Oran girls preview: Oran familiar with teams it wants to overcome this year

The Oran girls program made some strides in its first year for coach Larry Boshell, winning eight games.

"I think they only won two or three games the year before," Boshell said. "Now, it's just a matter of us getting over the hump."

The hump would be conference foes Kelly, Delta and Scott County Central. All three teams were district champions last year -- Kelly in Class 2, the others in Class 1. State quarterfinalist Delta alone kept Oran from being above .500 last year by beating the Eagles five times, once in double overtime and finally 41-29 in the Class 1 District 2 championship game.

Like Delta, Oran has several key players back from last season. And the Eagles still are young.

Juniors Wendy Eftink, Mandi Wood and Erica Michaelsen were starters last year; junior Tiffany Glastetter was a starter the year before but sat out with a knee injury last year; and sophomore Jodie Urhahn also will have a starting spot this year.

Seniors Hannah Seyer and Courtney Nenninger will be joined by three sophomores on the roster.

"We've got about eight or nine girls this year who can handle the ball," Boshell said.

He'd like to see that pay off in crunch time at the end of the season.

"When we play Delta," he said, "it will basically be the same 10 people on the floor at the end."

But this time, Boshell would like to see a different result.

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Oran girls

Coach: Larry Boshell, second season

Assistant: Michelle Holder

Last season: 8-12, lost to Delta in Class 1 District 2 final

Conference: Scott-Mississippi Conference

Returning starters

Wendy Eftink 5-5 Jr. G

Erica Michaelsen 5-8 Jr. G/F

Mandi Wood 5-8 Jr. F

Rest of roster

Courtney Nenninger, 5-9, Sr., G/F; Hannah Seyer, 5-4, Sr., G; Tiffany Glastetter, 5-8, Jr., C; Jodie Urhahn, 5-5, So., G; Callie Kielhofner, 5-5, So., G; Ellen Sikes, 5-4, So., G

Schedule

Nov. 22 -- at Egyptian, Ill.

Nov. 28 -- at Perryville

Dec. 5 -- Chaffee tournament

Dec. 12 -- Scott County Central

Dec. 15 -- South Pemiscot

Jan. 3-7 -- Delta New Years Tournament

Jan. 9-14 -- Scott-Miss. Conference Tournament

Jan. 16 -- Woodland

Jan. 19 -- Delta

Jan. 23 -- at Meadow Heights

Jan. 26 -- at Puxico

Jan. 30 -- Chaffee

Feb. 1 -- at Sikeston

Feb. 2 -- Charleston

Feb. 6 -- at Woodland

Feb. 9 -- at East Prairie

Feb. 13 -- St. Vincent

Feb. 16 -- at Scott City

Feb. 23 -- Kelly