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Lake Superior Girls Basketball Preview

11/16/2019, 1:15pm CST
By Norbert Durst

2018-19 Recap: 

Superior went 13-10 overall. The Spartans’ season ended with a loss to Kimberly, 61-33, in a Division 1 regional semifinal. Ashland posted a 7-15 overall record. The Oredockers fell to Sparta, 48-40, in a Division 2 regional quarterfinal. 

2018-19 Season Information (Standings, Stats, All-Conference)

2019-20 Preview
Predicted Order of Finish:

Superior 
Ashland 

Cloquet
Duluth Denfeld 
Duluth Marshall 
Hermantown 
Proctor 

Players to Watch: 

Liz Frase, sr., Proctor – Frase took home second-team all-league recognition as a junior. 

Grace Kirk, sr., Duluth Marshall – Kirk was selected as a first-team all-conference performer as a junior. 

Gianna Kneepkens, jr., Duluth Marshall – Kneepkens received first-team all-Lake Superior as a sophomore. 

Maddie McCabe, sr., Ashland – McCabe averaged a team-high 8 points per game for the Oredockers as a junior. 

Sam Parendo, sr., Proctor – Parendo earned second-team all-Lake Superior as a junior. 

Sam Pogatchnik, sr., Proctor – Pogatchnik was named first-team all-league as a junior. 

Elly Schmitz, jr., Hermantown – Schmitz took home first-team all-conference honors as a sophomore. 

Niya Wilson, sr., Superior – Wilson, a 5-foot-7 guard, averaged a team-best 12.9 points per game for the Spartans as a junior. 

2019-20 Team Previews: 

Superior welcomes back three starters from last year’s squad that finished 13-10 overall. Coach Dave Kontny enters the season with a 260-161 career record, including a 26-26 record as the girls’ coach at Superior. Coach Kontny told WSN that speed, teamwork, and toughness are strengths. He noted that experience at the varsity level and depth are weaknesses. Leading the way for the Spartans is senior Niya Wilson, who averaged a team-high 12.9 points per game last season. Joining her as returning starters are fellow seniors Kaileigh Miller (6.1 ppg) and Izzy Swanson (3 ppg). Other returning letter-winners are juniors Lilly Gidley Julia Roe. Additional players who are expected to contribute include seniors Brooke Koenen Abby Dolsen. Superior opens the season at Ashland on November 19, the first night of games across the state. 

Ashland should see improvement this season with the return of all of its key players from last year’s team that went 7-15 overall. Leading the way for the Oredockers is senior Maddie McCabe, who averaged a team-high 8 points per game. Other key returners are seniors Ashlee Moreland (6 ppg), Zoe Pearce (6 ppg), Lily Jablonski (6 ppg) and Mayella Brinker (5 ppg), and junior Abbi Moreland (5 ppg). Additional returners include seniors Madelyn Wiggins and Claire Custer.  

Girls Basketball Preview

Tag(s): News Archive  GBB News  Norbert Durst  Preseason Content   2019-20