Tomorrow, the Mitchell Kernels girls team opens up the season against Huron at the Corn Palace. The Kernels graduated six seniors from last year’s 16-8 team and will take on a Huron Tigers program that went 10-11 last season and returns four starters.
Head Kernels girls coach Cole Knippling said there has been a lot of teaching going on this season.
“Last year, we returned almost everybody, and this year we return almost nobody,” coach Knippling said. “Out of the 13 girls we had in the varsity gym last year, we’ve only got five back, so we’re trying to train a lot of new girls.”
The only returning starter from a season ago is sophomore Sawyer Stoebner – and she will be making the move from playing the 4 last year to point guard this season.
“Athletically, she’s capable,” Knippling said. “She’s still young, so she’s still learning basketball, and I’ve got to remember that.”
Huron is 1-0 to start the season after defeating Yankton 46-43 on Tuesday. The girls tip at 6 tomorrow at the Palace against Huron and we will have pregame coverage on Pure Oldies 103.5 beginning at 5:45.
Following that matchup, the Huron and Mitchell boys play their season openers. Head Kernels boys coach Ryker Kreutzfeldt said he won’t know a lot about this year’s Huron team until he sees them on the court.
“They’re a team that forever has switched every screen, so that’s what we’re going to start working on,” coach Kreutzfeldt said. “I wouldn’t be surprised if we saw a box-and-1 first night against (Caden) Hinker.”
Returning all-state forward Caden Hinker will likely see specialized defenses throughout the season designed to limit his scoring ability. Coach Kreutzfeldt said he has confidence in the other players on the Kernels to make other teams pay for focusing on Hinker
“If they’re going to leave Steele (Morgan) open from 3, Steele’s going to shoot it and hit it. If they leave Charlie (McCardie), he’s going to shoot it and hit it,” Kreutzfeldt said. “We just have a lot of guys who can score it from a lot of different spots.”
The Kernels boys will follow the girls at the Palace on Friday at 7:30 with live coverage on Pure Oldies 103.5.