By TYLER HENRY
Salina Post contributor
After claiming the #9 spot in this year’s KBCA preseason rankings, the Southeast of Saline girls’ basketball team will look to start their climb as the Lady Trojans host Hesston to open their season on Friday.
Anticipation is high in the Southeast locker room as the start of the year provides an opportunity to gauge how much progress the team has made over the offseason in live-game situations.
“I think we hit a wall on Wednesday and we’re ready to play to see where we’re at,” Lady Trojan head coach Shauna Smith said. “We’re excited to evaluate ourselves.”
The season opener always brings nerves as players readjust to the bright lights, but this game brings a special energy between two programs that have never shared a league but have managed to find each other time and time again in multiple postseason sports.
“This is definitely another rivalry game,” Smith said. “Last year we set our eyes on this matchup and it’s the same story this year. We’ve got to win this game and we’re expecting it to be competitive.”
As both sides look to settle into a rhythm, the start of this contest will be imperative as each tea looks to knock off the rust of a long offseason.
“The first time these girls score a bucket it really seems like they settle down and get locked in,” she said. “My five upperclassmen have a ton of varsity experience so I’m hoping they can get settled in right away but for everyone, the first game is usually a little rough on both ends.”
Both teams return a great deal of talent from a 2021-22 campaign that saw the Lady Trojans finish 20-4 with a trip to the state tournament, and the Lady Swathers finish 15-7.
While each side will have some holes to fill from graduation, each has the benefit of a long-tenured coach, whose sets and tendencies are already in place.
“Hesston is always going to be well-coached,” Smith said. “They’ve all been in that system for four years and they always bring in a lot of talent.”
In last year’s battle between SES and Hesston, neither side cleared the 41-point mark, and both teams will likely put the emphasis on defense once again as the scoring heats up.
“We always talk about winning loose balls,” she said. “I think that sets the tone for the game and defensively we’ll get better as the season goes on but we need to start strong and get some stops.”
Southeast will also need to focus on securing boards as the Lady Trojans enter the year with another quick, guard-heavy lineup.
“We need to rebound well, that will be a big key for us all season,” Smith said. “Tonight I want all of our girls to attack the rim and look to score aggressively.”
Tip-off between the #9 Lady Trojans and Swathers is set for 6 pm with the boy’s game to follow at 7:30.
For continuing coverage of Trojan hoops all season long, stay tuned to the Salina Post and follow us on Twitter @Spostsports.