The Lady Indians split their preseason scrimmages 2-2 this week, as they prepared for their new season, which tips off this weekend. While the ladies struggled this past Tuesday at James M. Bennett, they presented poise and teamwork last Saturday, nabbing preseason victories against Colonel Richardson and Snow Hill.

Coastal Point • Jesse Pryor
Sophomore forward Abbey Miller drives through the paint against James M. Bennett defense in a preseason scrimmage on Tuesday. The Lady Indians split their scrimmages this past week, going 2-2.

While new head coach John Frye still had yet to assemble a practice with the entire squad earlier this week, he is piecing together what needs to be accomplished for the girls to return with an impressive season this year.

“We really need to get to the mental part of the game,” he said. “That’s going to get us where we need to be.”

For the past few seasons, the Lady Indians have failed to pull in a .500 record. Frye explained that it’s escaping the negative mindset that will help the girls finally accomplish that goal.

“We want to get away from a disappointing attitude,” he said. “The girls played well last weekend, but when they start to slip, there’s that automatic feeling of ‘Here we go again,’ and that’s when they struggle. We just need to get away from that. We don’t want to get rattled.”

Injuries and vacations have cost Frye a full practice with all team members, and entering a season with fewer than 10 girls is not an easy start.

“Not having everyone at practices is the biggest thing right now,” he said. “We’re doing what we can to get everyone on the same page, though.”

Starter Brandi Buchannan went down with a knee injury in a recent scrimmage, and Frye is determined not to let that turn heads down as the season kicks off.

“We have to keep competing,” he said.

Athletic director and trainer Todd Fuhrmann noted that a quick recovery is likely. Due to prior commitments, though, Frye will still find himself short-staffed this weekend as the girls open the season at Milford.

“We will only have six varsity players on Friday when we go to Milford,” he said, “and five on Saturday, when we host Red Lion Christian Academy.”

He will be looking to the junior varsity team to help rotate fresh legs into the game.

“It is what it is, and we have to go with what we have,” he said.

As a teacher and basketball coach in southeastern Pennsylvania, Frye knows a thing or two about working under pressure, and he hopes to bring the girls together to start the season off right.

“[Captain] Miranda Mitchell will need to help keep the morale up,” he said, “but we’re going to work hard and stay sharp. As long as we stay out of foul trouble, we can come out alright.”

After this weekend, he hopes to regroup, get the team back together and get back in the groove. “I have no doubt that things will work themselves out,” he said.

The girls will travel to Milford for their first game of the season on Friday, Dec. 5, at 7:15 p.m. They will host Red Lion on Saturday, Dec. 6, at 2:30 p.m. before heading to Lake Forest on Tuesday, Dec. 9.