Waurika High School is scheduled to begin the 2020-2021 basketball season Friday night when they travel to Geronimo for a doubleheader.
The girls’ game is set to begin at 6:30 p.m., while the boys will tip at the conclusion of the girls’ game.
Both girls’ coach Kalee Baxter and boys’ mentor Garret Bachand are optimistic about the upcoming seasons after seeing success during 2020.
The Lady Eagles finished with a mark of 15-11 in 2020 and the season ended in the regional tournament.
The Eagles had a 13-11 mark in 2020 and it was the most wins since the 2012 season.
Every game on the Waurika schedule will have meaning as they are playing only Southern Eight and Oil Field Conference foes during the regular season.
Both teams will also compete in three invitational tournaments at Chattanooga, Marlow and Rush Springs.
Bachand conducted his first practices of the season this week and the starting lineup will feature four returning starters and a bit of depth that will have to transition quickly from the gridiron to the hardwood.
Three of the returnees are seniors giving the Eagles an experienced squad for the first time in a few years.
Kevin Garcia and Cache Dunn – both seniors – figure to play a big role.
Dunn was an honorable mention selection on the Southern Eight Conference all-conference squad last year and led the Eagles in rebounding.
Garcia will be counted on to provide leadership to the team – much like he did throughout the recently completed grid season for the Eagles.
Another senior and starter a year ago, Bowden Forsyth, will give the Eagles a big presence on the inside and will be counted on to have an impact on both ends of the court.
Treyton Torrez, who was a starter as a freshman, led the team in scoring and will be counted on for point production throughout the season. Torrez was an all-conference selection by the Southern Eight Conference and the Oil Field Conference in 2020.
Torrez averaged almost 18 points a game for the Eagles a year ago.
“I don’t want to leave Cache and Kevin off the scoring list,” said Bachand. “I think either one is due for some explosive scoring nights – especially with their talent and experience.”
The other starting spot may be up for grabs according to Bachand, who will be in his second season as the head coach of the Eagles.
The other starting spot may be up for grabs according to Bachand, who will be in his second season as the head coach of the Eagles.
Matt Arriolla, Tre Horne, Dylan Brown and Mason Houston will likely battle for the remaining spot.
Arriolla will likely challenge Dunn for top honors on the boards and will be a force inside.
Houston gave the Eagles a boost on offense during summer league play and he will also provide a strong presence on the board and on defense.
“We plan on using our speed to open things up for transition and our outside scoring,” said Bachand when identifying some of the projected strengths of this year’s squad. “We will need to see our rebounding and low post defense improve for us to be successful.”
Bachand hopes the Eagles can produce another winning season and if they do it will be the first back-to-back winning seasons in basketball since the 2011 and 2012 seasons.
“We have an experienced group that can compete every night and I think they will give our team a chance to win both conferences,” added Bachand.
The Eagles should battle Big Pasture for the Southern Eight Conference title and will face stiff competition from fourth-ranked Velma-Alma in the Oil Field Conference race.
Expectations for the Lady Eagles may be even higher than the male counterparts.
The Lady Eagles appeared in their fourth regional tourney in five seasons after making only three regional tourney appearances in the previous 15 years.
The Lady Eagles have managed to compile a winning record in six of the previous seven seasons and the outlook for 2021 is bright as all five starters return from last year’s team.
Leading the way will be the Southern Eight Conference’s defensive player of the year Asia Smith. Smith was also an Oil Field Conference selection.
Lexie Streeter returns and will provide some offensive punch for the Lady Eagles. She was a Southern Eight Conference all-conference pick last season.
“Streeter and Smith are going to be key aspects in our program,” said Baxter of the two top scorers for the Lady Eagles a year ago.
Tallin Mora, Gracie Walling and Faith Roberson are the other three returning starters for the Lady Eagles.
Roberson will be manning the point for the Lady Eagles.
“Faith has been doing an excellent job heading our offense,” added Baxter.
Mora, Liberti Simmons and Aubree Showalter will provide the Lady Eagles with offense from the outside, which will help open up the inside for Walling, Cassidy Berry and Alana Lewis.
Depth will be one of the strengths for the Lady Eagles.
“Backing those girls will be a bench of players ready and able to help as well,” Baxter noted.
“We have so much talent and potential building off of the last few years of success,” Baxter said. “We are just excited to go compete hard every chance we get.”
The Lady Eagles should be the favorite in the Southern Eight Conference, but will have to contend with Class A’s 10th-ranked Velma-Alma Lady Comets for the Oil Field Conference title.
The Lady Eagles hope to contend for a district title – something that has eluded Waurika’s girls’ squads since 2017.
Waurika Basketball Schedule
December
8: at Geronimo; 10-12: at Chattanooga Tournament; 15: at Velma-Alma; 17: Grandfield; 18: at Big Pasture.
January
5: Wilson; 7-9: Black Diamond Tournament at Rush Springs; 12: at Ringling; 15: Empire; 18-23: Stephens County Tournament at Marlow; 26: Healdton; 29: Walters.
February
2: at Central High; 9: Elmore City-Pernell; 12-13: District Tournament.
