JV and Varsity Teams Unite as One

by Ellie Ferretti

The junior varsity girls basketball team cancelled their season because of injury and a shortage of players. With only 4 freshman and 2 sophomore players, the JV team came to an end quickly. The former junior varsity players will now be playing with 7 other upperclassman players on the varsity team for a total of 13 girls.  

The team seems to have had a little trouble working together in the beginning, but as the season progresses, the girls are learning how to play as a team. For the freshman, it is their first year playing high school basketball and being pushed up so quickly has forced them to play up to the older girls. 

Freshman post player Tori Doscotch stated, “It’s a lot harder now, but once we are juniors, we will be much more prepared for varsity.”

Brinlee Bauman, now a junior, was thrown into the varsity team her freshman year and has stayed on the team since. 

“It was intimidating at first. I struggled for awhile, but I got used to it. I did enjoy playing with the older girls because it was a totally different environment,” Bauman says. 

As co-captain of the varsity team now, she is leading the underclassman as they learn to adjust to the new team. 

“I am looking forward to seeing our improvement throughout the season. We have already improved so much,” stated Bauman. 

Head Coach John Gross realizes that it is tough for freshmen and sophomores to step up after having little or no experience playing on a varsity level. 

“They would be better off getting experience at the fresh-soph level, but on the other hand, they are forced to step up to make the varsity team better,” he said. 

Gross, assisted by Coach Ken Baker, encourages girls to come out and play ball, in hopes of having both a JV and varsity team for the 2019-2020 basketball season,. 

As the girls continue to improve, they are looking forward to a good season of playing together. With a record of 4-5, their ambition and motivation will hopefully get them far!