By Jake Schroer
Crow River News Sports
In March 2015, the STMA Lady Knights basketball team won a state tournament game for the first time since moving to Class 4A. The Knights lost to Eastview in the semifinal game before defeating Shakopee for a third place finish; the highest for STMA since winning the 3A title in 2009.
Expectations, as a result, have risen for the girls’ basketball program.
“We’re no longer getting to the state tournament and calling that good. Now, our goals and our destinations have increased from where they were before,” head coach Kent Hamre said. “It’s not only to get to state; we want to win a state title. Watching what our football team did, I think everyone wants to win a state title now, I sure hope.”
Consistency has defined the Lady Knights program. The last time STMA fell short of the state tournament was the 2007-2008 season. Hamre cited several factors for the team’s success, including coaching and kids’ work ethics.
“In the summertime, we’re in here four to five days out of the week when nobody’s watching, and getting better on our individual skills, getting better on our game skills,” Hamre said. “These kids watched our football team celebrate. They want to do that.”
The Knights will rely on a core of four girls who helped lead the team to its past couple state appearances. Junior guard Rae Johnson, another junior guard in Lizzy Heil, senior guard Kitri Zezza, and another senior guard in Sydney Tracy. All four have been named captains by Hamre.
Those four will be crucial to STMA’s success, because the schedule, per usual, is loaded by design. The Knights play Hopkins, Minnetonka, Osseo, Eden Prairie, and get a regular-season rematch against Eastview.
“We’ve beefed (the schedule) up even more. We wouldn’t do it if I didn’t think the kids were ready for that kind of schedule,” Hamre said.
Hamre said that he is excited about the younger kids who are challenging the others for varsity minutes. Sophomore Riley Carlson was one such player Hamre mentioned along with junior Addie Johnson. Hamre also mentioned Whitney Dold, among others.
The theme for STMA’s 2015-2016 season is “Burn the Boat,” Hamre said.
“Once we get there, we’re here to conquer what we want to conquer, so we’re gonna burn our boats, and we’re gonna take their boats when we leave,” Hamre said, referencing the story behind the slogan. STMA is all-in for the season, Hamre added.
The four captains share their coach’s enthusiasm and vision for the upcoming year.
“Overall, I think it’s more about team goals and individual goals will come with that,” Zezza said.
Tracy said her individual goal is to find one thing during each game and get better at it.
“As a team, though, our goals are always the same. We reach very high and hope for the best success that we can have,” said Tracy.
“We want to do really well as a team, obviously,” Heil said. “Conference championship again, section championship, and to make it to state.”
“We’re excited to get the season going, working hard every day,” Johnson said.
The Knights kick off the season December 1 against Osseo at Osseo High School.