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| Sofia Chadwick All-Missota (photo by Jim Lindquist) |
Although Chadwick wasn't about to claim satisfaction with the final numbers she said there were several positives to take away from 2012-13 campaign.
"This was a very young squad that other than one or two players had no varsity experience," Chadwick said. "The girls really spent this season learning how to play at the varsity level.
"They really needed time to adjust to the speed of the game. The physicality and intensity of playing at this level is not something you can just step into and be comfortable with. It requires time."
When Chadwick said her squad was young she may have been understating her case. The Tigers routinely started five sophomores and of the 11 players earning varsity letters, only two were upperclassmen, senior Callie Halterman and junior Aly Grebner.
Other players receiving varsity letters at Monday night's post-season banquet included sophomores Sofia Chadwick, Alicia Hett, Kailtyn Gorden, Abby Gallus, Leah Hammond, Jordyn Homeier, Sydney Speer and Chelsey Bruns and freshman Morgan Mach.
Sofia Chadwick, who led the team in scoring (15 points per game), assists (4.0) and steals (2.6) and ranked second in rebounding (5.4) was the team's Most Outstanding Player and landed a spot on the all-Missota Conference team.
Hett, who averaged 5.6 points, 2.6 assists and 1.6 steals a contest, garnered all-league honorable mention and also received the Tiger Leadership Award. Mach took home Rookie of the Year honors.
Ranking atop the highlights from the 2012-13 season was claiming the consolation championship at the Monticello Holiday Tournament. Chadwick also pointed to narrow losses to a pair of quality teams in Lakeville South and Apple Valley as well as a gut-wrenching last second defeat at the hands of section rival Hastings.
"It may not seem like a highlight to the girls because we lost," Chadwick said, "but it says a lot about a team that came from18 points behind to lead with seven seconds left in the game."
Among the disappointments were the Tigers' inability to dent the win column in the Missota Conference, a couple of lopsided losses to Shakopee and Chanhassen and a rash of injuries and illness that seemed to follow the team all season.
With all but one varsity player slated to return next season, Chadwick is excited about her team's future.
"We spent a full season learning how to play at this level," she said. "Next season we expect to teach the girls how to win at this level.
"We have the luxury of having our leading scorers, our leading rebounders, our best defenders, all coming back next season. However, we have made very clear to the girls that our success next season depends almost entirely on their commitment levels during the off-season...
"We will face a similar outcome as we did this season if everyone comes back the same player. If they make those commitments to improving themselves as individuals, the team will in turn improve dramatically."
While Chadwick will welcome back almost all of this year's roster next season, she said she will miss the absence of Halterman, this year's lone senior.
"Callie suffered a torn ACL last December (2011) and the surgery and rehab were frustrating to her," she said. "But she came back with the goal to play her senior season. She came with the best attitude and she was a joy to coach."
