As a new calendar year begins, everyone is looking to make personal advancements, and these teams are no exception. With winter break concluded, it’s their chance to display the progress made during the time off. Below are the local sports teams’ resolutions for the New Year 2014. Buffalo High School: Boys basketball After a mixed […]
As a new calendar year begins, everyone is looking to make personal advancements, and these teams are no exception. With winter break concluded, it’s their chance to display the progress made during the time off. Below are the local sports teams’ resolutions for the New Year 2014.
Buffalo High School:
Boys basketball
After a mixed performance at the Chadron Tournament in Nebraska two weekends prior, the Buffalo High School boys basketball team is eager to embrace 2014 with renewed energy and determination.
“Our main goal in practice is to enhance our free-throw shooting,” coach John Hepp stated regarding his team’s focus. “We had difficulties with that in Nebraska. Additionally, our foremost area to improve is team discipline. That tends to be an issue with a young squad, but we’re concentrating on maintaining focus during games.
“We execute well to gain leads – then we tend to lose those leads due to discipline issues. Not upholding discipline could be detrimental as we progress to critical games.”
The Bison (5-4, 1-0) sit in first place in the 3A East standings with a narrow lead, and Hepp mentions that his players share the same ambition they’ve had since the beginning of the season.
“Our team goal is definitely to reach the state championships,” he said. “We aim to avoid setbacks at regionals. This year is going to be challenging, as the region contains many strong teams. With discipline and focus, I believe we can achieve a successful season.”
Girls basketball
The Buffalo High School girls basketball team is coming back from a break after participating in the Chadron Tournament in Nebraska, aiming to get better each day.
“We will emphasize boxing out a lot,” coach Michelle Dahlberg noted. “We invested so much time early this season working on it, yet it remains a concern. We’re trying to compensate for our lack of height, which was evident in Nebraska when facing some of those larger teams.
“Also, we’re focusing on improved execution. Offense, defense, and team cohesion – there’s always room for growth. We want to enhance our zone offense and refine our positioning.”
While the team might be at a disadvantage due to height, Dahlberg is optimistic about the improvement in fundamentals and execution as the season unfolds. Heading into 2014, she hopes her Lady Bison (4-5, 1-1) will develop a stronger bond and teamwork on the court.
“We must remember that basketball is a lengthy season,” she advised. “There’s still a significant amount of basketball to play, and I hope we can come together as a unit. Enjoying the game, practice, and each other’s company is essential.”
Boys swimming
You’d be hard-pressed to find a team that has experienced as much fun during winter break as the Buffalo High School boys swim team. The Bison took part in the 27th Annual Polar Bear Plunge and had several late-night swims, among other enjoyable activities.
However, it isn’t all enjoyment for these swimmers. Coach Ed von Holst has urged his team to log extra distance and increase their weight room repetitions.
“(Winter break) is going to be exciting yet challenging,” he mentioned. “It presents a significant test for them. Their daily swimming distance is set to substantially increase. They’ll be swimming 4 to 5 miles each day during the break. They have the Polar Bear Plunge on Jan. 1. We will also have a swim in the dark after hours. So, while it includes intense work, we’ll mix in some enjoyable days. I hope the kids have fun with it.”
The boys will host a swim meet on Friday to kick off a competitive January schedule. Von Holst is hopeful that, with heightened intensity, several swimmers can compete for medals at the state level.
Wrestling
The upcoming week will be long for the Bison wrestlers. After a three-week break for winter, they are set to compete in two weekend tournaments, coupled with a mid-week duel against Rawlins.
Even though the Bison have performed well in the early season, there is always room for growth. Coach Mitch Johnson hopes his wrestlers will seize the opportunities ahead and come out strong in 2014.
“We will continue to improve on our bottom techniques – the more movement we can generate from the bottom, the more difficult it becomes for opponents to keep us down,” he commented. “That has been our area of focus for some time. We seek to see advancement in that aspect.
“We maintain the same objectives we had at the season’s outset; our goal is to finish in the top three at state. We want to continue performing strong and conclude on a high note, and we refuse to settle for where we are currently. Continuous improvement and a hunger to enhance are critical for us.”
Kaycee High School:
Boys basketball
The Kaycee High School boys basketball team, fresh off an impressive 66-20 victory against conference rival NSI in their last game of 2013, has diligently worked over the past two weeks, prepared to enter 2014 with a refreshed mentality.
“We identified our primary focus as work ethic – heart and hustle,” coach Jason Humble stated. “We’re focusing on fundamentals, aiming to be a well-rounded basketball team. That has been where our energy has been directed over recent weeks. Maintaining focus and striving for improvement is essential.”
The Buckaroos (3-4, 1-0) are currently tied for first place with Upton in the 1A Northeast division. With the bulk of the season ahead, Humble emphasizes the need for his players to concentrate on their current tasks and not to underestimate any opponents.
“At the season’s outset, our goal was to take it one game at a time,” he expressed. “That remains true, but as we delve deeper into the season, we must view the broader picture and ensure we’re prepared for crucial matchups.
“Our aim is to secure a conference championship. Once we achieve that milestone, we’ll continue to climb the ranks.”
Girls basketball
Records can often be misleading. From the wins and losses reflected in 2013, one might quickly conclude that the Kaycee High School girls basketball team has faced difficulties. Yet, they’ve encountered tough competition from higher divisions and have narrowly fallen short in several close games.
“We’re focused on refining our early-season performance,” coach Luke Danforth stated. “Currently, we’re emphasizing our fundamentals and shooting. In these past two weeks, we have taken every opportunity to improve incrementally.”
The Lady Bucs (2-4, 0-0) still have an extended season ahead, and despite a challenging start, they still have control over their destiny. Danforth expresses the team’s readiness to return to action with a consistent goal in mind.
“Clearly, we aspire to compete in Casper at the end of the season,” he noted.
Casper will play host to the WHSAA state championship.
“We want to contend for a trophy. My objective is to mold the girls into a formidable team for this year and the future,” Danforth added. “That journey kicks off with upcoming conference games.”
Arvada-Clearmont High School:
Boys basketball:
Thus far, the season has been brief for the Arvada-Clearmont High School boys basketball team. After opening the season a week behind schedule due to weather conditions and the cancellation of several games, the Panthers (1-2, 0-0) have participated in just one weekend tournament, looking to establish their identity as a unit.
Coach Jim Stevens has generally been satisfied with the team’s commitment during winter break, hoping they will transition into conference play revitalized. Solid performances from underclassmen have proven crucial for the Panthers.
“I’m pleased with the effort our freshmen are putting forth,” Stevens remarked. “They’re hustling on the court. Levi (Bircher) and Dylan (Collins) have also been delivering impressive basketball for us.”
As they enter 2014, the inexperienced Panthers will find themselves slightly behind others. Many teams have already played six or seven additional games which help in smoothing out early-season difficulties. Nonetheless, with only three games completed, Stevens hopes his players will continue to progress and improve with each practice and matchup.
“We’ve been focusing on new defensive and offensive strategies,” Stevens explained. “We’re enhancing our established plays. If we can get rolling with our offense, we should perform well in games.
“Recently, we’ve dramatically increased our intensity. We’re driving hard in practice and hope that yields a positive impact this season.”
