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Racheal Keithley is one of several juniors returning to lead Rifle's girls basketball team in 2009-10. The Bears went 16-8 in 2008-09.
Rifle girls basketball
Head coach: Stephanie Heald, second year.
Key players: Cortney Cordova, Ciara Euler, Makayla Wilkins, Racheal Keithley.
How the Bears fared in 2008-09: Rifle pieced together a 16-8 campaign that featured a third-place 4A Western Slope League finish and first-round playoff victory over Skyline.
First game: Dec. 1 at Grand Junction Central, 7 p.m.
Key players: Cortney Cordova, Ciara Euler, Makayla Wilkins, Racheal Keithley.
How the Bears fared in 2008-09: Rifle pieced together a 16-8 campaign that featured a third-place 4A Western Slope League finish and first-round playoff victory over Skyline.
First game: Dec. 1 at Grand Junction Central, 7 p.m.
RIFLE, Colorado — The cupboard appears to be fully stocked for Rifle's girls basketball team, which returns a big percentage of a 2008-09 roster that produced a 16-8 season and a playoff showing.
“I think we only lost two seniors last year,” second-year coach Stephanie Heald said. “A good majority of last year's team are now juniors.”
Included in that talented junior class is Cortney Cordova, the Bears' top scorer last winter, and speedy point guard Makalya Wilkins.
Rifle is also returning a pair of juniors who'll provide a presence in the frontcourt in Racheal Keithley and Ciara Euler. The latter left the team late last season but is back on board for 2009-10.
“We have a whole bunch of people back,” Heald said. “It's looking pretty good.”
Also back with the team is Quincey Snyder, a junior who suffered a spinal cord injury in a diving accident last winter. Snyder, still rehabbing, will serve as a student coach.
“She's doing pretty good,” Heald said. “She's still in a wheelchair, but she was able to walk on a treadmill and go a whole 12 minutes. She's getting better and she's in really good spirits. Just having her in the gym really helps out a lot. It'll help [the players] out.”
Also showing up in the gym quite often these days is Heald's 4-month-old son, Maclyn.
Balancing a newborn and coaching will be a challenge, but it's one Heald's eager to embrace.
Considering the talent she has to work with, it's no wonder.
“We did pretty well last year,” Heald said. “We have a pretty young team, so I think it was a good learning experience. Hopefully the girls really learned from it and can add on to it this year.”
“I think we only lost two seniors last year,” second-year coach Stephanie Heald said. “A good majority of last year's team are now juniors.”
Included in that talented junior class is Cortney Cordova, the Bears' top scorer last winter, and speedy point guard Makalya Wilkins.
Rifle is also returning a pair of juniors who'll provide a presence in the frontcourt in Racheal Keithley and Ciara Euler. The latter left the team late last season but is back on board for 2009-10.
“We have a whole bunch of people back,” Heald said. “It's looking pretty good.”
Also back with the team is Quincey Snyder, a junior who suffered a spinal cord injury in a diving accident last winter. Snyder, still rehabbing, will serve as a student coach.
“She's doing pretty good,” Heald said. “She's still in a wheelchair, but she was able to walk on a treadmill and go a whole 12 minutes. She's getting better and she's in really good spirits. Just having her in the gym really helps out a lot. It'll help [the players] out.”
Also showing up in the gym quite often these days is Heald's 4-month-old son, Maclyn.
Balancing a newborn and coaching will be a challenge, but it's one Heald's eager to embrace.
Considering the talent she has to work with, it's no wonder.
“We did pretty well last year,” Heald said. “We have a pretty young team, so I think it was a good learning experience. Hopefully the girls really learned from it and can add on to it this year.”
