HAZELWOOD, PRIDDY, ROSE, KEY SMOKY VALLEY RETURNEES IN 2021-22

By William

LINDSBORG – The Smoky Valley girls basketball team did something they have not done since 2008 and that was win 13 games, a mark you will hear about often due to the immense pride the team and coaches has in reaching it during a pandemic season.

Coach Larry Van Der Wege began his third season leading the Lady Vikings with hopes to break a lengthy string of losing season after guiding the girls to a record of 10-31 over his first two seasons.

In 2020-21 he found some success with four solid seniors blended with a handful of fabulous freshman and juniors to earn their first 13-win season since 2008, and now looks to build for next season with a very solid core of five players.

Here are the reflections of the 2020-21 season from Lady Viking head coach Larry Van Der Wege:

HOW DID YOUR TEAM FINISH THE SEASON OVERALL?

For the first time since 2008 the Lady Vikings finished a season with 13 wins overall to go with 8 losses while they finished 5-4 in games within the Central Kansas League.

Coach Van Der Wege is incredibly pleased with recording the best league record for the Smoky Valley girls since 2007.

Another point from the season that the Lady Vikings can be proud of include finishing third in the Sterling Invitational Tournament after beating Scott City by one-point.

Van Der Wege also noted that four of the teams eight losses came against opponents who finished the season playing in the state tournament and three of the other four losses came while playing teams that made their sub-state finals.

“We played in a very competitive league while also having a challenging non-conference schedule,” pointed out Coach Van Der Wege. “We took a big jump from six wins in the 2019-20 season to the 13 this year.”

WHAT WERE THE HIGHLIGHTS FOR THE 2020-21 SEASON?

When discussing the highlights of the 2020-21 season, Coach Van Der Wege immediately brought up their double overtime win on the road at Hesston, a place that the Lady Vikings had not won at since the early 2000’s.

Other reflections by Coach Van Der Wege when looking for highlights of the 2020-21 season:

  • “Learning how to consistently win games is something I want to highlight. We played several ranked teams and unfortunately, did not come up with any big upset wins but we also won the games in which we would not have been favored going into, except for Hesston at home and Haven in our first-round game at sub-state. Those two programs are perennial powers with talent and great coaching so not necessarily upset losses. Our program took a step up in toughness late in games and learning how to win and I am immensely proud of them for that.”
  • “I would like to note the production this year from a number of players, but senior guard Ellie Brumbaugh and freshman Adrian Hazelwood led our offensive production, while senior guards McKinley Johnson and Kerington Haxton along with junior forward Breanna Priddy also provided scoring throughout the season.”
  • “Senior forward Claire Broxterman, junior guard/forward Abby Rose, and guard Avery Van Der Wege as well as freshman guard/forward Keira Mullen all improved throughout the season and had very solid production the final six or seven games of the season which was instrumental in us going 5-2 down the stretch.”

WHAT PLAYERS AND PRODUCTION WILL THE TEAM LOSE?

Among the four seniors that the Lady Vikings will not have next season are:

  • Ellie Brumbaugh = a guard who averaged 9.2 points per game and shot 34% from beyond the three-point line.
  • McKinley Johnson = a guard who averaged 4.9 points and 2.6 rebounds per game.
  • Kerington Haxton = a guard who averaged 4.6 points and 3.1 rebounds per game.
  • Claire Broxterman = a forward who averaged 2.4 points and 3.8 rebounds per game but doubled that average the final six or seven games.

Coach Van Der Wege noted that, “Losing 21.1 points and 9.5 rebounds from the seniors means the Lady Vikings will lose more than half their scoring and nearly a third of their rebounding to graduation, plus these seniors also provided leadership and competitiveness that has helped our program go from two wins during their freshman season to the 13 wins we had this year.”

TAKE AN EARLY LOOK INTO THE 2021-22 SEASON AND TELL US WHAT YOU SEE?

Among the players who saw extensive action for the Lady Vikings that will return in 2021-22 will be these four looking to provide senior leadership:

  • Breanna Priddy = currently a junior forward who averaged 5.6 points and 6.2 rebounds per game.
  • Abby Rose = currently a junior guard/forward.
  • Avery Van Der Wege = currently a junior guard.
  • Gracie Lambert = currently a junior reserve.

Other players Coach Van Der Wege is counting on to build the team around next season will be:

  • Adrian Hazelwood = a freshman guard who averaged 8.9 points, 4.8 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game while starting every game.
  • Keira Mullen = a freshman guard/forward who improved greatly toward the end of the season.
  • Tinley Scott = another freshman who contributed this year while getting valuable varsity experience.
  • Karee Adam = a sophomore guard who played very well for the junior varsity and will be looked at to contribute next season.

Coach Van Der Wege said, “I think between the combination of the returning talent and some graduations from some of our competitors, the Lady Viking program should take another step-up next season.”

DO ANY TEAMS IN THE LEAGUE OR STATE LOOK TO BE THE CREAM OF THE CROP FOR NEXT SEASON?

We asked Coach Van Der Wege to look ahead to 2021-22 with an eye on the teams which he feels may be the teams to beat and he responded by saying:

  • “There are some teams both league and non-league that will have key graduations and that will be in our favor, but they are also very solid programs which I am sure have girls ready to step up. At the same time, there are some young players who only get better – both on our team and for our competitors.”
  • “Nickerson, Hesston, and Hillsboro will continue to be extraordinarily strong in our league. I also think that the remaining teams have some younger players that will make those teams incredibly competitive. The Smoky Valley girls should be right in the mix for the top of the conference, and it will be exciting to find out.”

OUR FINAL REFLECTIONS:

While the Lady Vikings look at losing some valuable seniors in Brumbaugh, Broxterman, Haxton and Johnson, they also will be returning several very key returnees that saw a lot of varsity experience.

Plus, having a talent like Adrian Hazelwood returning means Smoky Valley will have what could be one of the better overall players in Class 3A for the next three years and that gives them a solid point to build around.

When you add in Priddy, Van Der Wege, Rose, Lambert and Mullen, the Lady Vikings have a very solid core of players to build on this season’s successes and hopefully make a run at the state tournament at the end of next season.

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