Winter came on like a fast break and means we're that much closer to everything that the hardwood will include! Every season has it's own flavor but with new additions to the local scene & significant turnover from last year to this one the 2022/2023 season will be a ride all it's own.
In preparation for the first games this edition comes courtesy of coach Kenyon Wingenbach talking about Sheyenne girls hoops.
Last season was full of new records & achievements by your team, if you were to select a few from the list which would you choose & why?
"I think the number one record we set was for wins in a season (20) and consecutive wins (16). We were one of only four teams to do that in Class A girls. I am really proud of how quickly the girls came together and bought into what we were trying to accomplish as a team. Another area that we emphasized was cutting down on turnovers, and we set a school record for fewest turnovers in a season. That coupled with our ability to score was a major factor in our success last season."
Did your team participate in any camps this past Summer? If so, how did your team benefit from that? Did any players surprise you with what they showed during the workouts?
"We went to three team camps this summer, but mostly focused on skill and program development at home. We went to Sioux Falls near the end of June for a 2-day camp and had a lot of success against some of the top team in South Dakota. That was very encouraging considering the amount of talent on those teams. We have 7 of our top 8 back from last year, so it’s just a matter of coming together and developing some things that will get us to that next level. There will be a lot of competition and many candidates for the last varsity spots, and I’m looking forward to seeing who emerges."
Have you already had players in the gym working on their game this Fall?
"We had a lot of players participate in fall sports. We have also had a number of kids utilize the resources in Fargo and West Fargo in regards to basketball. As the fall sports have been winding down, we have some senior-led open gyms."
Peyton Breidenbach, Brenna Dick, Maya Metcalf & Karson Sanders have been identified as top players in the region. How did you see them improve last season & since? How might they continue to progress?
"Peyton Breidenbach (senior PG, signed at Minot St.) continues to get more and more athletic as her career progresses. She’s an outstanding shooter, and we’re looking for ways to get her some easier looks to go along with her outstanding point guard skills. Brenna Dick (junior guard) came on strong during a stretch in the middle of January and the rest of the league took notice. She was the only non-starter to be named All-Conference in Class A. She is a crafty scorer and is continuing to evolve. Maya Metcalf (senior post, signed at MSUM) focused a lot on her range last summer and it paid dividends during the season. She became one of top 3-point shooters in the league last year. She’s been putting in a lot of time on balancing her inside-outside game, and looks even more explosive this year. Her experience playing with North Tartan was very valuable. Karson was our rock last year. She was very consistent and dominated the boards on both ends. Her physical presence along with Maya inside created a great 1-2 punch. Brenna’s ability to create easy turnovers on defense turns into easy points for us, and Maya and Karson both broke the school record for blocks in a season last year."
Who are some of the other players you anticipate will help fill-in for Alivia Manson and the other departures? What do they bring to the roster?
"Alivia Manson and Lauren Fagerland were our only two seniors last year, but we will definitely miss their 3-point shooting. Alivia nailed 67 threes last year (152 in her career), and Lauren Fagerland graduated with the highest 3-point percentage for her career in school history (39.3%). We don’t have any one person to replace their production from behind the line, but we can make up for it as a team. Senior Alayna Holder will be one that sees significant minutes. She played in 21 games last year but will see more of an increased role as a player who can play on the wing and in the post. Other returning varsity players include senior Karli Urlacher, juniors Faith Arechigo and Hannah Herford, and sophomore Lucy Greenwood. We have a lot of experience back and its their second year in the system. I’m looking forward to seeing where this team can go!"
Is there a certain aspect of the game that you think will be the strength of your team?
"One of the strengths of our team will be the versatility of our lineups. We have an assortment of combinations of posts and guards that can play together at certain times throughout the season. Our depth is going to be key for us this year."
To boil it down, what would make the upcoming season a successful one?
"The biggest thing we need to do is build off of last year. We need to take what worked for us, adapt it to the collective team strengths of this year’s group, and put ourselves in position to make a run at tournament time. It’s a long season, and our kids have high expectations, so it’s a matter of focusing on the little things to get us to that next level."
There's been a lot of talk about the proposed three-class division. Do you have a comment about that?
"Personally, I’m a proponent of it. At the top class, we will be able to play everyone in our conference twice without any 2-point games while also having the flexibility in our schedule to play more teams in the WDA and surrounding areas. From a fan perspective, splitting the Class B into 2 classes would create more opportunities for teams that don’t have the available resources in their area that a lot of the more successful Class B schools have access to. The overall concept is great for the state, and the majority of the state is on board with the idea of three classes in general."
Is there anything else you would like people to know about your program or players?
"We gained some momentum last year and have a lot of hungry people in our program. This season will have its challenges and we won’t be sneaking up on anybody this season but I have a lot of confidence in our core leadership that we can navigate our way through the season and take this program to new heights while setting the next group of Mustangs up for future success!"
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