Future Bright For Lady Mounties After Strong Finish

File PHOTO SAMANTHA BAKER • @NWASAMANTHA Libby Ganoung of Rogers High shoots Feb. 11 during a game against Siloam Springs in Rogers.

File PHOTO SAMANTHA BAKER • @NWASAMANTHA Libby Ganoung of Rogers High shoots Feb. 11 during a game against Siloam Springs in Rogers.

Tuesday, March 18, 2014

— A strong finish to the season has Rogers High coach Preston Early and the Lady Mounties in an optimistic mood heading into the offseason.

Rogers won its final three regular season games, including on the road at Springdale Har-Ber, to earn the No. 5 seed from the 7A-West Conference to the state tournament. The season then ended when Class 7A state champion Conway defeated the Lady Mounties 75-56 in a first-round state tournament game at Conway.

ROGERS HIGH SCHEDULE

Date^Opponent^Result/Time

Girls

Nov. 21^at Pea Ridge^W, 61-33

Nov. 26^at Mountain Home^L, 26-23

Springfield, Mo. Tournament*

Dec. 12^Nixa, Mo.^L, 66-53*

Dec. 13^Greenwood^L, 85-47*

Dec. 14^St. Louis McCure North^L, 45-42*

Dec. 20^Cedarville^W, 70-55

Dec. 21^Branson, Mo.^L, 51-41

Mountain Home Tournament**

Dec. 26^Paragould^W, 53-45**

Dec. 27^North Little Rock^L, 76-43**

Dec. 28^Greenwood^L, 79-41**

Jan. 2^ Fort Smith Southside^L, 55-52

Jan. 10^Springdale High#^W, 53-49

Jan. 14^at Siloam Springs#^L, 65-52

Jan. 17^at Fayetteville#^L, 54-32

Jan. 21^Bentonville#^W, 41-29

Jan. 24^at Van Buren#^W, 42-29

Jan. 28^Rogers Heritage#^L, 47-45

Jan. 31^Springdale Har-Ber#^L, 39-37

Feb. 7^at Springdale High#^L, 54-33

Feb. 11^Siloam Springs#^L,53-34

Feb. 14^Fayetteville#^L, 49-37

Feb. 18^at Bentonville#^L, 68-58

Feb. 21^Van Buren#^W, 43-30

Feb. 25^at Rogers Heritage#^W, 48-30

Feb. 28^at Springdale Har-Ber#^W, 54-52

March 12^7A State Tournament vs. Conway^L, 75-56

#7A/6A-West Conference Game

Rogers will return four starters next year, and Early will welcome what is expected to be a strong sophomore class. Rogers has been to the last nine state tournaments, and this was the first season since 2003 they did not win at least eight conference games.

Along the way this year, Rogers defeated Class 5A finalist Paragould and 7A/6A-West Conference qualifiers Har-Ber, Bentonville and Springdale High. Against Conway, Rogers led 16-9 in the first period before the Lady Wampus Cats pulled away.

Rogers lost five one-possession games where they shot 53 percent from the free throw line.

"What we feel best about is how we finished the season," Early said. "The last six games is really what we envisioned, and had hoped for early. I feel our last five to six games, we were playing as well as anybody. When we lost to Fayetteville and Bentonville, we played really well.

"We came close to sweeping Bentonville. I think we played Conway as good as anybody. We probably led them for 12 minutes of that game, and I don't think anybody else can say that."

Juniors Libby Ganoung, Callie King, Brooke Sagely and Tasha Repella all provided key contributions this season. Ganoung averaged 11 points and seven rebounds a game. King added 10 points a game while making 69-of-164 3-point attempts (42 percent).

"We don't have a superstar, but we developed a good team," Early said. "I think at the end of the year, we were hard to cover offensively."

Current sophomores Imogen Ryan, Kiara Henry, Amber Turner and Samantha Brown also saw playing time at different times.

"I feel right now like I did in the spring before some of our very good teams had a good year," Early said. "There is some positive energy; there is some belief. I loved the way our underclassmen stepped forward and gave us that consistent production. We feel like we will be solid, but the road won't be easier because everyone in our league returns their best players."

Plus, Fort Smith Northside and Southside return to the conference next season.

Sports on 03/18/2014