By Jayson Henderson
Dalton Haist, head coach for the Clay Center girls’ basketball team, is setting ambitious goals for the season. With a strong core of returning players, the team is looking to improve on last year’s performance and make a deep postseason run.
“Obviously, our goals are going to be very high this year,” Haist said.
“We had to share the NCKL last year, so I would say our first and foremost goal is winning the NCL outright.”
The team is also aiming for a return to state.
“I think they’re very hungry for another trip back to state. So I would say that our goals include a trip to state, which would be a sub-state championship and then a league championship as well.”
Key Players to Watch
Haist highlighted several players expected to make an impact this season.
“Lily Edwards is going to be very good, you know, she’s a sophomore guard,” Haist noted.
“Raegan McDonald is a six-foot forward senior that averaged 8 and 5 last year, along with Ayla Johnson, a 5’11” senior who averaged 7 and 7.”
“We’ll also add Raimee Lipker, a six-foot sophomore, that started getting a lot of time towards the end of the year last year.”
Challenges Ahead
The team faces challenges, including limited roster numbers and a competitive league.
“I think the biggest thing is the numbers situation. We don’t have as many girls out as we would like,” Haist said.
He also emphasized the need to compete against strong league opponents.
“Our league is very good. We have a couple of very solid teams in the league. Just being able to stick together and fight through the tough ones, take care of business at home, and steal some on the road.”
Team Bonding Off the Court
Building team chemistry is a priority for Haist.
“We always do team meals. We go to Java Junkies every Friday for game days in the morning, and just kind of get together and spend time like that,” Haist said.
“We do a lot of team meals that are sponsored by the parents and just try to spend as much time together as we can outside the basketball floor.”
With strong leadership and clear goals, the Clay Center girls’ basketball team is ready to take on the season.
