Lady Trojans ‘chomping at the bit’ to get playing
California鈥檚 Makayla Boda (3) tracks down a loose ball ahead of Monessen鈥檚 Zykavia Hairston (20) during a Section 2-A game last season at California on Jan. 30.
California's Ca'Mari Walden wins the tip-off against West Greene's Anna Durbin during a Section 2-A game at California Area High School last year. Walden returns to the Lady Trojans for her senior season.
When the California Area administration decided to halt all afterschool activities until Dec. 14, the offseason for the girls basketball program was extended, as if it hadn鈥檛 been long enough already.
鈥淲e have been chomping at the bit,鈥� third-year head coach Chris Niemiec said with a smile. 鈥淲e had one official practice and with the rule that you have to have 15 practices before you can play, it is going to be a while before we can play actual games.
鈥淗owever, the safety of everyone is first and foremost.鈥�
The team returns three starters from a year ago, senior point guard Mikayla Boda, senior forward Ca鈥橫ari Walden and junior guard Jordyn Cruse.
Boda is entering her third year as a starter, and Niemiec is counting on her and Walden for leadership.
鈥淭hey are the type of leaders who lead by example and by how hard they play,鈥� he said. 鈥淭hey are definitely not rah-rah leaders.鈥�
Junior guard Kendall Watson, a transfer from Monessen who started there for two years, has locked up the fourth spot with junior guard McKenna Hewitt and sophomore forward Samantha Smichnick competing for the fifth spot.
鈥淔or us to play to the best of our ability, we have to share the ball by moving it well and scoring more than we normally do,鈥� said Niemiec. 鈥淒efensively, we will have to continue to play solid.鈥�
California has moved up from Class A to AA and will play in Section 2-AA along with Beth-Center, Carmichaels, Frazier, Serra Catholic and Seton-La Salle.
鈥淚 think we can compete for the section despite moving up,鈥� Niemiec said. 鈥淚 would think Serra is the preseason favorite and Seton-LaSalle is usually really good.鈥�