Scotts Valley High coach Jim Hart is a bit on the optimistic side going into this fall season of girls basketball. After all, what isn’t to be optimistic about?
Hart has the league’s leading scorer returning in senior Liz Munger, who averaged 15.7 points a game for the Falcons last year. Munger will be supported by a strong returning cast in senior starters Natalia Ebrahemian and Sonja Gustafsson, who helped the Falcons to a 7-5 record in the Santa Cruz Coast Athletic League in 2009.
To bolster the team’s returning starters, there’s an able-bodied group of eager juniors in Kelsey Laporte, Katrina Silver, Ocea Creary and Marissa Diaz, who are all pushing for starting positions.
Hart, who was named the 2009-10 Coach of the Year in the SCCAL, is enthusiastic.
“Our outlook is really good. This is a strong group of girls.” Hart said. “We should definitely finish strong in league”
Scotts Valley will begin the season at the Lady Cougar Classic Tournament hosted by valley rival San Lorenzo Valley High, Dec. 16 through 18, which they won last year.
The team plays its first league game Jan. 5 at home against Aptos High.
San Lorenzo Valley
First-year head coach Laura Lange also has high hopes for the Cougars’ potential this season.
Lange moves to SLV from Biola University and takes the reins from athletic director Marcus Northcutt, who is taking over the boys team.
Led by team captains Savannah Prather and Molly Smith, the girls will look to establish themselves as a force in league after going 3-9 in the SCCAL last season.
“It’s all up to the girls,” Lange said. “If they can pick up their aggression and buckle down on defense, they will do really well. They are really going to surprise people.”
San Lorenzo Valley lost to graduation its only contributions to the 2009-10 All-League team, Sierra Clark and Olivia Ambris, but the Cougars hope their shoes can be readily filled.
“With a new coach, it’s a new experience, but (Lange) is doing a really good job,” Prather said “We definitely stand a good chance in league. I know we will have to work for it. But we have four returning starters, so we should do well.”
The team will host the Lady Cougar Classic and begin league play against Aptos on Jan. 4.
