Sports teams often look back at their pasts as references to their progress. The girls’ basketball team is certainly looking to improve on their past. The season began with the New Brighton Tip-off Tournament, where the girls faced off against New Brighton and Rochester. While they didn’t win either game, it wasn’t a complete loss for the team. “It went a lot better than last year… we improved a lot,” Senior Maddi Lewis said. This improvement means a lot in light of the competition. New Brighton and Rochester were both playoff contenders last year, but the girls “kept up with them,” Lewis said. Hopefully, the girls can keep up and possibly surpass this energy in future games. “I think we just need to hustle all the time,” Lewis said. According to Lewis, improved hustle helped the team win against Laurel Dec. 11. Energy will be a key component if the girls want to make it to playoffs this year. According to Head Coach John Kaercher, playoffs are the “ultimate goal.” However, this won’t be an easy task. “It’s a tough section from top to bottom,” Kaercher said. The girls are looking to face off against schools including Our Lady of Sacred Heart (OLSH) and Avonworth in their fight for glory. So far, the new head coach has proven beneficial for the team this year. “He doesn’t let us goof around,” Sophomore Madi Daubenspeck said. Kaercher’s strict attitude doesn’t allow the girls to slack off during practices or at games. This year, attendance and participation in games is absolutely mandatory. The team’s focus on teamwork also won’t hurt their chances at success. “We’re more of a team than we were last year,” Sophomore Casey Spieler said. “We work together a lot better, on the court and off.”