By John R. Schirmer
News-Leader staff
After months of practice and team camps, along with countless hours in the weight room, the Nashville Scrapperettes will play their home opener against Caddo Hills Tuesday, Dec. 6, at 6 p.m. at Scrapper Arena.
The Scrapperettes have already competed in a tournament, finishing third at the Ouachita Baptist University Lady Tiger Tip-off Tournament Nov. 8-10. They defeated Prescott in the opening round, lost to Fordyce in the semifinals and defeated Spring Hill in the consolation game.
Nashville participated in four team camps during the summer, starting with OBU in early June, The only loss at Ouachita came against Pulaski Academy.
The Scrapperettes hosted two team camps during July and again made it through with only one loss, this one to Caddo Hills.
In early August, the team attended camp at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, where they were undefeated. Their signature win at UALR came against defending state champion Riverview.
Coach Ron Alexander says his Scrapperettes “play hard. They’ll be competitive. We’ll try to get better as the season goes along.”
Going into the season, “I don’t know how good we’ll be. Sometimes we’re like some dynamite; sometimes we’re like a spent firecracker.”
The best example of dynamite so far likely came at UALR, where everything clicked for the Scrapperettes. The spent firecracker example was the loss to Fordyce at OBU, where free throws and scoring from the field were hard to come by.
Alexander is looking to his starting five offensively and defensively as the season begins.
Senior Kaylea Carver is “our defensive spark for sure.”
The Scrapperettes will count on senior Kendall Kirchhoff “to do lots of scoring.”
Alexander will look to junior Madi Miller for rebounding. “Her scoring will come along” as well.
Senior Alyssa Harrison was one of the leading scorers during the summer, averaging 18-20 points per game. Alexander is counting on her going into the season.
Senior Asia Munn is “the catalyst. We go as she goes,” Alexander said.
As the season gets underway, Alexander looks for “defense to be our forte.”
The Scrapperettes will play in a “blended” conference consisting of teams from Class 4A and 3A. The Arkansas Activities Association revised the conference line-ups for basketball and spring sports in an effort to reduce travel, according to Alexander.
The Scrapperettes’ conference includes Nashville, Cossatot River, Ashdown, Mena, Prescott, Horatio, Fouke and Genoa. Nashville will play each team twice.
At the end of the regular season, coaches from Nashville, Mena, Ashdown, Joe T. Robinson, Malvern and Arkadelphia will meet to seed the district tournament, which will be played at Scrapper Arena.
“The ultimate record determines seeding,” Alexander said. The top four teams from district will qualify for the regional tournament.
The conference alignment will be in place for a two-year cycle.
Alexander said he is “looking forward to getting cranked back up” almost a month after the Ouachita tournament. “The girls are tired of practicing against each other.”
