Lady Saints Could Soar this Season

In a loaded pack of talented squads, the Seward County
Lady Saints have been chosen as the favorites in the Jayhawk West
Conference by the league’s coaches as announced at conference media day
Monday. Seward, who finished 23-8 overall last season and 11-5 in
Jayhawk West Conference action return two of the top players in the
league this season in sophomores Ricquia Jones and Anete Kirsteine, as
well as boasting one of the top in state returnees in Kelsey Blair.
Jones and Kirsteine both started all 31 games for the Lady Saints as
freshmen a season ago, Jones averaging 8.0 points, 4.3 assists, and 3.1
steals per game and Kirsteine earning All-Conference accolades after
averaging 11.3 points and 4.4 rebounds per contest while shooting a
blistering 46% from three point land on the year. Blair played in 30 of
31 games for Seward in her rookie season, turning herself into one of
the top reserves in the league, reaching double figures on eight
occasions off the Lady Saints bench while averaging 6.1 points per game.
The trio is joined by a versatile group of newcomers for the 2012-2013
season which should allow Lady Saints Head Coach Toby Wynn some
flexibility this year. Down low the Lady Saints will have the services
of 6’6 Marta Oledzka, a transfer from New Mexico Junior College and a
pair of in state signees in Topeka’s Shanise Brooks and Plains’ Sheree
Ryan. Wynn has a plethora of players that will be able to handle the
ball in the backcourt for the Lady Saints including local products Avery
Burns, Bridget Crandall, and Justice Norah, as well as Brazilian
freshman Fabiana Monte to go along with Jones and Blair. Freshmen
Jaleasa Jones and Madison McClain both can play multiple positions for
Seward, giving Wynn different lineup possibilities while Janel Tammen
will see time at the small forward spot.
Following the Lady Saints who were picked 1st in the
poll was Garden City who will rely on seven transfers this season to
join 2012 Freshman of the Year Tamara Jones. The 3rd team in the poll
incredibly was Hutchinson who went 36-1 a year ago and finished as the
NJCAA National Tournament runners-up after an undefeated run through the
Jayhawk West and then the Region VI Tournament. Butler, who has been on
the rise in the league the past two seasons was picked #4 thanks to a
solid recruiting class, but has been beat up in the preseason, already
losing multiple players for the 2012-2013 season with injuries. Cloud
County finds themselves picked in an unusual spot at #5 after a number
of years at the top of the Jayhawk West standings, but don’t count out
500 game winner Brett Erkenbrack and the Lady T-Birds that return two
starters from last year’s 22-10 squad. Barton checks in at #6 and will
have to rely on a guard heavy roster to compete at the top of the league
this season. Following a 7th place finish last season, Pratt was once
again picked to finish there this season despite six sophomores
returning for the Lady Beavers. Despite an 0-16 conference mark in
2011-2012, Dodge City was a vastly improved team and is expected to take
another step up this season as they were picked 8th despite bringing
back just one player from last year. Colby was picked at the bottom of
the league, in at #9, and will have to improve upon the worst defense in
the entire region that allowed nearly 67 points per game a year ago if
they are to climb into the Jayhawk West race.
November 2nd in the Greenhouse against Oklahoma
Baptist in the Pepsi Classic.
Roy Allen