Lady Mavericks Basketball 2018-19

The North Country Mavericks will have a new look this season, having lost five athletes to graduation from the 2017-18 team.

Gone are three of the four all-conference athletes from last season including Jada Sudbrack and Mickayla Johnson, who were selected to the list in three consecutive seasons, as well as Bailey Funk who was named to the All-Defensive team. The team also graduated Sydney Zeller.

"We are a different team this year," Coach Amber Erickson said. "We are young, athletic, and fast."

Coach Erickson explained what she has seen from her team in the first couple of weeks of practice.

"They are really competing hard against each other," Coach Erickson said. "Their attitudes have been very good. They are positive and they are picking up things very fast."

The team has one senior this season, Sarah Boucher, who will be a role player this year.

"She is a hard worker, a great person, and a great teammate," Coach Erickson said. "She is going to take on whatever role we give her this season and do it to the best of her abilities."

The Lady Mavericks will return sophomore Kaitlyn McColly, a combo guard, who earned All-Conference honors as well as a spot on the All-Defensive team as a freshman last year.

"Kaitlyn is very athletic, very coachable, and very positive," Coach Erickson said.

Junior Elise Strommen has been fighting the injury bug in previous seasons, but Coach Erickson has appreciated her skills displayed in practice.

"She really missed out on her sophomore season due to injuries, but she has come back stronger and is working hard and will definitely see some varsity time," Coach Erickson said.

Sophomore Kia Wasson saw plenty of time last season as a freshman.

"She is a great shooter, reads the passing lanes very well, and gets up and down the floor," Coach Erickson said.

Starting at the post this season will be sophomore Kelsee Cummings, who saw plenty of action this summer with the team at the post position.

"Kelsee is very strong inside," Coach Erickson said. "She has good hands and she finishes well."

Starting at point guard this season will be freshman Jaycee Erickson, who played this summer for the team.

"A lot of my younger kids played a lot this summer, that's a big reason why everything is falling into place pretty fast. It's because we have worked on it a lot," Coach Erickson said.

The young team will face a few experienced teams right out of the gate.

"We have a tough opening month of December," Coach Erickson said. "We are going to see five teams that are very seasoned and good teams."

The team opened their season with a 59-43 loss to Plentywood last Friday at the Glasgow Showcase. The Lady Mavericks also posted a 54-38 loss to Turner, who made the Eastern Divisional Tournament last year. Though Coach Erickson knows that it will be a season full of growth, she is looking forward to that growth.

"We are going to get tested early and we are probably going to make a lot of mistakes, but one thing that I do know about this group of kids is that they are going to compete, they don't have any quit in them," Coach Erickson said. "Mistakes are easy to correct and their effort is going to be there. It will be fun to see how far their effort can take us until we get to the point where we are more seasoned."

Rounding out the roster is junior Halle Beil, sophomores Danika Soper, Jaydyn Erickson, Alexandria Walton, freshmen Montaya Idler, Zandora Longtree, Hannah Hanley, and foreign exchange students Petya Rozalinova and Nurdana Rakhymova.

2018-19 Lady Mavericks

Varsity Schedule

VARSITY

DATE DAY EVENT Time SITE

Nov. 15 Thursday First Practice TBA TBA

Nov.30 - Dec.1 Fri. - Sat. Glasgow Showcase TBA TBA

Dec. 7 Friday Harlowtown 12 p.m. Lewistown

Dec. 8 Saturday Winifred/Roy 3:30 p.m. Lewistown

Dec. 14 Friday Glasgow 6:30 p.m. Glasgow

Dec. 15 Saturday Brockton TBA Saco

Dec. 20 Thursday Opheim TBA Opheim

Dec. 21 Friday Nashua/Opheim TBA Saco

Jan. 3 Thursday Dodson TBA Dodson

Jan. 4 Friday Scobey TBA Hinsdale

Jan. 11 Friday Lustre Christian TBA Hinsdale

Jan. 12 Saturday Frazer TBA Frazer

Jan. 14 Monday Havre (Girls Only) 6 p.m. Havre

Jan. 18 Friday Glasgow 6 p.m. Saco

Jan. 19 Saturday Brockton TBA Brockton

Jan. 24 Thursday Opheim TBA Whitewater

Jan. 25 Friday Nashua/Opheim TBA Nashua

Jan. 31 Thursday Dodson TBA Whitewater

Feb. 1 Friday Scobey TBA Scobey

Feb. 4 Monday Havre (Girls Only) 6 p.m. Whitewater

Feb. 8 Friday Lustre Christian TBA Lustre

Feb. 9 Saturday Frazer TBA Hinsdale

Feb. 13-16 Wed..-Sat. 3C Boys & Girls District Wolf Point

Feb. 20-23 Thurs.-Sat. Boys & Girls Divisional Glasgow

Feb. 28-Mar. 2 Thurs.-Sat. Girls State Tourney Great Falls