This post was contributed by a community member. The views expressed here are the author's own.

Sports

Lady Eagles Basketball Team Looking Forward to Upcoming Season

With just two returning players and a new coaching staff, team decides to focus on strengths.

This season the Jacobs High School girls varsity basketball team is decidedly focusing on its strengths—both individually and as a team—and not the challenges they must overcome to repeat the winning season they had last year.

The team is facing a competitive schedule and a limited amount of returning players, not to mention two coaches that are new this year.

"Our only shortfall is our lack of playing time," said Coach Keith Chuipek. "As we come together as a team things will become very good."

Find out what's happening in Algonquin-Lake In The Hillswith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Their attitude will come in handy when the girls start their season Tuesday at home against Grayslake Central.

This year's team is tall, athletic and talented. Several players are very capable at two different positions. The only two underclassmen on the team—sophomore Payton Berg and freshman Nailah Byrd—are competing right alongside the upperclassmen for playing time.

Find out what's happening in Algonquin-Lake In The Hillswith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Despite being new to the team, big things are expected from the junior class, especially Lindsey Larson, Lauren Grady and Jessica Tennant. 

"They will be a vital part of helping our team this season," said Mark Sommerville, assistant coach.

Larson transferred from school rival Dundee Crown, and played on the sophomore team there. Grady transferred from Marian Central and was a starter for its varsity team last year.

Competition this year will be tough, especially during the Dundee-Crown tournament against perennial powerhouses St. Viator and Fremd High School.

The coaches said that the players have come to practice each day determined to work hard and play as a team.

"Last year's team is just that," Chuipek said. "We are not going to focus on our record at this time."

Last year the team finished its season with a 24-7 record.

The players match Chuipek and Sommerville's enthusiasm.

"We do good work as a team and we've bonded well together," said returning junior Cassidy Sherman, who was out most of last season with ACL problems.

Senior Melanie Schwerdtmann, the only returning player who had substantial playing time last year, is unfazed by the change of command.

"Both coaches know the game just as well," Schwerdtmann said. "We have new competition and this [season] will be a fun experience."  

Before taking the Varsity Girls' coaching position, Chuipek coached the boys' basketball team at St. Edward in Elgin, and prior to that he was assistant coach for the boys' teams at Jacobs for nine years.

Sommerville was coached by Chuipek when he attended Jacobs and was the sophomore coach at St. Edward for two years before moving to Jacobs with Chuipek.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

The views expressed in this post are the author's own. Want to post on Patch?