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HARTINGTON — The Cedar Catholic Lady Trojans return three starters from last season’s team that finished the season 22-7 and placed third in the Class D-1 State Championships, their fourth consecutive trip to Lincoln.
The four shoes to fill in the starting rotation were fairly large shoes, figuratively.
Gone are a couple of All-State performers, Makenna Noecker and Laney Kathol, add in the fact, Cedar Catholic will be making a jump to Class C2 this season and one might think it left head coach, Craig Wortmann with a few more worry lines, but the coach believes in the players he has coming back.
“We have three starters coming back and a good group of younger players,” Wortmann said. “You don’t lose players like that and bounce right back, but players will figure out new roles and unproven players will prove themselves, but I look for us to be competitive this season.”
Katy Jones returns for her senior season and brings almost eight points per game with her. She could really flourish in her senior campaign and be one of the players her coach was referring to with his comment about taking on new roles.
Lauren Bernecker returns for a junior season and should be a force inside and outside for the Lady Trojans.
Samantha Pick also started for Cedar Catholic last season and has been a defensive menace.
Speaking of a menace, post player, Addison Walter, coming off a very successful freshman season, should take over in the middle on both ends of the court. She averaged over seven points per contest coming off the bench.
Wortmann will also look to senior, Grace Wortmann and a group of six juniors to figure into the mix.
McKinlee Lammers, Bailey Hochstein, Lyndsey Hamilton, Katelyn Arens, Olivia Kleinschmit and Melayna McGregor will return from last season’s state tournament team along with sophomore, Savannah Pick.
Making the move to Class C2, Wortmann sees Crofton, Lincoln Lutheran and Hastings St. Cecilia to be some of the best teams in the class.
As for the Mid State Conference, he predicts Crofton, Guardian Angels Central Catholic and Battle Creek to be the teams to watch.
Early schedule highlights include Crofton, Omaha Roncalli and Dakota Valley (SD) in December before finishing the month in the Wayne holiday tournament.
The Mid State Conference Tournament will unfold in late January.
The Cedar Catholic C2-8 Sub-District will be brutal.
Including the Lady Trojans, three returning state tournament teams are slated to play in the event. Add in Hartington-Newcastle and you have the makings for a very interesting couple of nights.
The Lady Trojans will open the 202324 season on the road at Albion on Dec.1 to take on Boone Central, then travel to Omaha Roncalli Catholic on Dec. 2.
