Cloverdale returns seven veterans to solid varsity squad
The Lady Eagles will kick off the 2017-18 varsity basketball schedule this month, hopeful that a solid group of returning veterans and a handful of first-year players will propel the team to another winning season.
Under returning coach Rick Berry, the Eagles posted a solid 8-6 record to finish in third place in league last year, advancing to the NCS playoff quarterfinals before ending the season with an overall mark of 19-11.
Cloverdale graduated three players from that squad, but return a good nucleus of seven veterans that include four-year senior guard Jaedyn Jenkins, third-year senior forward Camryn Figueroa, second year senior guard/forward Shaye Stewart, second-year sophomore forward Tehya Bird, second-year junior forward Kayli Persons, second year junior guard Heather Sterling and second year junior guard Marina Lopez.
Figueroa has already committed to attend Dominican University on a basketball scholarship, while Bird is expected to be among the team’s leading scorers again this year.
First year varsity players include junior Cassondra Bassett, sophomore Maci Hernandez and freshman Catherine Driver.
As always, the Eagles figure to be in the mix in a dogfight for the upper echelon in the NCL 1 title chase, with a group of three or four title contenders that have designs on the league pennant.
“Lower Lake has a good team and might be favored, but Clear Lake and Kelseyville are going to be very tough,” Berry predicted. “I don’t think any team is going to run away with it.”
The Lady Eagles will start the season with their goals set high, but tempered with caution that they will not be easily obtained.
“Our number one goal is we always want to win the conference,” Berry said. “This will not be easy as all teams are very competitive in the NCL-1. We didn’t have a very good off season with some girls not playing this summer, so this won’t help our chances.
Scheduling notes
The Eagles opened the season on Nov. 21 (after press time) in the annual Foundation Game at Rincon Valley Christian and will return home to host Potter Valley (Monday, Nov. 28) and Healdsburg (Tuesday, Nov. 28). Tip-off times for the JV and varsity are 5:30 and 7 p.m.
