Young Lady Mustangs Excited About Season

RICK PECK SPECIAL TO MCDONALD COUNTY PRESS The 2017-2018 McDonald County High School girls' basketball team.

RICK PECK SPECIAL TO MCDONALD COUNTY PRESS The 2017-2018 McDonald County High School girls' basketball team.

Thursday, November 30, 2017

Coach Blake Short enters his fourth season as head coach of the McDonald County Lady Mustang basketball team with one full-time returning starter and two others who started at different times during last year's 7-19 season.

Ragan Wilson, a 5-7 sophomore guard, started all 26 games last year as a freshman. She will be joined by part-time starters Meagan Mills (5-8 senior) and Samantha Frazier (5-7 junior).

McDonald County High School

Girls Basketball Varsity Roster

Number^Name^Height^Position

1^Caitlyn Barton^5-7^G/F

2^Addison Mick^5-7^G/F

3^Sam Frazier^5-7^G

5^Sydney Killion^5-7^G/F

10^Lily Allman^5-4^G

11^Rita Santillan^5-6^G

12^Katie Kester^5-6^G

13^Meagan Mills^5-8^G/F

15^Ragan Wilson^5-7^G

22^Aaliyah Rubio^5-7^F

23^Kristin Penn^5-8^G/F

30^Laney Wilson^5-6^G/F

31^Alexia Estrada^5-5^G

33^Zoe Valance^5-10^F/C

40^Aspen Bowman^5-8^F/C

41^Jaylie Sanny^5-8^F/C

50^Mollie Milleson^6-0^F/C

McDonald County High School

2017-2018 Girls Basketball Schedule

Date^Opponent^Location^Time

11/16/17^Jamboree^TBA^5:30 p.m.

11/27/17—12/02/17^Carl Junction Tournament^Away^TBA

12/05/17^Purdy^Away^6 p.m.

12/08/17^St. Mary’s Colgan^Away^6 p.m.

12/14/17 Baxter Springs Home 6 pm

12/27/17—12/29/17^Neosho Holiday Tournament^Away^TBA

01/04/18^Lamar^Home^6 p.m.

01/05/18^Aurora^Away^6 p.m.

01/08/18^Cassville High School^Away^5 p.m.

01/11/18^Seneca^Home^6 p.m.

01/18/18^Carthage^Home^5 p.m.

01/23/18^Webb City^Away^5 p.m.

01/26/18^Neosho^Home^5 p.m.

01/29/18—02/03/18^Seneca Invitational^Away^TBA

02/09/18^Providence Academy^Home^6 p.m.

02/12/18^East Newton^Away^6 p.m.

02/13/18^St. Mary’s Colgan^Home^6 p.m.

02/15/18^Mount Vernon^Away^6 p.m.

02/20/18^Monett^Home^5 p.m.

02/22/18^Carl Junction^Away^6 p.m.

02/26/18—03/02/18^Districts^TBA^TBA

Top newcomers to the varsity level include Aspen Bowman (5-8 senior) and Rita Santillan (5-6 sophomore).

"I am extremely excited for this season," Short said. "We have a younger team and we will try to do some different things to take advantage of our strengths. We will focus on defense, as always, but will really work to score at a higher rate than in the past. I am excited to see what the season holds for us."

Short said the three returners all bring something different to the table.

"Ragan is fast and quick with the ball," Short said. "She is a hard worker and leads us on both ends of the floor. She controls our offense for the most part and gets us into what we want to do. I hope she will score a little more this year (6 points per game last year). She is a good ball handler and a good passer. She usually makes the right decision and pushes the ball when we have a chance.

"Meagan is going to have to play a lot of post for us this year. She is somebody who can beat opposing post players up and down the floor. Hopefully, she can get a lot of easy baskets in transition. She is aggressive on defense and created a lot of turnovers last year.

"Sam really came on for us scoring last year (7 ppg). She is really shooting well right now. We need her to be a big scorer for us and a consistent scorer. She has really improved, doing the little things you have to do to be successful."

Short said Santillan is going to be a big part of this year's team. He said the sophomore was forced into the point guard slot at times this summer due to an injury to Wilson and performed very well. Short said Santillan is not afraid to shoot, and the team needs her to shoot and score.

Bowman will contribute at the post, Short said. He said she is able to rebound very well and can score from the block.

Others expected to contribute include Jaylie Sanny, Addison Mick, along with a number of freshmen.

"We have a lot of freshmen who are fighting for some minutes," Short said. "They may or may not necessarily be ready, but they are going to have to be because they are going to get thrown into the mix."

Short said, without proven shooters, the Lady Mustangs will need to find ways to score.

"We are going to play a little faster this year," Short said. "If we play a half-court game, we are fine with our defense, but regardless if we are playing full-court or half-court defense, when we get a rebound, we are going the other way. It's not going to be a year when we walk it down the floor. When they have an open shot, they are shooting the ball. They know if they are open this year, they are shooting the ball."

Short said the team numbers aren't where he wants them, but he is excited by the girls who are out.

"The girls we do have out are positive," Short said. "They are here to work hard and, no matter what anyone says, I would rather have 17 who want to work hard than 25 kids who just do minimal. I am fine with it. It's not ideal, but it's going well."

McDonald County opened its season at the Carl Junction Tournament on Nov. 27. The Lady Mustangs then travel to Purdy and St. Mary's Colgan before hosting Baxter Springs on Dec. 14 for the home opener.

Sports on 11/30/2017