By TYLER HENRY
Salina Post contributor
After finishing the 2019-2020 season with a 9-12 record, the Salina South Cougars girls basketball team will continue to look for their first winning season in over five years.
Ryan Stuart will return for his eighth season as the head coach of the Cougars, with a career record of 46-102.
When Salina South tips off against Eisenhower on Friday, many of last season's key players will return with even bigger roles.
This includes a pair of seniors in Mariah Janda and Lizzy Franco, three juniors in Kylie Arnold, Sydney Peterson and Kalysa Hamel, and a sophomore in Acacia Weis.
While this team is not overly rife with height, Coach Stuart thinks they have the pieces to overcome that this season.
“We will definitely be an undersized team this season,” he said. “However, we feel this team has the potential to be overall, the most athletic team we have had during my tenure as head coach.”
Stuart also noted that team defense and guard play would once again be a big strength for this year's team, and that the biggest question mark would be consistent scoring production.
The Lady Cougars will tip things off at home against Eisenhower on Friday at 6pm.