By Jake Schroer
Crow River News Sports
Everything seemed to point to the STMA Lady Knights basketball team taking home its first state title in Class AAAA; a third place finish in 2014, a dominating victory over perennial nemesis Hopkins on the way to a 24-2 regular season record.
One section title later, and the Knights were back in the state tournament quarterfinal at the Target Center; home of their victory over Centennial the prior year.
Then, disaster struck; White Bear Lake shot lights-out and shocked the Knights by knocking them out in the opening round, leaving STMA to wonder what happened.
“We didn’t do what we needed to do and they did. Now, we can maybe turn that into a positive and use that for motivation,” head coach Kent Hamre said.
Last season’s trip to state was the latest in a string of state tournament appearances for the STMA Lady Knights. Hamre said that each group of seniors raises the bar from year to year.
“We have a pretty good culture in this school, and it’s gotten to the point where we expect to win, we expect to be on top, but we also know that in the offseason, we work hard.”
STMA returns three key seniors; Iowa State recruit Rae Johnson, NDSU track and field recruit Lizzy Heil, and Addie Johnson.
With a younger team, Hamre said that the seniors’ leadership will be especially valuable this season.
“I think that’s the big thing, is all these kids buy into what we’re doing. We are as one,” Hamre said.
Other returning kids on the team with experience include Whitney Dold, Vanessa Alexander and Riley Carlson.
Despite having a younger group of athletes, the goals remain the same for the Lady Knights basketball team; Win the Mississippi 8 title, win 20 games or more, get to the state tournament and play well.
“Good things can happen, but we have to make sure with this group here, with all of the inexperience we have, that we’re keeping things under control and not looking past anything,” Hamre said.
STMA begins the season with some tough competition, playing early games against Minnetonka, Eastview, and Hopkins. The Lady Knights also face perennial section rival Elk River in January.
Heil, Rae Johnson and Addie Johnson talked about donning the STMA blue and yellow for one final season.
“It means a lot to me going into the season. It’s really exciting to be able to play with this team one last time, and be able to be with all of these girls one last time,” Heil said.
“It’s not about pressure, it’s just excitement,” (Rae) Johnson said.
“We are incredibly excited and also blessed to have this opportunity to hopefully take the girls to another state tournament and have a great season as well,” (Addie) Johnson said.
The Lady Knights opened the season against the St. Cloud Tech Tigers Tuesday night.