Lady Pirates looking for another strong season in 2010-11
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The Lady Pirates will be looking for another trip to the state tournament this season as they take to the court for basketball season.
Polson earned a trip to Hamilton for the state tournament last season after finishing second to Columbia Falls in the Northwest A Conference Tournament. The Lady Pirates dropped games to Sidney and Havre at the state level but finished the 2009-2010 season with a 14-8 record and a 5-3 mark in conference play.
Despite losing only one player to graduation, the Lady Pirates will have a new look this season as they will be without several players from last season’s squad.
Nicole Davey was Polson’s lone graduate from last season’s team. Now a member of the MSU-Billings volleyball team, Davey nearly averaged a double-double for the Lady Pirates with 10 points and 8.6 rebounds per contest.
The Lady Pirates will also be without All-Conference First Team member and defensive MVP Sierra Pete, who went down with a torn ACL against Columbia Falls in the conference championship game last season. Pete was expected to make a full recovery for this season, but she tore the ligament again during the summer and was forced to have another surgery.
Pete will still be with the team this season as she will serve as a student assistant coach.
Polson will also be without Kayla Duford and Kendyll Rochin from last year’s squad as both players elected not to play basketball in their senior seasons.
“I am just hoping we can improve every week this season,” coach Randy Kelley said. “We have some new faces, so it will take some time to gel together. The injuries have already made things kind of tough. Some of these younger girls are just going to have to step up for us at the beginning of the season.”
The top returning player for the Lady Pirates will be All-State guard Breanne Kelley, who averaged 12 points per game for Polson last year. Kelley was a nightmare for opposing teams last season as she finished the year tied for the conference lead in steals, and was fourth in free throw percentage and total scoring. Kelley has scored more than 250 points the past two seasons and scored a career high 32 against Ronan as a sophomore.
All-Conference Second Team member Riley Kenney will once again play the post for the Lady Pirates this season. Kenney scored in double digits in 13 of Polson’s 22 games last season while picking up five double-doubles with her ability on the boards. She scored over 200 points last season and was in the top-10 in the conference in four offensive categories. She was also fifth in the conference in rebounding at 7.3 per game. Kenney will be somewhat hampered this season as she continues to play with the shoulder injury she suffered in softball last season.
All-Conference Honorable Mention member Mariah Hamel will once again be running the point for the Lady Pirates this season. Hamel finished last season in the top-10 in three statistical categories as she was sixth in assists, tied for sixth in 3-point field goals and was tied for eighth in steals in the conference. Hamel will be starting the season on the injured list, though, as she dislocated her elbow during the second day of practices.
Heidi Rausch will also return to the varsity squad this season, as will Marlee Berry, who spent most of last season on the injured list.
A pair of transfers will also be looking to make a name for themselves with the Lady Pirates this season, Nina Orozco-Charlo and Jonna Grant from Ronan.
Orozco-Charlo played with the Maidens on the varsity level as a freshman last season where she was the team’s second leading scorer.
Grant was an All-Conference Second Team member last season after leading the Maidens in scoring. She was also in the top-10 in the conference in field goal percentage, 2-point field goals and free throw percentage.
“These transfers should help us out with our depth as we already have several players down with injuries,” Kelley said.
The Lady Pirates open the season against Frenchtown in the Northwestern vs Southwestern Tip-Off Tournament at Hamilton Friday.
