Cheyenne Central’s girls basketball team focuses on bouncing back with a young squad

CHEYENNE, Wyo. (Wyoming News Now) - The Central Lady Indians team finished below .500 last year, and will have to go without five seniors on the roster. While it could be a challenging road ahead, the team has shown plenty of faith in this roster’s ability to rise to the occasion.

“I think people underestimate us a lot because of how we went out last year and because we’re so young, so it be able to come out with a bang. I know we’re all working really hard, so to be able to just show people what we can do is gonna be awesome,” said senior Morgan Kirkbride.

The aim of redeeming last year’s woes and surprising people was a theme that seemed prevalent in the Lady Indians’ mindset, with the players that were around to experience the 9-18 finish hungry to wipe that from the public’s memory.

“We’re excited to go out there and have some fun. A lot of people are probably gonna think they we’re not gonna be as strong as last year, but we’re gonna come out with a bang,” Madisyn Baillie mentioned when talking about the upcoming year.

The team will now be headed up by returning starters and seniors Madisyn Baillie, Mia Gerig, and Morgan Kirkbride. Beyond those three upper classmen, only one other player isn’t a sophomore or junior. With such a young roster, the team could have a big period of change as the season unfolds.

“I think it’s awesome. There’s four of us seniors, and we all kind of work well together. We’ve played together since we were freshman. So, I think this year it’s kind of a good way for us to lead a team and get along well,” said Mia Gerig.

Central’s season is set to begin at thje end of this week, as they’ll be playing in the Oil City Classic.