Colfax girls prepare for competitive basketball season in 2023-2024
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THE COLFAX GIRLS’ Basketball team returns several experienced players from last year’s squad that made it to the state semifinals. The Lady Vikings will be looking to take the Dunn-St. Croix Conference championship after finishing second last season. Front row (L to R): Adalyn Acker, Rayna Keltner, Sophia Hazuga, and Jordyn Bowe. Middle row (L to R): Meadow Keltner, Jaycey Bowe, Kaysen Goodell, Leila Hurlburt, and Jeni Maves. Back row (L to R): Anna Scharlau, Sierra Shipman, Autumn Niggemann, Jeanette Hydukovich, Clara Hydukovich, Jada Anderson, Brynn Sikora , McKenna Shipman, Ari Hoffman.
—photo submitted
by Marlys Kruger
Sports Correspondent
COLFAX — Facing several teams on their schedule from Divisions 1, 2 and 3, the Colfax girls’ basketball team hopes the stiff competition will lead them to another successful season much like they had a year ago.
The Lady Vikings finished 21-7 last year and 11-3 in Dunn-St. Croix Conference play for a second-place finish behind Elk Mound, but won regional and sectional crowns allowing them to end their season at the Resch Center in a WIAA state tournament semifinal loss to powerhouse Laconia.
Colfax lost just two starters from the team including solid point guard Molly Heidorn and forward Anysley Olson who did a lot of battling in the paint for the team.
With games against Hudson, River Falls, Baldwin-Woodville, Eau Claire Regis and of course Elk Mound, the Vikings should be prepared to make a run at re-capturing their conference title from two seasons ago and make a long run into the playoffs again.
Returning are senior McKenna Shipman, the conference Player of the Year and honorable mention all-state player who averaged 16.9 points per game (ppg) and 6.5 rebounds per game (rpg) for the team. Senior Jeanette Hydukovich, a strong rebounder who averaged 6.3 rebounds and 6.8 points per game is back along with fellow senior Jada Anderson, bringing a 4.4 scoring average and 3.3 rebound average. Junior guard Kaysen Goodell returns with a 5.2 ppg average and 3.6 rpg average as well as junior Autumn Niggemann who averaged 3.6 ppg and 4.0 rpg.
Other returning letter winners include Brynn Sikora, Jaycey Bowe, Sierra Shipman, Jordyn Bowe and Meadow Keltner.
Head coach Courtney Sarauer begins her fourth season leading the team and brings a record of 57-14 to the gym. She believes the team strength is the fact they have a lot of talented players with significant varsity experience, especially in pressure games.
Sarauer expects Elk Mound, Durand and Mondovi to be top contenders in the D-SC Conference this season.
2023-24 Roster
Seniors: Jaycey Bowe, Meadow Keltner, Jada Anderson, Jeanette Hydukovich, and McKenna Shipman
Juniors: Kaysen Goodell and Autumn Niggemann
Sophomores: Jordyn Bowe, Sierra Shipman, Brynn Sikora, Leila Hurlburt, Clara Hydukovich, and Jeni Maves
Freshmen: Adalyn Acker, Arianna Hoffman, Sophia Hazuga, Rayna Keltner, and Anna Scharlau