With fall sports coming to an end, winter sports have taken over. The diving, swimming and both girls’ and boys’ basketball teams hope for successful seasons. All of our winter sports’ coaches are ready for a fresh start this year, and they are doing everything they can to prepare their players for the coming season.
From the soccer field to the basketball court, juniors Ava Abner and Jesse Daley will join junior Leah Schaefer to lead the girls in a hardworking and intense basketball season. Playing varsity basketball since eighth grade, these three girls are experienced in varsity sports, and are looked upon to do big things this year, with the help of their teammates. Ava said, "I think that this year could be a big success. As long as we work hard and push ourselves, we could have good results for this year. Jesse and Leah will be the main targets to shut down, so I am going to have to not be a dominantly defensive player, and I am going to have to get my offense going and help them as much as I can."
Sydney Watson is the only returning senior who has seen significant varsity action in her high school career, while other seniors Ashley Kraus and Kelsey Kowolonek will definitely provide support. With the loss of the team’s do-it-all guard, Allie Conner, Coach Richey is counting on guards Vanessa Fisse, Emilie Parton, juniors, and Brianna Adler, eighth grader, to take the ball to the rim, knock down shots when we need a basket and feed the ball to Ava when she’s open. Coach Richey "gels" the girls together, eliminating girl drama and making sure that everyone knows her role on the team.
Senior superstars Patrick Towles, Sam Lewis and Carter New will join the boys’ basketball team after football to work toward beating last year’s record of 14-16. Coach Mike Flynn said, "Along with the leadership of our seniors, the team will be athletic and have good depth." Every year, several younger players ascend to the varsity ranks, and this year should be no different. An athletic bunch of freshmen has been experiencing the new life of high school sports.
Coach Flynn hopes to see the guys from all three teams gel together as a whole. To get the desired results this season, the boys will have to accept their roles on the team and play to the best of their abilities.
Coach Flynn wants to continue to build a "gym rat" culture that leads to improved skill levels. If the team improves their skills, gel together and remain injury free, this year’s boys’ basketball team should be able to advance and meet their goals for the coming season.
Starting young and participating all four years of high school, many swimmers and divers have great seasons and are able to compete at state. Being a very committed individual, senior Conner Downard has really put a lot into swimming, participating on the Highlands’ swim and dive team and swimming for the Northern Kentucky Clippers all year round. Conner will be joined by fellow senior classmates Alyssa Federle, Nick Sargent and Natalie Shultz.
The outlook for this season looks promising. Freshman Chrissi Federle said, "I think the team will do pretty well again this year. We have a lot of new, young swimmers to train all the way up to their senior year." Swimmers have taken different approaches to readying themselves for the season and pushing themselves so they get the results they want out of this season.
One individual, freshman Easton Depp, said, "I plan to show up to every practice and I am working on dry land to build strength."
With many goals being set and a lot of hard work, the swim and dive teams’ spirits are high and hopeful for a good season.
All of our winter sports’ teams agree that the forecast for this winter is one that will make all Highlands’ students want to come out and support their teams!