New coaches look for Eagles to progress

Attitude, Effort, Enthusiasm. The three words on the official Hebron Christian School Lady Eagles' team tshirt says it all.

First-year head coach Todd Stanton not only wants his Hebron team to improve on last season, but he also wants his players to have fun this year.

With the return of their center and shooting guard from the 2020-21 campaign, the Lady Eagles are on the verge of once again becoming a force.

“Last year, I watched from the stands,” Stanton said. “They had a bad season last year, but the talent was there.

“I want to encourage them a little more, (and) build them up. Not one month of bad games or one bad game can defeat them, (or) define who they are. The T-shirt just means, ‘I can.' It's about an attitude that says we know what we're capable of and it's about the girls having fun.”

Hebron's starting five include senior point guard Elisha Carter, freshman shooting guard and backup point guard Evie Stanton, senior power forward Lindsey Daniels, senior center Amber Wedel and junior power forward/backup center Kinsley Tollison.

Stanton called Carter “a great ball handler who can see the whole court,” and referred to her as a “quiet leader.”

“She's a good shooter and she'll get better,” Stanton said of Evie Stanton. “She's tough. She's not afraid to get in there and mix it up.”

Stanton said the 5-foot-4 Daniels has a “strong outside game” and can shoot the 3-pointer.

Wedel, Stanton said, did not play last season and the team suffered both defensively and with rebounding.

“I didn't know she was coming back this season,” Stanton said of Wedel. “That's going to be a big pickup for the team.”

The team's bench includes senior shooting guard Sarah Cantrell, senior center Anna Borst, sophomore power forward Sophia Smith, freshman power forward Laura Ann Horn, and freshman shooting guards Tristan Acker and Allie Jenkins.

The Lady Eagles started the season winning two of five but were in every game. Their three losses were by a total of five points each or less.

Boys

In what has been deemed a season of learning and rebuilding, Hebron Christian School new boys' basketball head coach Charles Raines wants his Eagles to learn two lessons – appreciation for the game they play and respect for an unusually young coach.

Raines, a former player for Hebron Christian, has taken the Eagles' reigns this season. The 21-year-old said he wants his players to not only focus on improving as the season progresses, but also show passion for their sport.

"We have a young team, and it's been a challenge developing the guys that are younger and putting it into team play,” Raines said. “I've been seeing a lot of improvement. If we had 72-hour days, we'd be three times ahead of where we are now."

Hebron consists of a starting five with no seniors this season. Raines said the Eagles, who started the season with five straight losses, continues to learn both sides of the ball.

"We're learning to play defense and to handle the ball better on offense," Raines said. "We're learning to handle the ball and to get around guys."

Starting at power forward for Hebron is junior Ashton Wilson. Raines called Wilson "coachable" and said his overall game has drastically improved.

"He's been a definite asset to the team," Raines said of Wilson.

The starting point guard is eighth grader Jacob Potter, who Raines said, "has stepped up and taken a role to help this team win.”

"He's very talented, but he's still young," Raines said.

Sophomore Levi Cantrell gets the nod at shooting guard. Raines said while Cantrell is improving, the reason for his improvement is his attitude.

"He has an attitude that keeps him ready to improve, and he motivates everyone around him,” Raines said. “You need someone who keeps others motivated."

Junior Nick Eaton is the Eagles' small forward. Raines said Eaton is another player that continues to show improvement each game.

"Nick's a great athlete," Raines said. "He's shown a lot of improvement and he's really stepped it up. He hasn't shied away from contact."

Starting at center for the Eagles is junior Stephen Raines. The 6-foot-4 Raines is the younger brother of the Eagles' head coach.

"He's the anchor of our team," Charles Raines said. "He isn't much into scoring right now, but he can pull down 20 rebounds a game. He's a leader. He keeps the whole team together."

The Eagles' bench features two newcomers to basketball.

Making their debut during this season are junior Josh Durr and senior power forward Landon Swortzel.