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Up-and-comers and a little redemption
January 19, 2008New day at Rider
Rider Lady Raiders basketball has been so far off the radar for the past two decades that we had to consult a former sports writer to find out when their last playoff trip was because the WFISD had no record of one.
That won't be the case much longer as Rider coach Jeff Martin continues to mold the program.
A 9-14 overall record and a 2-6 mark in District 5-4A ensures the playoff draught will run through 2007-08, but there have been enough flashes to believe its end is in sight.
Junior Samantha Smith (11.1 ppg.), along with talented freshmen Sammi Hislop, Lauren Hayley and Ashley Zimpel, will all return next season when Rider -- and, you heard it here first -- may even challenge for the district crown.
Fast times at Hirschi
Sporting their best record since the 2005-06 season, the Hirschi Lady Huskies are back in playoff form this season at 18-9, 3-1. But, there's still plenty of work to be done.
Despite a probable 20-win season, this team is still young and a far cry from the Tori Slusher/Ashley Davis-led teams that reached the regional semis two seasons ago.
Hirschi's youth showed last Tuesday night when Burkburnett (12-14, 3-0) - a less physically-gifted team - used free throws to run away with a win that may eventually give them the district title.
That is, unless coach Leta Lofton and her team can find a way to steal one in Burkburnett in two weeks.
Still, a playoff trip is imminent and that's a lot better than last season's 5-19 showing in Hirschi's first season without Slusher, Davis, Stephanie Plante and Valisha Jones running the floor.
Posted by Stephen Smith at 11:30 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
