Lady Tigers begin season in Sioux Falls Saturday

How will IHS girls basketball life be without Kamryn Heinz and her talented 2018-19 classmates who led Ipswich to a rare State B tourney appearance last season? Tiger fans might be wondering. (Kamryn is indeed doing well as a true freshman on the Dakota Wesleyan women's team in Mitchell.)

So it could be a bit of an early adjustment according to Coach Bryan Hogie, assisted by Dan Knust.

"After losing such a big class of seniors our girls are going to have to work hard and keep improving everyday. We will be inexperienced in some positions and will have a learning curve early in the season. Our girls really work hard and want to improve," he says.

And the Lady Tigers are indeed somewhat overall youthful this season with Tessa Kilber the lone returning senior.

But just wait a minute. She will be assisted by no fewer than nine juniors for additional leadership, especially as the season progresses along. They are Kamryn's sister Halle Heinz, as well as Lindsey Grabowska, Tarynn Kleffman, Ashton Loken, Chesney Olivier, Kaitlin Geditz, Hailey Bierman, Halie Feldman and Bailey Pitz.

There is just one sophomore girl this year in the person of Izzy McQuarie. But similar to the junior class in numbers, there are no fewer than 10 ninth-grade hopefuls. They are Baylee Kulesa, Katie Bierman, Madison Geditz, Kaitlyn Williams, Jailey Hutson, Vanesa Diaz, Ashlyn Weig, Quincy Olivier, Emily Knoll and Gracie Lange.

The season starts with the Lady Tigers (and Tiger boys) facing Hitchcock-Tulare in a classic at the Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls on December 14 with the girls game at 3 p.m., followed by the boys.

Their first home game will be on Dec. 17 hosting North Central in a girls/boys twinbill format.

Faulkton was the other Region 2B representative to the SoDak 16 last year, but lost that appearance. The Trojans appear to be strong again this year, according to Hogie. "Faulkton will look to be the regional favorites and after that we will have some very good competition from top to bottom, with teams like Sully Buttes and Herreid/Selby Area returning some very good talent."