Lady Outlaws have big turnout for basketball this season

The Outlaws girls basketball squad had a great first week of practice, with over 20 girls in the gym every day.

Seniors Payden Petterson and Emma Lutz return to the team.

Petterson has played on varsity since her freshman year and is a reliable, dependable, perimeter player who will play at the shooting guard position. She is a very good three-point shooter and a good offensive rebounder. Coach Paul Patton expects her to be a leader on the team.

Lutz will take the reins at point guard. She’s a good ball-handler who can drive to the basket and shoot from the outside. She’s a great competitor who will make big contributions to the squad.

A solid group of juniors are also back for another season: Ellie Mayes, Haleigh Froelich, Hadley Schar, Ashlynn Moffat, and Josie Patton.

Mayes will be one of the Outlaws’ primary guards. She’s a very good perimeter player and is expected to make big contributions on offense as a three-point shooter. Patton told The Nugget he expects Mayes to be a good full-court defender and create a lot of turnovers. Mayes has a great sense of humor and brings levity to practice, and makes the game fun for the entire team.

Froelich was new to Sisters last year and was a big contributor from the start. She’s a natural and intuitive athlete and will play post for the Outlaws.

Patton said, “Haleigh just plays free. She gets rebounds and makes shots. She’s capable of playing every position and can make shots from anywhere on the court.”

Schar most likely will be a ball-handling guard this year. Patton dubbed her “a racket,” and told The Nugget that Schar is tenacious, can drive to the basket, and is a good one-on-one defender.

Moffat has a good feel for the game, is another perimeter player, and will play at the guard position. She’s also a good shooter from behind the arc. Patton noted that Moffat is kind and sweet, and fosters positivity on the team.

Josie Patton rounds out the junior returnees. Basketball is her first love and she’s been a starter on the team since her freshman year. She will be the Outlaws’ key defender against opposing post players. Her strengths lie in working around the basket and getting rebounds. She’s a good passer and distributes the ball well from the post position.

“Josie is a crusader to grow the basketball program,” said Coach Patton. “She’s always trying to get other girls to join the team.”

Sophomores Maggie Lutz, Juhree Kizziar, and Ila Reid all got minutes on the court at the varsity level last year.

Senior Reese Harwell is a talented soccer and lacrosse athlete and this year will play basketball for the first time. Five juniors are new to the Outlaws’ team this year, twins Nevaeh and Delaney McAfee, Tatem Cramer, Sage Wyland, and Dulce Dunham.

Delaney and Nevaeh McAfee played basketball in the eighth grade and decided to play again this year. Cramer and Wyland are great athletes, and both play soccer and lacrosse. Cramer will bring athleticism and good size to the team, and is expected to contribute as a post player. Wyland has good, instinctive court sense, and according to Coach Patton her basketball skills improve daily. Dunham is new to basketball, and Patton said she is learning the game and getting better every day.

Sophomore Katie Ryan didn’t play basketball last year, but did play during middle school.

Three freshmen, Shae Wyland, Holly Madron, and Emma Sahlberg, will also join the Lady Outlaws squad this year. Wyland is tall and athletic, and is expected to be a major contributor to the team’s success. Madron’s strength is her love of the game. Along with her basketball skills, she brings a happy demeanor to the team. Sahlberg rounds out the freshman players.

Senior Anna Shockley has played the last few years, but due to chronic shoulder problems most likely will not be able to play. Patton told The Nugget she will take on the role as an assistant this year.

Junior Hannah Fendall is the team’s manager. Fendall attends all the practices, and at games will run the pregame music, lead the warm-up, and during the game will either take care of the time clock, keep score, or keep stats.

Anne Lapray is Coach Patton’s assistant coach. Lapray just moved to Sisters from Salem and has two children in the Sisters School District. She was a standout player at Oregon City and went on to play at Oregon State.

Coach Patton said, “Anne’s coaching background includes being the head coach at Willamette University. She has a love for teaching the game of basketball and being a positive influence in young people’s lives. We are lucky to have her.”