Lady Maroons plan to return to regionals

By JIM CUNNINGHAM/Staff

The George Wythe Lady Maroons basketball team tied for first place (with Chilhowie) last season, and GW Head Coach Arthur Johnson is hopeful the team will once again have a successful season.
Johnson said his team’s goals include being competitive in the district and, “see how far we can go in the regionals and see if we can go to state.”
The Lady Maroons lost in the first round of the regionals last year.
The team will get a big boost with the return of its two leading scorers from last season. Seniors Ashley Buckhannon and Lacey Price return for their fourth year on the varsity squad. Buckhannon has been named the district’s Player of the Year for the past two seasons and averaged about 22 points per game last year. Price averaged about 13 points per game.
Junior Julie Compton saw plenty of action last year as a part-time starter. Johnson said she plays “tough-nose defense and might be the quickest person on the team.”
Also back after getting playing time on the varsity last year are sophomores Angela Corvin and Carla Suthers, senior Sarah Spradlin and junior Martha Walters. Sophomore Kari Eubanks joins the team after transferring from Rural Retreat.
Joining the team from the junior varsity ranks are sophomores Kristen Akers, Catherine Barbrow and junior Haley Govin.
Johnson thinks the toughest competition in the district this season will come from Chilhowie or Northwood.
The coach said some of his concerns this year are the team’s defense and its transition game. And he’s hopeful to get some additional scoring to help ease the load off of Buckhannon and Price. “We’ve got to get some shooters,” said Johnson. “We’ve got some kids who can do that.”
The coach said the players have been “working real hard in practice. We’ve got to improve some things.”
Here is the 2008-09 George Wythe girls’ basketball schedule.
Date Opponent Site
Dec. 1 Radford Away
Dec. 2 Auburn Away
Dec. 5 Fort Chiswell Home
Dec. 9 Pulaski Away
Dec. 11 Galax Away
Dec. 12 Radford Home
Dec. 16 Auburn Home
Dec. 17 Pulaski Home
Dec. 19 Fort Chiswell Away
Dec. 29 tourney B’burg
Dec. 30 tourney B’burg
Dec. 31 tourney B’burg
Jan. 5 Rural Retreat Away
Jan. 8 Holston Home
Jan. 12 Chilhowie Away
Jan. 15 Northwood Away
Jan. 19 Pat. Henry Home
Jan. 22 Rural Retreat Home
Jan. 26 Holston Away
Jan. 30 Chilhowie Home
Feb. 2 Northwood Home
Feb. 6 Pat. Henry Away