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LAUREL — After completing a successful season last year, the Laurel-Concord-Coleridge Lady Bear basketball team is looking to improve on a 15-9 record and a loss in the SubDistrict tournament to Oakland-Craig.
“I’m really looking for us to improve from last year,” Lady Bear coach Marcus Messersmith said. “These girls took a big jump in volleyball and had an excellent summer in the weight room and workouts.”
Unfortunately, the team will be without the services of Tali Erwin, at least early in the season, who is recovering from an injury suffered on the volleyball court.
Even without, Erwin, Messersmith returns plenty of talent from last year’s squad.
Rena Rasmussen returns from her freshman campaign where she averaged just under a double-double in every game, averaging just under 17 points and eight rebounds every game she stepped on the court.
Lainey Schutte returns for her senior season and should have a bigger role on this year’s team.
Kaida Eriksen should improve on her 8 PPG averaged last season.
“We’re looking for Kaida to increase her output on both ends of the court,” her coach said.
Sophomore Carlie Kvols returns after setting up the Lady Bear offense on the volleyball court all fall and is the best defender LCC has according to her coach.
Another obstacle to this season is the fact Laurel-Concord-Coleridge will move up to compete in Class C1 after playing in C2 last year.
“We look to be competitive in our region,” said Messersmith. “Our goal is to host one of the subdistricts when they are announced in February.”
The Lady Bears will compete in the C1 Region 2 this season along with Arlington, Battle Creek, Boone Central, Clarkson/Leigh, Logan View/Scribner-Snyder, Madison, North Bend Central, Omaha Nation, O’Neill, Pierce, Scotus Central Catholic, Wakefield, Wayne, West Point-Beemer and Winnebago.
The Lady Bears will open the season with three consecutive road games at Creighton (Dec. 5), Crofton (Dec. 6) and Homer (Dec. 10).
The first home date is scheduled for Dec. 13 against Tri County Northeast.
LCC will travel to Ponca and Plainview to complete the preholiday portion of the schedule.
The Lady Bears will compete in the Wayne Holiday Tournament Dec. 27 to Dec. 30.
The New Year will take Laurel-Concord-Coleridge to Fremont on Jan. 3 to take on Archbishop Bergan before a home contest with Elkhorn Valley on Jan. 7.
LCC will finish January with trips to Cedar Catholic and Humphrey/ Lindsay and four of five home games with Wayne, Hartington- Newcastle, Battle Creek and Lutheran High Northeast with trip to Walthill in the middle on Jan. 17.
The Greater Northeast Activities Conference Tournament is set for Feb. 3 to Feb. 8 then a trip to Summerland and a home game with Wisner-Pilger to finish out the regular season.
