Last year was a season of ups and downs for the Lyon County Lady Lyons as they won the All-A Classic Region title but could not get out of district play and advance to the Second Region Tournament.
Head Coach Jeff Doom enters his tenth season as Lady Lyon head coach and says he will have one of his least experienced teams. However, the team will be led by Allison Murphy, who has the most returning experience of any player in the Fifth District.
The senior guard reach the 1,000-point milestone last year and is closing in on 1,000 career rebounds this year. Her versatility will be a huge asset for Doom, who said he plans to move her around the court depending on the opponent and the defense.
Murphy averaged 13.5 points and 11.7 rebounds in earning All-District and All-Second region honors last year. Doom called Murphy one of the hardest working players he has had as a head coach.
Also back for the Lady Lyons is sophomore Calista Collins, who averaged six points nd just under 10 rebounds a game. Collins, one of Lyon County’s top softball players, tried to balance the two sports over the summer and in the preseason. However, once she gets into a basketball state of mind, she will give the Lady Lyons an inside presence that other teams of the district do not have.
Kenttavia Matthews will provide some solid minutes and provide solid defense as a returning starter.
The Lady Lyons have a lot of young talent that Doom hopes to develop into depth as the season wears on.
Freshmen Rose Smith and Lydia P’Poole give the Lady Lyons size and athleticism. Both can play inside and run the floor. Eighth grader Cathryn Brown has added height over the summer and could be the best deep threat for Lyon.
In addition to the young talent, Lyon County has a large junior class that has provided role players in the past. Doom is hoping they step into a larger role as their playing time increase. LuLu Taylor, Ashlyn Doom, Isabella Ortiz, Kayden Watts, Taylyn Sutton, and Ashleigh Butts may hold the key to Lyon County’s success in stretches this season.
If Lyon County develops their youth to compliment Murphy, they could be a dangerous team come district tournament time and do something that last year‘s team couldn’t — advance to the Second Region Tournament. Regardless, they will enter January as the favorite to repeat as All-A Classic region champs.
