Knights Look For Continued Improvement This Season

Members of the 2016-17 North Cedar girl’s basketball team are front row, l-r: Lexus Crist, Kourtney Bendixen, Emily Hay, Lakaya Lyon and Darby Hawtrey. Second row: Assistant coach Victor Curley, Tessa Fields, Grace Proesch, Leah Crock, Nicole Sander, Anna Petersen and head coach Glenn Hay. Photo by Ryan Stonebraker.

By Ryan Stonebraker

Sports Editor, Tipton Conservative

CLARENCE — First year coach Glenn Hay enters his second year at the helm of the North Cedar Knight girl’s basketball program.  Last season, Hay led the Knights to a 8-16 record, two wins better than the previous season when North Cedar was 6-17.  Hay, by all accounts, had the Knights playing their best basketball at the end of the season.

Some of the differences with Hay in charge were that the Knights scored 10 more points per game last year (45.3) than the year before; the Knights scored almost 200 more season points than the previous year; the Knights had just over 90 more assists than the year before, and 70 more steals than the previous year.  All that added up meant a better brand of basketball and an opponent that by the end of the season, no one wanted to play.

Hay said that he had a handful of players come to many of the summer open gyms, something which he has already seen results from.

“It was big (to have them come in).  We had 5 kids come to a lot of open gyms.  We didn’t have enough kids to go to a team camp.  We did take kids to Wilton a couple of Sundays.  We have kids in multiple things and they got better,” said Hay.

Gone from last year is guards Camryn Bunge (7.7 ppg. 52 made 3’s) and Becca Ahrendsen (6.1 ppg) and forwards Meranda Thimmes (11.0 ppg, 5.8 rpg.), Kaylee Entwisle and Madison Hawtrey.  Thimmes was the Knight leading rebounder and scorer last season and was a River Valley Conference North Division selection.  The Knights lost three starter from last year (Thimmes, Bunge, Ahrendsen) and return starters Emily Hay and Darby Hawtrey.

Hay, a senior point guard, led the RVC North in assists (113) and steals (109) last season.  She got to the free throw line 75 times and pulled down 68 rebounds.  Hawtrey averaged 6.3 points a game and had 49 rebounds and 17 assists as a sophomore last year.

Hay said that his team’s strength will be that they will be able to score points this season.

“We are going to be able to score points this year.  We have kids that can spot up from the perimeter and there is a lot of potential for points to come from our post players.  I think if you score around 40-50 points you can win a lot of games in the conference,” said Hay.

Also back are seniors Lakaya Lyon and Kourtney Bendixen and juniors Tessa Fields, Lexi Crist, Grace Proesch, Anna Petersen and Leah Crock.  Nicole Sander also will see time on the varsity squad.

Hay said that his concerns will likely change by game.  The Knights are athletic, but do not have a lot of experience back from last year with significant court minutes.

“Match ups will be a big concern for us.  We can’t get in foul trouble early in the season.  We need a few kids to develop so we can improve our depth,” Hay said.

“We are going to have new faces in bigger roles and how quickly they get used to varsity play will tell a lot about our season,” he said.

North Cedar will play non-conference games at Calamus-Wheatland on November 28, home against Easton Valley on December 17 and at Lisbon on January 28.  The Knights will play nine games before Christmas with home games against Camanche, Durant, Monticello, Bellevue and Easton Valley.  

The Knights annual games with Tipton will be December 13 at Tipton and January 21 at home.

North Cedar Knights

2015-16 Record: 8-16

2015-16 RVC Record: 4-13

2015-16 Postseason: 2/13 - North Cedar 55, Tipton 35; 2/16 - Durant 54, North Cedar 40

Returning Starters (2): Emily Hay (6.3 ppg, 113 assists, 109 steals), Darby Hawtrey (6.3 ppg, 5.9 rpg).

2015-16 All-Conference RVC Picks: Meranda Thimmes - RVC North Divisional Team; Emily Hay - RVC North Divisional Team; Darby Hawtrey - RVC Honorable Mention.

2016-17 Roster: Seniors — LaKaya Lyon, Kourtney Bendixen, Emily Hay.  Juniors — Tessa Fields, Lexi Crist, Grace Proesch, Anna Petersen, Darby Hawtrey, Leah Crock.  Sophomore - Nicole Sander.