The Prior Lake girls basketball season is officially here, and this year the potential of the team looks brighter than in years past, with a good mix of senior supremacy and young talent.  

The girls finished last season with 6 wins and 20 losses, but 8 of those 20 losses came in games that were decided by less than 10 points and showed promising signs. Returning this year as are starters McKenna Hofschild, a sophomore, Senior captain Riley Wheatcraft, and Senior captain Brooke Glass.

Injuries also played a factor  last season as many players lost time due to minor or major injuries.

Unofficially, the season hardly ever came to an end, with many girls playing on an AAU team during the summer, and then straight into off-season workouts in June. This fall, the team has competed in the Breakdown Sports fall league in order to get in game shape for the current season.

Senior captain Riley Wheatcraft commented on the summer workouts and that “the off-season started with our breakfast club workouts that involved players in middle school through seniors in high school. We did lifting workouts off the court and scrimmaged and ran drills on the court. After that, we had captains’ practices since the middle of September, where we focused on conditioning and improving our on-court skills.”  The Lakers are hoping these off-season activities will improve on their record and standings this year.

Wheatcraft believes “Our main goals this season are to finish in the top half of our conference and probably to get a good seed in sections.”  Senior Morgan Anderson also chimed in and believes “A realistic goal for our team is to finish in the top half our conference and our team goal is to make it to state.”

When asked what improvements from last year would help to achieve these goals Anderson said, “With 7 solid senior players and the leadership they bring to the team, we will be a fierce competitor”

In terms of main role players this season, Wheatcraft believes that “We are going to need our seniors to step up to succeed this year as we have a senior-heavy roster, as well as strong play from sophomore McKenna Hofschild and other younger players.”  

The mix of the large group of seniors and the younger players working well together should be the key to the Lakers’ success this season. The girls open up the season against the defending state champion Minnetonka Skippers on Tuesday November 29th, so they will be put to an early test to see what is to come during the season.

Other tough competitors in the South Suburban Conference and/or on the Lakers schedule include Hopkins, Eastview, Rosemount, and Shakopee. The team is optimistic and excited about the upcoming season and it should be an exciting one to watch as well.