RANGELY I The Rangely High School girls’ basketball team will not have any seniors on the team this year but Panther head coach Quinton Kent is still excited to get this season started. The RHS Panthers will open play today at 4:30 p.m. in Meeker against Cortez in the White River Electric Cowboy Shootout.
“We are excited about the upcoming season as always,” coach Kent said. “We like the energy our players bring to practice everyday and their desire to get better each and every day.”
Although the Panthers do not have any seniors, they do have players with varsity experience. But, because of injuries, some will not be playing this weekend.
“Juniors Katye Allred and Lindzey Thacker have significant varsity time, and we also have juniors Sidney Shaffer and Antoinette Dorris who both have some varsity experience and we expect each to contribute,” coach Kent said. “McKenzie Webber is another junior who should contribute on the varsity, and we also have sophomores Katelyn Brown and Sarah Connor back.”
Coach Kent said Dorris and Connor are both recovering from injuries and are expected to play after the Christmas break.
Coach Kent said sophomore Hailey Elam and freshmen Kaylalle Wyman, Kylar Thacker and Kassidee Brown will see some varsity action while other teammates recover from their injuries.
“Whether or not we are ready for the Shootout remains to be seen, but we are ready in the sense we are sick of playing against each other in practice, and it will be good to play against someone else for a change,” coach Kent said.
“We play Cortez first, which, I believe, should be a good matchup for us,” he said. “It’s exciting to start playing again, and I am excited to see how my players perform in a game setting. I am looking forward to seeing the progression of this young team as the season progresses.”