Coach: England girls are quick and athletic
England’s girls finished 23-8 last season, including a 10-2 conference run, but their absence from the Class 2A State Tournament stuck with them throughout the offseason. “You will see a team that is hungry to get back to the state tournament,” David Mackey said of the prospects for his 13th season at England. “We’ve got lots of seniors who are ready to get playing. We have a lot of sophomores who will help off the bench. We hope to make a run in the state tournament this year.” Five are eager returning starters: Tatyana Penister, a 5-8 senior guard who averaged 25 points, 5.2 steals, 3.4 rebounds and 4.2 assists per game last season; Baylee Coleman, a 5-6 junior guard with 10.4 points; Tybriana Durham, 9.7 points and 4.9 steals; Samaria Brooks, 6.8 points and 3.1 assists; and McKenzie Cheek with 6.8 rebounds per game. Penister, a 4.0 student, is a great scorer and shooter. Mackey said she is a college prospect. The coach said Durham, Cheek and Antanequia Martin work hard and are physical inside. Penister, Coleman and Brooks work very well together from the outside. Team strengths this season, the coach said, will be speed, athleticism and defense, but the Lions need to improve their team free-throw shooting and rebounding. After the Arkansas Activities Association’s realignment cycle, England moves from the 2A-4 East to the 2A-5 South against Bigelow, Cutter Morning Star, England, Hazen, Magnet Cove, Maumelle Charter and Poyen. Mackey said games to watch include tough 2A-5 South Conference contests against Bigelow, Dec. 20 and Jan. 29; Carlisle, Dec. 11 and Jan. 22; and Poyen, Dec. 7 and Jan. 18. All three of those reached the Class 2A state quarterfinals last season.