Seniors lead the way for Lady Mustangs
Six seniors return to the hardwood for the 2023-24 Lady Mustang basketball team that features the most depth head coach Sean Crane has had in his five years as coach at McDonald County. He feels this team has 11 or 12 players with varsity experience that can contribute each night.
“We do have all these seniors. I mean, we have a whole group of them,” Crane said. “Like I mentioned, Coop (Carlee Cooper), Anna (Clarkson). I’ve mentioned Corina (Holland). Katelynn Townsend played a ton for us throughout the time. She was an all-conference defensive team last year as a junior. Does a great job. Natalie Gillming is another senior, just the ultimate teammate. I mean, Natalie will do anything that’s ever asked of her. Just a great kid.”
The ‘2022-23 Lady Mustang team snagged 13 victories a year ago, and a senior-heavy starting five and an underclassman secret weapon in freshman Dakota O’Brien hope to improve on the win total. Coach Crane was asked if a target was on their back with the experience returning.
“Carlee Cooper’s a fouryear starter for us. Started for us her freshman year on our district championship team and has started every game since,” Crane said. “I mean, when she stays healthy, she’s gonna start over 100 games in her varsity career for us. Anna Clarkson is a three-year starter, playing a lot for us as well. And, then, you get some of our younger girls. Carlie Martin last year did a ton for us, led us in almost all categories as a freshman. She’s obviously coming back; she was an all-conference, all-district, all-area player last year as a freshman. She did a great job as a big-time player for us. I’m going to need a lot out of her this year as well.”
Crane said that one of the bright spots heading into the season is the play of Roslynn Huston. The 5-10 post player has improved on both sides of the ball and will help carry this team.
“Roslynn Huston also started for us the second half of last year,” Crane said. “Rozzy came on strong; she really does a lot for us on the offensive end. She had some nights when she really demanded a double team. Roslyn’s almost six foot tall, a good, strong post player who gives a lot of people trouble. And she spent a lot of time and effort this year trying to get better defensively, which has been huge.
Dakota O’Brien might be the best-kept secret on the Mustang roster. She has a solid start dominating the JV team’s first tournament of the season, and she will play with the varsity squad.
“Dakota O’Brien, a freshman for us, has had a great start. Came in and played some varsity minutes for us. Obviously, had a really good summer,” Crane said. “Just an awesome kid. I mean, just A-plus, gonna do whatever’s asked. At the moment, our JV is playing at a tournament, and she’s playing with them. I believe she had in the opening game, she had 27 points and 19 rebounds, and (another) night, she had 35 and 13. Yeah, the potential is out of the roof. She’s gonna play a lot for us. Don’t mention her a whole lot yet. I kinda just let other people notice her when we show up.”
Crane feels that if they can get through the first month of the schedule, then that should lead to good things in conference play.
Our first part of the schedule, we play 12 games this year before Christmas. The first part of our schedule is tough. It’s by far the toughest part of our schedule, so our thing is, if we can ever survive and get through that in a good manner, good things happen, Crane said.
The Lady Mustangs got a six-point victory over Springfield Hillcrest, 49-43, to open the season.