CLINTON TWP. — Lackawanna Trail returns many players who had integral roles during last year’s run to the District 2 Class A girls basketball championship game.

The Lady Lions lost to Forest City, 40-29, in that contest, but there are plenty of reasons to be optimistic about this year’s team.

The squad brings back its top four scorers, including junior guard Lexie Kwiatkowski, who led the group with 238 points last season.

Senior forward Sarah Weisenfluh, junior guards Allison Decker and Lexie Kwiatkowski, junior forward Laurelann Penn, junior guard Ami Sohns, sophomore guard Rachael Beemer and sophomore guard/forwards Cali Fauquier and Samantha Baltrusaitis were all significant contributors on last year’s team.

Sophomore guard/forward Alyssa Fowler, freshman guard Lexi Deutsch and freshman guard/forward Monica Stuenzi are expected to compete for playing time.

Guard Alyssa Sohns was the team’s only key loss to graduation from last season.

Second-year head coach Lauren Sheakoski hopes the experience many of the players gained last season will pay dividends as the group looks to improve on its 4-20 record.

“I think they fell apart as a team a little bit,” Sheakoski said. “But, once the season progressed, they pulled together and went to the district final. I think that might have been the boost of confidence they needed going into this season to be a little more successful.

“We don’t have a lot of size, but we have a lot of quickness.”

Sheakoski believes she had a positive impact on the team last season and is looking forward to the future.

“I think the program needed a fresh face,” she said. “I came in and it was a clean slate. I didn’t know any names, so I was able to make my own analysis and determine who should be on the court.”

She also feels the girls will be able to execute her system a little better this year.

“I think communication and patience are really our biggest struggles,” Sheakoski said. “I think now that I have a year under my belt and the girls understand my program, we will be a little more successful in our offensive sets. When we’re patient, we’ve looked so much better.”

Sheakoski pegged Elk Lake and Forest City as likely contenders for the Lackawanna League Division 4 title, but feels the race will be wide open.

“Every team is returning a lot of players,” she said. “I think it’s going to be a good season for our league, there are going to be good games every night.”

Weisenfluh, whom Sheakoski labeled as the “glue that keeps the girls together,” thinks a shift in focus played a big factor in the group’s late-season success.

“Our mentality kind of changed the last couple games,” Weisenfluh said. “We started to focus on ‘we’ not ‘me.’ We gelled a lot better by the end of the year because we changed our attitudes.”

Kwiatkowski is excited to see the team continue to develop throughout the season and has high hopes for the group.

“I want the gold (medal) really bad this year,” she said. “We have to go into every game wanting to win. We have a lot of potential if we work as a team. Once we start communicating, the game flows a lot easier.”

Starters for the Lackawanna Trail girls basketball team are, from left, first row, Samantha Baltrusaitis and Cali Fauquier. Second row, Lexie Kwiatkowski, Sarah Weisenfluh and Ami Sohns.
https://www.theabingtonjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/web1_ABJ-LT-Girls-Hoops.jpg.optimal.jpgStarters for the Lackawanna Trail girls basketball team are, from left, first row, Samantha Baltrusaitis and Cali Fauquier. Second row, Lexie Kwiatkowski, Sarah Weisenfluh and Ami Sohns. Submitted photo

By Robert Tomkavage

rtomkavage@timesleader.com

Reach Robert Tomkavage at 570-704-3941 or on Twitter @rtomkavage.