The team’s best player, Marisa Coleman, would’ve been a senior this season but opted for forgo her final prep basketball season to play softball. Her 12 points per game last year were six more than the team’s second-leading scorer.
To help make up for the void, and to take a step forward in the win column, Sparks will need to take advantage of its team speed.
“If everything comes together, our strength is going to be our quickness,” Sparks coach Frank Avilla said. “Again, we’re limited on height this year but I do believe we’re going to make up for it with our quickness and a little bit more knowledge on the basketball court.”
Angie Hurtado, who saw heavy minutes as a freshman, will be asked to run the Railroaders’ offense much of the season along with junior Giselle Chavez.
Senior Sam Umana missed much of last year with an injury but standing 5-8, she will anchor the Railroaders’ interior presence.
The Railroaders opened their season Saturday with a lopsided 63-6 loss at McQueen.
“To be honest with you, what I saw yesterday was a lot of panic and nervousness,” Avilla said. “The girls recognized that right away … They know what we have to work on.
“That’s what we’re going to work on the next couple weeks, is just getting comfortable with each other.”
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