Wednesday, November 21, 2018 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon
27
Sixteen players turn out Veterans anchor basketball squad
for girls basketball
By Rongi Yost
Correspondent
By Rongi Yost
Correspondent
The Lady Outlaws return
10 experienced players to the
program, and will add depth
with six new additions.
Seniors Alexa Stewart,
Sophia Bianchi, Isabelle
Spitler, and Sydney Head all
return to the guard position,
and senior Meaghan Greaney
will play down low at post.
Juniors Kaylee Huber and
Olivia Hougham will see
time as guards, and Rheanna
Salisbury, Josie Aylor, and
Gracen Sundstrom, also
juniors, will play at the post
position.
Brittaney Niebergall, the
Outlaws’ new head coach, is
in the process of evaluating
her players and their strengths.
Niebergall said, “I am
expecting our seniors to
step forward and provide
the proper leadership for the
young, inexperienced team.
The girls are working hard,
and I get the feeling they
really want to improve their
individual skills, and also
have an impact in the games
this year.”
Newcomers include Faith
Godfrey, Hallie Schwartz, and
Riley Reece Morgan, all junior
forwards. Three freshmen,
Anya Shockley and Emma
Lutz (forwards), and Payden
Pederson (guard) are also
new additions. As the new-
bies develop their skills, they
will add depth to the squad.
I get the feeling they
really want to improve
their individual skills
— Brittaney Niebergall
Niebergall said, “We are
really focusing on trying to
improve as a team and as a
program. We’d really like to
be competitive in each game.
We will use our pre-season to
evaluate our players and see
who is really going to step
forward for us, leadership-
wise and playing-wise.”
The girls basketball pro-
gram will have both a var-
sity and a JV squad this
year, but all the players will
be involved with the varsity
team, and be on the bench for
varsity games.
The boys basketball squad
is excited about the upcoming
season, returning five strong
seniors to the hardwood:
Brad Eagan, Jack Berg,
Ryan Waddell, Jude Carhart
and Zach Anderson. All are
expected to be big contribu-
tors this year.
Eagan played key minutes
at the point guard position last
year, and has worked hard in
the off-season to improve his
strength and quickness. Berg
is a three-year starter, is a
steady player, and can really
score points for the team.
Coach Rand Runco has hopes
that Jack will really step into
a leadership role this year.
Runco noted that Waddell
is a hard worker, and is
expected to be a key player
on the boards. Carhart is very
quick, and an intense compet-
itor, and coaches are excited
to see how he will impact the
team.
Anderson returns as a
key scorer, and also a big
rebounder. Runco stated that
Zach has an infectious energy
and makes the Outlaws
explosive.
Runco said, “We do not
have much depth at this
time, but our next players are
working hard to create roles
for themselves.”
Isaiah Chapen, Sam
Nickalous, Nate Weber,
Brogan Peterson, Connor
Linn and Joe Scholl are
swing players that are prac-
ticing with the varsity, and all
are working hard to find roles
in the varsity games.
“Each one of these guys
has good things to offer and
are trying to pick up part of
their game,” said Runco.
“The biggest thing is that
they step up their defensive
intensity. When that hap-
pens I expect our depth will
improve.”
Runco is excited to be
back as varsity coach this
season, and told The Nugget
he is working closely with
Coach David Godfrey, who
stepped in last year as the
varsity coach in Runco’s
absence.
“David did an outstand-
ing job last year, and we
are working together this
season,” said Runco. “This
is going to be an exciting
year. We are in a new league
(Oregon West Conference),
which will be one of the
premier basketball leagues
in the state. Many of these
teams were in our old Capital
Conference in the past. We
will not have a night off this
season, and staying healthy
and improving will be key.
I expect us to be battling for
one of the top spots,”
The basketball program
had a good turnout and will
be able to field three teams
this year. The Outlaws have a
new JV 2 coach, Mike Green,
who hails from Lake Tahoe,
and Breck Boyd, the new JV
1 coach. Past Outlaws star
Josh Reznick will also be
joining the staff.
In the Oregon West
Conference, Stayton is one
of the pre-season favorites,
and returns the most players,
which include two 6-foot-
7-inch posts. Philomath,
Woodburn, and Newport
will also be tough competi-
tion, and Sweet Home and
Cascade should also be solid.
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