Winter Sports Preview 3: With an Experienced Lineup, Lady Panthers Looking to Successful Season

Experience is one thing the Lady Panthers have in abundance. Going into the 2015-16 season, the girls have six seniors fresh from a 19-4 season last year.

Having finished 9-3 in their class AA section and advanced to the first round of playoffs, the Riverside girls basketball team is of course aiming for those goals again. However, teamwork and daily practice take precedent to earned titles.

“We would like to compete for a section title and the playoffs but we never talk about it in that manner,” head coach John Wolf said. “We simply take our next opponent and work to prepare for that team. Our daily goal is to get better every time we are in the gym.”

Under Wolf’s leadership, the emphasis is on team. With a strong returning line up seniors and three juniors, along with several sophomores and freshman in varsity play, the Lady Panthers have a powerful composition that focuses on working together.

“In the past we have had girls that would worry about blocks, rebounds, etc. over team,” Wolf said. “We never teach that. We always preach team first and foremost and this group lives that motto.”

With a lineup that doesn’t revolve around one or two players, there’s room for many players to shine, as was demonstrated in Monday’s game against Eden Christian Academy, where seniors Morgan Bailey, Katie Stang and Ashely Boehm, along with sophomore Sydney Wolf all scored in the double digits. In Thursday’s game against Riverside, Stang had an impressive 25 points.

The same team emphasis applies to defense. In the Tip Off tournament last weekend, Baily had seven rebounds against Avonworth and freshmen Natalia Bologna contributed eight against Ellwood City. Although the seniors provide a strong core of leadership, several juniors and sophomores round out the team and multiple freshmen have seen varsity play.

Although a small team, the Lady Panthers are focusing on boxing out and getting rebounds.With conference play incoming, Wolf said there are many challenging games ahead in the season, but his group is battle tested and working head.

The team is currently 4-0 overall. They defeated Ellwood City and Avonworth at Ellwood’s tip off tournament, Eden Christian Academy in a non-conference game and most recently, Shenango in a conference game.

Wolf is assisted by veteran coach Joe Fisher and Bob Rak. The team managers are Baylee Phillips and Marley Wolf.

The Lady Panthers schedule, roster and stats can be seen during the season at Panthers Roundball.