Second-year coach Kellie Kirkhoff, right, is hoping that Whiteland can improve upon last year’s six-win season.
Whiteland’s roster appears to have experienced a noticeable growth spurt during the offseason.
It’s the hope of second-year Warriors coach Kellie Kirkhoff that the victory total follows a similar path after the 6-17 campaign of a year ago.
Three of Kirkhoff’s players stand 5-foot-11 or taller, a departure from the 2021-22 season that saw a guard-oriented Whiteland squad lose seven games by seven or fewer points.
“We all have our own different skill sets and have very good chemistry,” said shooting guard Emma Piercy, a 5-4 senior who is among the most experienced players returning; she made three starts and averaged 2.3 points and 1.7 assists last winter.
“It’s personalities, and also, the sophomores and juniors who played JV last year clicked together and are on varsity now. As a senior, my role is to pick them up and push them to be better.”
Kirkhoff expects to lean on the leadership of co-captains Piercy and 6-foot senior center Brooklyn Taylor, particularly during the early stages of the regular season as roles are better defined.
Taylor returns to hoops after not playing last season.
“We’re expecting Emma to be a leader on the court and to play a solid defensive role for us,” Kirkhoff said. “She’s a pretty good shooter, too. We want her to knock down shots and make the correct offensive reads.”
Junior forward Gwen Higdon (6 ppg, 4.5 rpg), who stands 5-9, will play a significant role along the interior. Higdon registered five double-figure scoring performances last winter, topped by 14-point efforts against New Palestine and Danville.
Carly VonDielingen and Sophia Dyer, both 5-11 freshmen, are expected to eventually play a role near and beneath the basket at both ends of the floor. Addison Emberton, a 5-5 sophomore guard, gained valuable varsity experience with 19 varsity appearances as a ninth-grader that resulted in a 3.2 scoring norm.
Expected to be part of the starting lineup or key reserve players are 5-7 senior Tatyana Olivier, 5-6 junior Delaney Trimmer and 5-5 sophomore guard Sukhman Bains. That trio moves up from a junior varsity team that posted a 17-6 mark a year ago.
Whiteland, which seeks its first winning season since 2018-19, opens at home against Mt. Vernon on Tuesday.
“I think we’ll have a good combination of good outside players mixed with some good inside play,” Kirkhoff said. “I’m really excited to see how well these girls get along together. Respecting your teammates is everything.”
