By Anvil Welch
awelch@joplinglobe.com
Young players will have to make strong contributions if the McAuley Catholic High School girls basketball team is to achieve success this season.
The Warrior roster dictates that.
Coach Chelsea Holmes, who’s in her third season at McAuley, and assistant Amber Obert have just one senior in 5-foot-7 letter-winner Kelsea Doran.
There are two returning junior starters in 5-0 Sonya Kilongkilong and 5-7 Sarah Onstot.
But all-leaguer Kilongkilong, who averaged 14.2 points and four steals last season, suffered a torn ACL during the summer.
“We’ll have her for sure this season,” Holmes said on Monday. “It could be after the Christmas break, however. She’s able to run and shoot. Her next doctor’s appointment is next Tuesday. But we aren’t sure if she will get clearance.
“Sarah (Onstot) will step up and become a better player,” Holmes said. “We’ll go to her more in a scoring role than last season.”
Onstot averaged five rebounds last season as the Class 2 Warriors finished 15-9 overall and 7-5 in the Ozark 7 Conference.
“We’re young, inexperienced and small,” Holmes said. “We have to improve our defense in which we will mix it up.
“This is a great group and its chemistry has been very good,” Holmes said. “It continues to work super hard.
“We have to focus on fundamentals such as rebounding and passing,” Holmes said. “We have to block out, take good shots and utilize screens ... all the little things.”
McAuley opens the season at 730 p.m. next Tuesday in the Thomas Jefferson Liberty Bank Classic against Lockwood. The Warriors are seeded fourth.
There are five more letter-winners for the Warriors in 5-10 junior Mary Black, 5-5 junior Jessica Leone, 5-7 sophomore Cassidy Grooms, 5-6 sophomore Rachel Hardy and 5-5 sophomore Kasey Metts.
Holmes said likely starters for the opener, if Kilongkilong isn’t available, will include Doran, Onstot, Black and Leone. Battling for the fifth starting berth in early practices were Hardy, 5-6 junior Marina Londo and 5-5 freshman Kenzie Doran (Kelsea’s sister).
Two ninth-graders will round out the roster, Holmes said. They are 5-7 Anna Davis and 5-5 Kambry Wagner.
“Every player must contribute to the team. That will lead to confidence in our ability,” Holmes said. “I really believe we’ll have several kids step up.”
