Entering her 30th season at the helm of the Crittenden County Lady Rockets, Shannon Hodge has an interesting mix of youth and experience that makes them the favorites to repeat as 5th District champions.
Last year’s team won 23 games and the district title, giving Hodge 368 career wins and four district titles.
The Lady Rockets return four starters, including senior Taylor Guess who is poised to become the district’s all-time leading scorer at some point this season.
Guess can play any position on the floor which has aided in her scoring 1,900 career points. Already the school’s all-time leading scorer – male or female – she needs just over 241 452 points to pass Trigg County’s Stephanie Humphries Lyon County’s Saundra Oliver for the district’s all-time mark.
Her ability to get to the free throw is what makes Guess one of the top players in the region. Over the past three seasons, nearly 30 percent of her points have come from made free throws. She needs 36 attempts to pass 900 for her career and 75 makes to move onto the state’s top 20 all-time list in both categories.
But Guess does more than score. She had led the team in rebounds, assists, and steals over the past three seasons.
“She is truly a special player. To say she impacts the game statistically is an understatement, Hodge said of her senior leader. “It is an honor to get to coach Taylor. Her legacy will be that she was a fierce competitor who played the game she loved with the people that she loved with all her heart.”
Guess has plenty of help returning for a Lady Rocket squad that scored 52 points a game while giving up just 44.
Senior Natalie Boone returned from an injury that ended her sophomore season by scoring nine points a game leading the team with 43 three-pointers.
“She can play on the perimeter or in the post and has a high basketball IQ,” Hodge said.
Another senior, Addie Hatfield, will handle duties in the post after scoring three points and bringing down four rebounds a game last year.
Hodge’s roster has no juniors or sophomores which gives it an eclectic mix of young and old. Anna Boone started as an 8th grader and averaged eight points and three rebounds while knocking down 22 shots behind the arc. She had her coming out party in the season’s sixth game last year – a 20-point night against defending district champion Trigg County.
“Anna continues to get more confident handling the ball and can play anywhere on the perimeter. She can also be used in the post,” Hodge said. “She is long and gets her hands on a lot of balls defensively.”
Elliot Evans is another freshman who saw action in 30 games last year, averaging four points and three rebounds. She hit 7 of 12 shots behind the arc last year, and Hodge expects her to shoot more and score more in transition.
Freshmen Chloe Hunt, Elle McDaniel, and Georgia Holeman will provide depth in the backcourt, while fellow freshmen Andrea Federico and Bristyn Rushing will give Hodge time in the post.
Hodge also plans to use four middle schoolers throughout the season.
“We hope to push the tempo this year. We feel our strength should be our ability to get up and down the floor,” Hodge said. “We will look to change up defenses a bit and try to maintain ball pressure.”
Crittenden’s defense held 12 opponents to under 40 points last year, and Hodge feels that will be a key again this year.
“We will take a great deal of pride in our ability to defend and rebound and will keep working to improve in those two areas to get ourselves to the next level,” she said.
Crittenden County opens the 2022-23 season at Graves County Monday and will host Livingston Central Friday in the district opener for both teams.
One Response
Looking forward to watching my Granddaughter Taylor Guess in her Senior year and my Daughter, Morgan Stewart playing on the same team this year.
Morgan is one of the Middle schoolers joining the team this year. Morgan plays the post position adding strength underneath the goal. Watching someone play in the paint is an addition to the guard positions up top.