By Kory CarpenterRecord Sports EditorDespite playing for its second head coach in two years and a roster littered with middle-school players, predicting how the Liberty Christian girls basketball team will fare this season isn’t easy.Because, with a senior point guard like Matilyn Voss leading the way, the Eagles might be able to stay afloat as the next generation of players gets acclimated to the varsity game.Liberty Christian finished last season 14-10 and fourth in the Missouri Christian Schools Athletic Association State Tournament.This season, five of the nine players on the roster are in seventh or eighth grade, which can happen at smaller private schools where filling out a roster can be as tough as any competition on the court.“We’re in the rebuilding process,” first-year head coach Matt Voss said. “They double-team Matilyn, so we’re trying to get the younger kids shots.”Voss, who is Matilyn’s father, has coached her for eight years. When the Liberty Christian head coaching position opened up and no one stepped in, he gladly took over the role.“It’s a pretty big commitment,” he said. “But it’s fun.”The Eagles almost exclusively play a zone defense to protect the young players and stay out of foul trouble.Offensively, they mostly see zones as well, when Matilyn Voss isn’t being double-teamed.They opened the season with back-to-back wins over Community Christian and Thomas Jefferson, and will travel to Westwood Baptist Academy Friday night.Matt Voss hopes to finish over .500 on the season, but he has other goals as well.“We’re trying to improve their skillset more than just winning games,” he said.He singled out eighth-grader Haley Hoffman as someone who has impressed him so far, and said fellow eighth-grader Jenna Grow “will be an exceptional ballplayer.”Both players are learning under Matilyn Voss, who took over point guard duties for the first time last season.“It’s a lot more work to be a point guard, and I didn’t think I was ready for that responsibility,” she said. “But once I practiced and got a few games under my belt I actually really liked it.”The senior point guard said her biggest hurdle has been balancing her performance with teaching.“We’ll be in the heat of the game and I’m trying to explain, but I’m trying to play too, so I’m doing the best that I can,” she said.She currently leads the team with 19.4 points per game and 3.6 assists.Senior Kaylen Jordan is second on the team with seven points and leads the team with 5.6 rebounds. Both players hope to help Liberty Christian mature while winning a few games along the way.“Matilyn is learning this year to pass and get the rest of the team involved to capitalize on the opponent over-playing her,” her head coach said. “For us to be a competitor we’ll have to get more out of her teammates.”

Members of the Liberty girls basketball team are, front row from left, Sierra Wiese, Matilyn Voss, Sarah Ratcliff and Jenna Grow. Back row from left, Assistant coach Tracey Mueller, Andrea Mueller, Adison Roden, Haley Hoffman, Kaylen Jordan and Head coach Matt Voss.      Kory Carpenter photo.