Team Preview
The Wildcats were a gritty and competitive team in the Intermoutain League last season, a league which produced the state 3A runner-up (Timberlake) and fifth-place finisher (Priest River).
Kellogg lost 10 seniors from last year's 13-10 squad, including all-IML selections McKenna Stewart, Jessi Gibbons and Kelsey Carter, "and all 10 seniors were contributors for us last year," Wildcats coach Eli Bourgard said.
Bourgard, beginning his third season as head coach, will lean on three returning players -- senior post Andee Wendt, senior point guard Trista Sheppard and sophomore guard Marley Chambers.
"Our team will be gritty this year," said Bourgard, in his 10th year of coaching in Kellogg. "It's a tough group of kids. We should be resilient to the ups and downs of the season. We've got more size than we've had in years past, so we should be able to get the ball inside a bit more."
An area of focus on offense, Bourgard said, is "raising our shooting percentage."
On defense, it's "defending the 3-point line," he said.
With 1 1/2 berths to state from the IML, Bourgard expects another battle.
"All our league games should be great games as the league will be competitive top to bottom," he said.
The key to the season for Kellogg, he said, is "if we can stay together as a group, and keep improving throughout the season, we should have a great year."
As for what makes coaching at Kellogg special, Bourgard said, "The fans at Kellogg are great. They bleed purple and gold. Our home games are usually rocking. Our band is also one of the best in the state."
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