The South Central Lady Cougars will return experience for the 2023-2024 season but are going to have to rely on underclassmen stepping up to fill spots and play considerable Varsity minutes this season.
The Cougars return two senior starters in guard Taegan Webster and forward Brooke Cowger and a junior starter in guard Kaitlyn Swift from last year’s 15-17 squad. Two spots left by 1,000 point scorer Brooklyn Garrett and defensive specialist Jaylyn Michel who were lost to graduation is leaving South Central to see new starters stepping up to fill the spots. Sophomore guard Percilla Reid and sophomore forward Lauren Johnson are two players with Varsity experience that could be big for South Central after Reid came off of the bench for the Cougars last year as a freshman and Johnson also earned some Varsity minutes at her previous school, Vandalia. Those five will be joined by junior guard Jasmin Modesty and junior guard Kyra Swift as the team’s core with varsity experience on the team with three freshman including guard Lorelai Rose, forward Madison Green and forward Addison Conant rounding out the Cougars small roster for this season.
South Central will get tested quickly in the first week as they open up the season at home on Monday facing National Trail Conference opponent CHBC, who also returns three starters, and will then go on the road to Casey-Westfield on Tuesday before coming back home to face another NTC opponent in North Clay on Thursday for a full first week. The Lady Cougars will get an 11-day break though after their opening week to make any adjustments from what they learn about themselves during their first three games before facing their third NTC opponent in their first four games when they host Brownstown-St. Elmo on November 27 and then get back on the road to take on Webber on November 30.
