By TIM BIRNEYValley Sports Report
SAYRE — First-year Sayre girls basketball coach Matt Senese knows the girls on his team, and believes the Redskins could be improved in 2023-24.
"I’ve coach almost all these girls in one sport or another — softball or basketball," said Senese. "We’ve worked together for quite a while. Some of them since T-ball, some of them junior high softball, and now here.
"I know a lot of their capabilities, and they won’t quit on me, they’ll keep fighting," he added.
Sayre opens the season tonight against Susquehanna at Blue Ridge High School as part of the Bradford-Susquehanna Counties Challenge.
Once again this year, the Redskins won’t have a JV program, but Senese believes bigger numbers are coming soon.
"We have nine girls this year, so we won’t have a JV team.
"However, next year there are a lot of girls coming up, so we should be able to field a JV team if everyone comes back," he said.
"Plus, we’ve implemented teams in the rec program — a third- and fourth-grade team, and a fifth- and sixth-grade team; so we now have a feeder program to help us maintain numbers and interest," added Senese.
Sayre finished last season at 4-18 under Bob Fauver.
"I’m looking forward a positive season," said Senese. "Bob (Fauver) left me with a really good group of girls, I really appreciate everything Bob did for the program."
Seniors Lizzy Shaw and Meghan Flynn, junior Abbie McGaughey, and sophomore Rylee Lantz all return from last year, and will start along with freshman Peyton Black.
Junior Morgan Hickey, sophomore Aubri Husted, who also returns from last year, and freshmen Molly Shaw, and Kayleigh Winiavski will all vie for playing time off the bench.
Senese believes last year will be a benefit to this year’s team.
"We’ve played together for quite a while," he said. "Instead of playing JV, they all got thrown together on varsity. They know what their capabilities are, and what they need to do to compete at a higher level.
"At some point, I do think it’s beneficial for them," added Senese.
There are a number of concerns for the first-year coach.
"Stamina is my biggest concern, we only have nine girls," he said. "We had a couple scrimmages, and our girls held up well. I’m hoping it won’t be an issue."
Rebounding is another area of concern.
"They are generally out-sized, but these girls have a lot of heart. We’ve been working on foot work, and how to box out."
And scoring is another.
"We averaged 24.3 points per game last year," said Senese. "If we can cut down on our turnovers, and pick up on our rebounding, we should be able turn that into more points."
Senese has simple expectations for his team.
"I want us to improve upon last year, have a better record than last year," he said. "I want to give these girls something to be excited about.
"It’s not really their fault, their just starting to grow into where they’re suppose to be.
"We have two seniors, and two juniors, two sophomores, and three freshmen, and three of them have never played before," noted Senese.
"We have quite an uphill battle in front of us, but if we keep conditioning them, and the girls show up for practice every day, I think you’ll see us improve as the season goes on," he added.
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IN PHOTO: From left: Abbie McGaughey, Aubri Husted, Rylee Lantz, Lizzy Shaw, and Meghan Flynn. … PHOTO BY TIM BIRNEY
