Lady Cards looking to improve on last season’s record
HASKELL -- The Harmony Grove Lady Cardinals (1-3) fought through a difficult season last year, finishing 12-16 overall following a first-round loss in the Regional Tournament.
Through four games this season, Head Coach Levi Spinks and company are adjusting to a slightly different looking squad as they prepare to improve on last year’s showing.
“We are hoping to top last year’s win/loss record,” Spinks said. “I think you always want to improve year to year.”
One of the most crucial adjustments is life with Shelby Kiker, who graduated last spring.
“Shelby Kiker graduated after a solid year averaging more than 7 points and seven rebounds per game,” Spinks added. “We will miss her defense and rebounding for sure. Our sophomores have been improving throughout the offseason, but are still figuring things out here in the early going.”
The Lady Cardinals kicked off the new season Nov. 7, falling to Perryville at home 60-26. A big bounce-back game followed against Bauxite on Nov. 9, resulting in a Harmony Grove 34-31 win at Daniel Henley Fieldhouse.
Since then, though, the Cardinals have struggled in back-to-back games, losing by a combined 99-60 to Ouachita and Poyen.
With the new season in full swing, Spinks said he is keeping an eye on his leader already.
“Natalie Harder is our leader,” he said. “She’s been solid to start the year and her effort gets us going.”
Harder finished last season averaging 7.1 points per game through 28 contests, scoring 203 total points.
Harmony Grove also returns senior Olivia
Wallace after she averaged 9.6 points per game last season, good for 10th highest in the county.
Junior Sydney Brown, too, returns for the Lady Cardinals, a season after leading the club in scoring with 286 points and 10.2 per game.
With a small sample size thus far in 2023, Spinks says his team’s biggest strength is perimeter play from his guards.
“The biggest strength should be our perimeter play, but it hasn’t been so far through four games,” Spinks added.
The Lady Cardinals have struggled to score in the early games this season, leading Spinks to determine scoring consistently is the team’s largest question mark.
Looking ahead to conference action, the Lady Cardinals have a stacked list of good teams to compete with, including Fouke, Jessieville and Centerpoint.
Combined, those four
teams are 11-0 this season.
“Our conference is solid, especially at the top,” Spinks said. “Jessieville is probably the most talented and Fouke always has talen and the kids play really hard. Centerpoint returns all five starters and are so
well-coached.”
Fouke led the league last season, finishing a perfect 14-0 in conference action and 32-5 overall
Harmony Grove finished 2-6 against the three foes last season, beating Centerpoint twice (including playoffs).
The Lady Cardinals
have a slate of nonconference matchups set following the Thanksgiving holiday and will return to action at 5:30 p.m. Dec. 7 at home against Mineral Springs.
Harmony Grove will begin conference play at 6 p.m. Dec. 14 on the road at Prescott.