As a new season of high school sports starts, new goals and aspirations are also rising.  Varsity girls basketball are hungry for a successful season and a district title.

“I feel like we have a lot of work to do, but we’re getting better day by day,” said freshman Gracie Neff.

Neff has high expectations for her first season on the varsity team.  As a freshman, Neff has found herself filling the shoes of the three seniors who graduated last year.  She’s played basketball a majority of her life, and her dad is also the boys varsity basketball coach, so Neff’s life is dominated by basketball during the winter season.

“My goals for my first high school season are to go out with a bang and win a lot of games and ultimately get better,” said Neff.

The girls have been putting in heavy preparation through both practices and the beginning of their season.  Between a practice or game most days, the girls said they feel they are prepared for the season to be in full swing.

“There’s a new energy in the gym. You just walk in, and you feel different about this season then last season. It’s a better different, you can just feel it,” junior shooting guard Lou Gilbert said.

The girls put preparation so far in both their off season and preseason to get ready for their first game against Central High School on Nov. 22, but they fell short.  The girls lost to Central High School 40-41. Then they played in the Savannah Tournament.  In the tournament on Nov. 28 they beat Central High School’s JV team 56-30 and on Dec. 1 won against Maryville High School 50-24.  They went on to finish second in the tournament against Chillicothe High School on Dec. 3 by only two points 40-42. 

“I think our ultimate goal is to win districts. We’ve made it to the district championship every year,” said Gilbert.