One Nation, Under God
One Nation, Under God
M-ettes welcome 11 freshmen this season
The 2019-20 Malta M-ettes: Back row L to R: Assistant Coach Mardee Scott, Kylee Nelson, Erica Smith, Kelbee Denham, Kaylee Bishop, Justine Lamb, Carly Garfield, Sidney Meeks, Allison Kunze, Madison Williamson, Addy Anderson, Kylie Hunter, and Assistant Coach Shane Anderson. Front row L to R: Manager Lavida Grotte-Dalby, Dally Neibur, Brylee French, Alba Gonzalez, Aubri Werk, Skylie Lefdahl, Head Coach Nate Hammond, Deion Lefdahl, Arena Neibur, Kennedy Koss, Lauren Tuss, and Manager Rylee Hines.
Junior Kylie Hunter dribbles towards the basket during the 2019 Eastern B Divisional Tournament last season.
The Malta M-ettes will look to improve upon their 2018-19 outing in which the team went 11-11. Doing so may prove to be tough in a strong 2B district.
"Right now, we are focusing on our first week, but longer-term we are trying to be the best team in the district and then go from there," Coach Nate Hammond told the PCN. "I believe the 2B will have five super teams, all capable of being competitive at the state level."
The team will have to do so with a new look because the M-ettes graduated four seniors last season, which were Kyleigh Schipman, Raina Mortenson, Kloie Marks, and Wylee Young.
Marks was an All-Conference selection last season, leading the M-ettes in scoring with a total of 188 points (8.5 PPG). Marks also had 128 rebounds, 47 assists, and 47 steals.
The team does welcome back senior Kelbee Denham, their other All-conference athlete from 2019, who made the first-team list. Denham's season came to an abrupt end as she suffered a season-ending knee injury late in the year. Denham ended the season with 156 points (9.75 PPG), 75 rebounds, 55 assists, and 37 steals.
The team does welcome back plenty of talent despite a few athletes suffering injuries during the off-season.
Though she was not named to the All-Conference list, the team welcomes back junior Erica Smith who was second in scoring with 173 points, first in steals with 49, and she was fourth in assists with 41.
Starting at post last year was senior Carly Garfield who was fourth in scoring with 145 points.
Garfield, Denham, and Smith, are the only returning starters from last year. The team consists of 20 athletes throughout varsity and sub-varsity this season. There are two seniors, three juniors, four sophomores, and 11 freshmen. Likely to get the first crack at starting minutes will be the upperclassman, but this year's team features an athletic freshman class that will likely get plenty of playing time.
Junior Sidney Meeks, listed at 5-10, could be paired with sophomore Justine Lamb, who is also listed at 5-10. The duo saw varsity time last season, especially after the mid-point of the schedule. Meeks displayed the ability to rebound, as well as bring height to a group that struggled in the paint last season. Lamb was aggressive on both ends of the floor last season, displaying athleticism that challenged opposing offenses in the paint and around the perimeter.
Though sophomore Kaylee Bishop did not log many minutes with the varsity team last season, Bishop was a starter in this year's volleyball varsity team and played significant minutes in JV games.
This past summer the team traveled together, playing a total of 22 games in June.
"We took a team to Williston State College, two teams to MSU-Billings, and had a tournament here in Malta," Coach Nate Hammond said.
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