Girls basketball: Horizon girls ready to build on last year's success, 'start over'

After reaching the state 2A girls semifinals for the first time in school history last season, coach Nate Agostini and the Eagles have to start over again this year.

"We basically played a rotation of six last year," Agostini explained. "We lost four of them and they were all starters."

Agostini is hoping that 6-foot junior forward Katie Rush and 6-0 sophomore center Sara Ellenberger can emulate their graduated sisters, Abby Rush and Anne Ellenberger.

"We're going to try to get back to the state tournament," Agostini said, "but we're young and inexperienced, so we're going to focus on what we can do right and build on that to get better."

In addition to Ellenberger and Rush, the Eagles are also returning 5-11 junior guard Alex Smith.

"We have potential, we're just young," Agostini added. "We played a lot of summer ball against 5A and 4A competition, so I don't think we're intimidated."

The Eagles lineup includes 5-11 senior forward/center Alyssa Carlson; 5-6 senior guard Alex Hall; 5-4 sophomore guard, Sarah Fletcher; 5-4 freshman guard Taylor England and 5-11 sophomore forward/center Kimmie Bennett.

The Eagles opened their season Tuesday night against Arizona Lutheran and are scheduled to play in the Payson Invitational tournament Dec. 12-13.

"We'll be the only 2A school there, so that will give us some good competition," Agostini added. "It's not so much how we play now, but how we play in February and we've got some work to get there."

Rush and Smith are coming off a girls volleyball team that reached the semifinals two weeks ago.