The seniors on the 2009-10 Mayer Lutheran girls basketball team are, from left: Danielle Parpart, Kelli Bones and Sydney Haller. Staff photo by Todd Moen

By Todd Moen

Contributing Editor

After finishing with 10 victories last year, members of the Mayer Lutheran girls basketball team are hoping that their returning experience and off-season work will result in increased success this season.

Kris Gustin returns for his fourth season as head coach of the Crusaders, who finished 3-11 in the Minnesota River Conference and 10-17 overall last season. The team began practicing on Nov. 16.

“I’ve been pleased thus far,” Gustin said. “We know our offense fairly well. We put it in earlier than in the past. The girls are adjusting and remembering, they’re working hard, picking new things up. The girls have worked hard in the off-season to get better and we’re seeing some of that progress come out already.”

A core group of skilled players has Gustin optimistic that the team will have plenty of strengths.

“We should have a strong inside game,” he said. “Senior Kelli Bones is a returning all-conference player who tied for the team lead in scoring and led the team in rebounds last year. We expect (her to continue that level of play) this season.”

As for his backcourt, Gustin is hopeful that the experience his guards gained last year, coupled with plenty of off-season work, will translate into success on the court this season.

As for weaknesses, Gustin said his team should be fine as long as it does all of the little things right, such as limiting turnovers, grabbing rebounds and playing with hustle.

In addition to Bones, Gustin is expecting several other players to play an important role this season.

Those players include seniors Danielle Parpart and Sydney Haller, juniors Hailey Siegle, Brittany Erdmann and Sarah Bening and sophomore Jessica Klaustermeier. Those seven players either have varsity experience or are returning letterwinners.

Gustin said the Crusaders hope to finish in the top half of the MRC and in the top half of the sub-section, which would give them a home game in the first round of the playoffs. Beyond that, the Crusaders hope to advance as far as possible into the postseason.

A few new teams, including Meadow Creek Christian, Providence Academy, Litchfield and HLWW, inhabit Mayer Lutheran’s sub-section in Section 5AA this season. LHS will play several of those of teams and face other sub-section opponents, such as NYA, Watertown-Mayer and Rockford, in the regular season.

“It’s a tough conference and sub-section but that’s okay,” Gustin said. “I believe playing a tough schedule will help you come playoff time. We hope to stay healthy and be playing our best basketball as we enter the playoffs.”

The Crusaders opened the regular season against Glencoe-Silver Lake on Tuesday, Dec. 1.

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