.”
Sophomores Keira Barrett, Kiley Jenkins and Gabriella West will also look to contribute to varsity this season.
“This group learned a lot last season and over the summer,” Killingsworth said. “Preparation every day and making each moment count will be the difference early in the season. Our conference is always difficult, and we have a challenging nonconference schedule that will prepare us well for the Big 8 and district play. We have a group of girls that have been varsity players for three years and are willing/ready to take the next step.”
The Lady Mountaineers will open the regular season at home against Hillcrest on Nov. 25 and then compete in the Fair Grove Invitational Tournament on Dec. 2-6.
“Expectations are always high for us and this year is no exception,” Killingsworth said. “We don’t only expect to compete each game, our expectation is that they will compete every day. When they get to that point, everything else will take care of itself.
“This team will need to find a balance of all the fundamental parts of the game, plus developing a strong bench and finding the joy/fun of playing a game. If we can improve from game to game, the end of our season could be special.
“We have a great supportive community and the girls love playing in front of them, so they are definitely excited to get started.”
