Lady Miners move forward

The Hanna, Elk Mountain, Medicine Bow (HEM) Lady Miners went to Casper knowing they were facing a challenge in the Cokeville Panthers.

“Cokeville is every bit as good as that banner they are going to be putting up in their gym,” Head Coach Jackie Jones said. “I have tons of respect for what Cokeville does with their program.”

Jones said although the score ended a bit lopsided at 32-72, there were good things that happened in the game.

“Taylar Scott scored 16 points and I felt that she had a great game,” Jones said. “She was phenomenal.”

Jones said the Cokeville team was all over the Lady Miner players.

“They were excellent and there is no shame in losing to a team like Cokeville,” Jones said. “They really played well all tournament and there is a reason they won.”

In the next game, against Farson-Eden, the Lady Miners felt good about their chances since during the regular season, the teams split wins.

“The saying that the wheels fell off the bus applies to us that game,” Jones said. “We expect it to happen once in a while during the season, but it was unfortunate that it had to happen during this game.”

Jones said the shooting percentage during this game was the lowest of any other during the season.

“It was obviously not the time when you want this to happen but, no excuses, it just happened,” Jones said. “The girls weren’t taking bad shots but, as the saying goes, we couldn’t hit the broadside of a barn with a basketball.”

She said, as that happened, Jones could see the team losing confidence.

“It took the wind out of our sails,” Jones said. “Farson was looking to put it to us and, quite frankly, they did. We would go two or three possessions with missed shots and they were converting. The 2nd quarter they really jumped out on us.”

Jones said, the 1st quarter, the Lady Miners were tied with the Lady Pronghorns.

“The 1st quarter we were doing what we should offensively and we actually scored all our points that quarter on free throws,” Jones said. “Then the 2nd quarter, it just wasn’t in the cards for us.”

The Lady Miners lost 22-47.

“Even though we lost the two games, I don’t think we need to hang our heads, because the girls had a fantastic season,” Jones said. “They are a group of girls that as a collective group have won more games than they lost. To be above 500 as group, I think, says a lot about them.”

Jones is very proud of her seniors and what they have contributed over the four years to the program and to underclassmen, who will take over.

“It sort of goes without saying, once Amy (Campbell) got injured this season, she never really came back to her full strength,” Jones said. “But I think, in the long term, it made other players step up. Not just Taylar and Maddie (Madison Campbell) but also Hannah Christie and Rainey Wilson.”

Jones also had praise for her younger team players.

“I thought T’ylssa Solaas was phenomenal down the stretch,” Jones said. “Once again Mackenzie Priest got some time during the state tournament and she did what she was coached to do. There are good things that have come out of the leadership of those seniors.”

Jones admits losing her seniors will be difficult for next year, but she is looking forward to coaching the players who are coming back.

“I hear sometimes that I will never replace so-and-so, but that is never my goal,” Jones said. “My goal is to honor what the seniors have done and then move on to the future.”

Jones said all the girls on the team played their roles and she was proud of them for this.

“The 11 girls that finished this season all have tons to be proud of,” Jones said. “We would have liked to have had the season end a little different, but you can’t go back and change a game, but you can move forward.”