Young Team, Mature Results

South Lakes High School's girls basketball team passed a milestone Tuesday night that shows it might be young, but the way the players work together is mature.

The Seahawks topped Marshall to earn their ninth victory of the season, which has more than a month left in it. The girls are now 9-3 overall and 4-1 in Liberty District play. In 2010-11, the team - which then had five freshman on the varsity roster - finished 9-13.

Those freshman are now sophomores and are proving the Seahawks have a bright future.

"As a team, we are miles ahead of where we were at this time last season," seventh-year coach Christy Winters Scott says of the team made up of eight sophomores, two juniors and one senior. "That dynamic is so special. We are young, but have proven we are competitive. It is exciting to see them mature."

Winters Scott, who was a star player for South Lakes in the 1980s, says one of the highlights of the season thus far is the Seahawks' 39-38 victory over National Christian Academy in a holiday tournament two weeks ago. The team was down by four with 44 seconds left, but came back to win.

"They have a lot of selflessness and heart," the coach says. "You come in as an opposing team and think 'let's stop the one who had a good night the other night.' But on any night, someone else is going to step up."

Indeed, several players lead the team's stats. Six-foot-3 sophomore Abigail Rendle is a leader on both sides of the ball. She is a co-scoring leader with nine points per game and also can be counted on for five blocked shots, says Winters Scott. Sophomore Caitlin Jensen is the other scoring leader, also averaging nine points per game.

Junior Gabrielle Schultz and sophomore Sasha Sprei are consistent starters. Guard Sprei grabbed six rebounds in had a game- high four assists against Marshall.

Emily Lopynski, the lone senior, is key on the perimeter, say Winters Scott. The coach is also excited about the return of sophomore Natalie Toma, who was injured last season and "was not 100 percent" as a freshman. Meanwhile, her twin sister, Collette, has been injured most of this season, but was recently cleared to play.

"We have seven or eight players out of 11 who could start for us," says Winters Scott.

The Seahawks will need the depth as they play back-to-back Liberty District games this weekend. On Friday, they host Madison (11-3), which has not lost a district game this season. Saturday, they travel to Stone Bridge (10-2, 3-2 Liberty).

"This team is beating teams made up of juniors and seniors," says Winters Scott. "It is really giving them confidence. I just hope it continues through the second half."