Liberty Girls
Liberty Girls
Raiders want elusive winning season
By Dave Morrison for the register-herald
It ’ s been a tough run for Liberty ’ s girls basketball program .
But coach Denise Arline keeps fighting through the adversity , even when the wins aren ’ t there , even when the team had to fold the remainder of a season because of a lack of players .
It ’ s a true testament to perseverance .
And despite winning just one game last season — a 66-10 victory against Van , the most points a Liberty team has scored in recent memory — Arline is confident and enthusiastic about this team .
“ We are excited to see these ladies turn heads and place our team on the map ,” Arline said . “ This is the year of the Raiders !”
She has a reason to be confident because the team does return a multitude of players who now have varsity experience .
“ We ’ re excited about the upcoming season for our Liberty Raiders ,” she said . “ We are more experienced this year . Not just in mindset , but also in skill set , as ( you must have ) on a winning season .”
Four veterans who have , like their coach , manipulated the ups and downs of a few trying seasons , return to lead the Raiders charge into the season .
Brooklyn Brown , Kirsten Miller , Alayna Brown and Chloe McGhee return to the fold as seasoned seniors .
“ Brooklyn Brown and Kirsten Miller are our team captains ,” Arline said . “ They put in a lot of in-season and offseason work . Their goal is to help Liberty have a winning season . Brooklyn Brown will dominate the paint along with Kirsten Miller
Amanda Ritchie / For The Register Herald
Liberty ’ s Chloe McGhee ( 25 ) guards Shady Spring ’ s Kendall Lilly during a game in Shady Spring .
leading the ladies as point guard .”
Alayna Brown and Mc- Ghee will also lead the team this season .
“ Alayna Cline and Chloe McGhee are mentally tough ,” Arline said . “ They always think of the next play . They are assertive with the ball . Both girls are determined to lead their team to a winning season .”
The Raiders return one junior in Sadi Stone and five sophomores in Rhiley Honaker , Ariahna Combs , Harleigh Meadows , Kaitlyn Cantley and Kaliyah Brooks .
“( Stone and the sophomores ) will contribute to our overall game plan to give our offense more movement and points from inside range to the arc , Arline said .
There are several freshmen out — a good sign for the future when you ’ re trying to build a program : Bayleigh Perdue , Ava Hatcher , Ava Yates , Payden Cooper , Abi Stover , Addison Harris , Alexis Bowman and Kaliyah Brooks .
“ Our freshmen are going to make our defense stronger and our offense quicker ,” Arline said .
Liberty is in a region with some of the top programs and Class AA Region 3 got a lot tougher with James Monroe back up from Class A and Westside is back down from a stint in Class AAA .
The postseason will consist of region play only . Section play has been eliminated .
Consider that since 2000 , a program from Region 3 has won a state championship , Summers County with six , Wyoming East four and Westside and James Monroe with two each .
And for the first time in six years the band is back together .
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