Team Preview
Written by: Vince Trimboli
The Horseshoe Bend girls return a solid core from team that was 11-11 last year and lost in a play-in game, just one game shy of the 1A-D2 State Tournament.
Longtime boy’s assistant Brian Moscrip is back for his second year as girls head coach. He leads to Mustangs into the always arduous 1A Western Idaho Conference with the likes of favorites Liberty Charter, Notus and Idaho City.
“It’s a new league,” He said. “We have a young team. I think we’ll be competitive.”
Moscrip played a lot of freshman last year. He expects the teams to be more competitive because the success many of the girls had winning a state championship in softball title last spring, along with success many of the girls had last month in volleyball.
“They’re getting used to winning. So now the expectations are high,” said the volunteer coach, who works at Micron by day.
Moscrip has six varsity players back and will have at least 12 girls in the programs. He had to play more players than he would have liked on both varsity and junior varsity last year. But he expects to have six girls that will be only varsity this season.
Senior post Maddie Pratt (5-foot-10) has been working hard all summer. The only senior, Pratt Averaged six points and six rebounds a game last year.
“I’ve seen such a big improvement in conditioning, jumping ability her physical strength,” Moscrip said.
Junior wing Alexis Quijas is the leading returning scorer at eight points per game. She’s quick off the dribble and score at the basket, along with being an 86-percent shooter from the free-throw line.
Sophomore point guard Kate Renfro. Returning team MVP. “She’s a hustler. She’s the fastest one on the court,” Moscrip said.
Sophomore Ashtin Quijas is a defensive threat in the post. A pair of junior wings, Jessica Acres and Isabella Jones will add good depth off the bench.
“The expectation is to go in with a winning attitude and play good defense and good things will happen. We have to work on stamina. We have to come alive in the 4th quarter. Last year we got to the 4th quarter and wore down,” Moscrip said.
“But I think coming back to win the state title after a loss in the softball tournament and winning their way back in volleyball has given them a winning attitude… It’s Mind over matter. We have to work through the tough times. When we think we’re wore down we have to pick it up and play through the fatique.”
His expectations are simple as he explains what he told him team during the first practice of the year.
“I looked up on the wall (in the gym) and pointed out no state banner(for basketball) so that’s the expectation.”
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