2011-12 Winter Preview: East Ridge girls basketball team returns with hopes to improve last year’s record

The East Ridge girls basketball team boasts a talented mix of veterans and newcomers for its 2011-12 season in hopes of improving their last year’s 7-20 overall record and 3-15 Suburban East Conference standing.

Last year, the Raptors started out their season 3-0 after their wins against Patrick Henry, South St. Paul and Henry Sibley. East Ridge also took two wins over Hastings and defeated Forest Lake in the SEC.

“We have made progress in the last two years and look to continue that trend,” head coach Glen Wurm, returning for his third year to coach the Raptors, said.

This year the team was placed into the 3AAAA section in the Suburban East Conference, a change from their placement in the 3AA during the 2010-2011 season. While placement into a new section brings with it many unknowns for the Raptors, Wurm and his team look forward with optimism to the 2011-2012 season.

“We hope to be very competitive this year in the SEC,” Wurm said. Unsure of which teams in the 3AAAA section will be the ones to look out for, he noted that the Raptors’ “experienced players will need to perform well in order for us to compete and win games against some good basketball teams.”

Wurm added that every game this season would be key for the team as the players and the staff hope to grow, learn and improve.

East Ridge’s top returning players this season are senior post Katie Hagberg and sophomore forward Jamie Swanson, both of whom were honorable mention All-SEC players last year. In addition, senior forward Kelsey Basten and junior forwards Hannah Pignato, Brianna Walker and Ellen Wiggins are key players who will be returning for the Raptors. Also, keep a look out for senior Allison Berry and junior Courtney Keefe playing guard this season.

The Raptors opened the season with a non-conference game against Patrick Henry, where the Patriots hosted the Raptors on Tuesday, Nov. 29, after the Bulletin went to print.

Tags: winter preview 2011-12, east ridge, sports, raptors, prep, updates