Pirate Girls have high hopes

When the Girls basketball team took to the gym at Bay Port High School for the first day of practice, there was some eagerness around the program to get the season underway. “We were really excited. Basketball helps winter go by fast.” said coach Kati Coleman.  “I love to be in the gym with these girls.”
 
The Pirates return five different players who played in every game last season, including four of their top five scorers. They are led by Maddie Re who averaged 10.7 points per game and 8.7 rebounds a year ago, earning her 2nd Team All-Conference.
 
After finishing sixth in the Fox River Classic Conference last year with a 9-7 record, the Pirates fell in the Regional Final at De Pere 71-55. The Pirates finished 13-10 overall in Coleman’s first year. “My team goal is to always do better than we did last year,” she said. “I would love to see these girls get to sectionals.”
 
Along with a better postseason finish, Bay Port also has lofty goals for the new-look conference. “I really think that we have the team to finish in the top 3 in the conference. I think Pulaski and Notre Dame are going to be tough”, added Coleman. Pulaski returns 1st all-conference performer in Mariah Szymanski, the lone 1st teamer back in the FRCC. Also, both Green Bay East and West are gone from the now ten-team league.
 
With a new year come a few rule changes. The WIAA has changed the game format from four individual eight-minute quarters to two 18 minute halves. There will now be no break in the middle of the first and second halves and four extra minutes of total game time. Coleman said that she is not quite sure how it will affect the game. “I don’t know yet. We lose a time out almost with no break at the end of each quarter. It will be an adjustment for everyone.”
 
Bay Port begins the 2015-16 season with a home game November 21st against Menasha.