Team Preview
Written by: Sven Alskog
After losing plenty of talent since their trip to state in 2011-2012, the Glenns Ferry Pilots hope that the rebuilding process is over and the new campaign will bring more success.
It’ll be a young bunch again in the third season of Head Coach Kelli McHone’s second stretch patrolling the sidelines in Glenns Fairy. McHone previously guided the Pilots from 2001-2008.
She’ll need the youth to mature quickly to get the new season off to a strong start, allowing the unit to build some confidence after going 4-19 last year.
After starting the season 3-4, the Pilots lost 15 of 16 down the stretch, only knocking off Shoshone 31-21 on the road.
There were some bright spots even during the hard times.
Raegen Grigg and Melisa Garza developed into the go-to players for Glenns Ferry, solidifying themselves as much needed leaders on one of the younger teams in the conference.
They’ll be complimented by an incoming freshmen class that McHone has plenty of optimism for.
While the Pilots were overmatched for the majority of last season, only keeping their losses within five points on three occasions, the growing pains came with the reward of getting young players plenty of experience.
Look for Glenns Ferry to try staying in games by winning the battle on the glass and for loose balls, along with placing plenty of pressure on opposing offenses when the ball in their hands.
Playing scrappy will be a must for a team that is in one of the stronger conferences in the state, with all the teams looking to the defending state champion Prairie Pirates, a group that lost 1AD1 State Player of the Year Kyndahl Ulmer, potentially leaving the door open for an underdog group to step up this time around.
While the 1AD1 Snake River Conference has always been one of the more competitive ones at the lower levels, the additions of Valley and Oakley from 2A will make things even tougher for the returning teams.
While the scrappy defense should help keep the Pilots in the majority of their games, offensively improvement will be needed.
Last season Glenns Ferry never tallied more than 47 points, while being held below 30 on 14 occasions.
To improve on this total expect a continued emphasis on forcing turnovers, allowing the guards to push the tempo, leading to easy fast break points for the Pilots.
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