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GIRLS HOOPS: After another stellar season, Carl Junction will return solid core next winter

By:
Jason Peake

 

This year’s Carl Junction girls basketball team maintained the program’s winning tradition.

In what was another stellar season for the program, Carl Junction’s girls captured a seventh straight district championship, concluded the season in the Class 5 state quarterfinals and finished the season with a record of 22-8.

Along the way, the Bulldogs won their own tournament and took second in two other tourneys this winter.

The Bulldogs had won 11 of their last 13 games before this past Saturday’s season-ending setback to West Plains in the ‘Elite Eight.’ 

“I thought it was a good season,” Carl Junction coach Brad Shorter told SoMo Sports on Monday. “It didn’t end the way we wanted it to, but we lost to a very good team on Saturday. I’m proud of our kids and I’m proud of our progression this season. I thought we grew up quite a bit throughout the year. A lot of teams would be pleased to have the finish that we did.”

The future looks bright in Carl Junction, as the Bulldogs will return virtually their entire roster, including four starters. 

Carl Junction’s Destiny Buerge knocks down one of four second-quarter 3-pointers during the Bulldogs’ conference win over Joplin this season. File photo by Shawn Fowler.

Junior guards Destiny Buerge, Hali Shorter and Klohe Burk and sophomore forward Kylie Scott will come back next winter as varsity veterans. 

The 4-States Basketball Coaches Association Player of the Year, and a first-team all-conference pick, Buerge averaged 23 points, six rebounds, four steals and three assists per game. The Class 5 District 6 Player of the Year, Buerge made 73 3-pointers, hit 76 percent of her free throw attempts and had five 30-point games.

An all-conference and all-area performer in her first full prep campaign, Scott averaged 13 points, 11 rebounds and 3.6 blocks per game.

Burk contributed seven points, three rebounds, three assists and two steals per game, while Hali Shorter contributed four points, four assists and three boards per night. Burk and Shorter each made 36 3-pointers this season.

Freshman Dezi Williams and sophomore Anna Burch will also return next year after gaining significant varsity playing time this season. 

This year’s departing seniors are Ellie Lawson and Jessa Hylton. Lawson was a starting guard, while Hylton missed the season due to a knee injury she suffered during the volleyball season.

“We hate to lose Ellie and Jessa,” Coach Shorter said. “They have been important parts of our program over the last four years. They were a part of 87 wins in four years. And that’s pretty impressive.”

After another stellar season, and with a solid core set to return, Coach Shorter noted the expectations will be high next winter. 

“We feel like next year could be a very good year for us if we continue to progress and work hard in the offseason,” Coach Shorter said. “I think they just need to continue to put in the work. We want to continue to get better. It’s going to take that overall commitment from everyone. These last couple of weeks, the kids were very focused and engaged. With a senior-laden team next year, I think that will help us get to that point and take the next step next year.”

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