By Derrick Forsythe, Record Sports Editor
Turns out, youth wasn’t such an obstacle after all for the Liberty Christian girls basketball team. Coach Matt Voss has been grooming the Eagles for the future for several seasons, with a cast that began in junior high. While still young, they were at least experienced enough to make a push all the way to the state title game this season. “The team really played well together, and that improved substantially over last year,” said Voss. Liberty Christian finished second in the Missouri Christian Schools Athletic Association Tournament three weeks ago, capping off a successful 16-5 season. “I anticipated we would be in the running, but we finished better than what I had thought,” said Voss. “We’re really pleased.” The Eagles are still very youth-laden, their leading scorers being a sophomore and freshman. “It was probably our teamwork and confidence that got it done,” said Voss. “We had won the conference tournament, so the girls felt like they could beat the other teams at state.” Avery Dickson assumed much of the leadership responsibility, averaging 15.7 points and seven rebounds per game. “She did a lot better at taking charge of the leadership of the team,” said Voss. “She sees the court a lot better, sets up the plays and moves the ball around.” Matilyn Voss continued to improve, despite finding herself up against much older players most nights. She netted 13.4 points and grabbed 6.7 boards each contest. Voss was also a team leader with 4.6 assists and was responsible for 3.7 steals. “She did well,” said Voss. The Eagles saw a more balanced scoring effort unfold as the season progressed. Much of that contribution came from freshman Kayley Hulverson, who scored six points and recorded a team-high 7.6 rebounds per game. “Her shot improved and her quickness helped her as the fastest one on our team,” said Voss. As Liberty Christian’s tallest player, Anna Fox also showed considerable improvement, netting four points a game. “Our post position is where we’ll probably improve the most next year, and it will pay big dividends,” said Voss. The eighth-grader also grabbed six rebounds an outing. “She and Kaylen Jordan have learned a lot about playing defense,” said Voss. “They’ve begun to take charge of their positions and hold their place in the paint.” Jordan was also a force on the boards, hauling in 6.7 rebounds and scoring 3.7 points.
