High school basketball preview: El Dorado Wildcats (+video)
Schedule
December – 4, McPherson; 8, 11-12, Chapman Tournament; 15, at Buhler.
January – 5, Augusta; 8, Rose Hill; 12, at Winfield; 15, Wellington; 19, at Circle (G); 21-23, El Dorado tournament; (B); 26, at Circle (B); 28-30, El Dorado tournament (G).
February – 2, at Collegiate; 5, Mulvane; 9, at Augusta; 12, Buhler; 16, at McPherson; 23, at Rose Hill; 26, Winfield.
Boys
Coach: Jordon Regehr, first season.
Last season: 4-17
Top players
Kaden Fowler, 6-0, sr., G
Derek Hildreth, 6-2, sr., F
Trevor Burnett, 6-1, jr., G
Coley McCarthy, 6-0, sr., G
Jake Kimble, 6-0, sr., G
Regehr, an assistant for four years, takes over as coach. Having graduated all five starters from last year, Regehr will rely on a number of newcomers and hope to pull out some of the close battles that didn’t go El Dorado’s way a year ago.
“We had a lot of close ones, and coach (Gary Melcher) and I discussed with our players that losing seasons aren’t much fun, you don’t look forward to going to practice,” Regehr said.
“But last year’s team, it was different. Even though we didn’t win a lot, it didn’t feel like a 4-17 season. We were in a lot of games, lost some close ones. Toward the end of the season, we started to win a few more.”
There will be a few growing pains, Regehr said, as the JV players gain experience.
“Most of our guys coming back … were strictly JV players last year,” he said. “It will be their first experience for varsity minutes. So, it will be fun to see how they grow and develop over the year.”
Regehr said El Dorado will run the same offense and defense.
“I haven’t strayed from the same fundamentals and principles that (Melcher) had,” Regehr said. “I think we might run a few more set plays offensively this year, but the same motion offense and defenses will be very similar. Our man-to-man defense is going to have to be our staple if we’re going to be successful.”
Girls
Coach: Jordan Crawford, second season
Last season: 5-16
Top players
Destiny Smith, 5-6, sr., G
Sidney Howland, 5-10, jr., G-F
Caedyn Reinhardt, 6-1, jr., C
Morgan Owens 5-4, sr., G
Kayln Beel, 5-10, sr., F
Jolie Howland, 5-10, jr., G-F
Normally, a 5-16 season isn’t viewed positively, but Crawford views it more as a first step toward getting where he wants El Dorado to be.
“We see (last season) as a success,” he said. “First-year coach, first year with the ladies, it’s all an adjustment. They’re coming off a 2-19 year, and we increased that by three wins and we hope to do the same this year.
“We took a lot of positive from the season, but we also know we have a lot of growing to do.”
Another sign of progress was a second-place finish in the Chapman tournament, Crawford said.
“It’s a good preseason tournament,” he said. “It gets you in the grind of having to drive back and forth multiple days, kind of simulates what you’d see in a state (tournament) arrangements.”
Three starters return, but only Smith is a senior. Juniors Sidney Howland and Reinhardt return not just experience but also size. Beel and Jolie Howland are athletes that have made their mark for the Wildcats in volleyball and cross country.
“We stole back a player, a very good athlete (Beel) who concentrated on club volleyball last year who’s going to be a huge addition for us inside,” Crawford said. “She’s very good on the glass, she finishes well, and she’s got great rapport with my top players.”
Crawford is also happy to be adding Jolie Howland.
“She’s got great length on her, she runs the floor well, just has to be confident in herself,” he said. “For what we’ve got here, she’s another great addition.”
Lionel Tipton
This story was originally published November 22, 2015 at 3:26 PM with the headline "High school basketball preview: El Dorado Wildcats (+video)."