Falcons, Bulldogs to begin girls basketball season Monday
The #9 (2A) Aplington-Parkersburg girls basketball team will play at Hampton-Dumont-CAL in the season opener for both teams Monday.
The Falcons enter the season with high expectations, having earned a top-10 preseason ranking after last year’s state tournament appearance. Two returning starters, Kendall Riherd and Quinnlyn Schultz, will lead a roster that will use its depth as an advantage. Head Coach Brady Driscol says they’ll be prepared to face an experienced team.
"They've been playing varsity ball since they were freshmen," Driscol says. "They've been playing a lot of ball since they were probably in fourth, fifth, sixth grade. Our kids saw them in middle school, and they were already chucking it up from deep with form and making shots. Right when they cross half court, we've got to be alert and aware of where they are at all times. And then we just need to do our thing on the offensive end, get out and run. I think they have to be careful with getting [the Valley's] in foul trouble. They'll want to keep them on the court as much as possible."
Hampton-Dumont-CAL returns five starters from last year’s 5-17 team, including leading scorer Jordan Valley and leading rebounder Lily Hambly. Head Coach Miranda Stafford says she hopes to apply pressure to the Falcons in a variety of ways.
"We're going to have to rebound," Stafford says. "They're tall and athletic. They rebounded really well last year. We're going to have to handle the pressure. Everybody is going to have to be strong and comfortable with the ball in their hands. I think if we can do those things, we can compete. Creating some turnovers, getting some tips, and turning those turnovers into points is going to be really important, not always having to rely on our half court defense."
It’s the third straight season opener between the teams. The Falcons won 54-30 last year. The game will air on 99 The Wave, with pregame coverage beginning at 7:20 p.m., followed by the opening tipoff at 7:30.
