You can expect up-tempo basketball from this year’s Fayetteville-Perry Lady Rockets as they hit the hardwood for their 2019-20 court campaign.
“We are getting back to our ‘bread and butter’ of fast basketball both on offense and defense,” said Fayetteville-Perry girls varsity basketball coach, Toby Sheets, who is back for his 32nd season at the helm. “Our guards will be our strengths, as it has been for many of our most successful seasons.”
This year’s Lady Rockets will rely heavily on young talent with only one senior, 5’10” forward Taylor Malone.
Malone is the tallest on this year’s Fayetteville-Perry varsity squad, a team that lacks a true center. She is a third-year varsity starter who has led the team in rebounding over the past two seasons, averaging 8.25 boards per game last winter.
“Taylor (Malone) is one of our hardest workers,” said Sheets. “She constantly is pushing herself to be the best she can be.”
Coming off an impressive varsity basketball debut as a freshman during the 2018-19 season, you can once again expect big things out of the Lady Rockets’ 5’6” sophomore guard Olivia Crawford.
Crawford led the Lady Rocket varsity team in scoring last season, scoring a total of 447 points and averaging 18.6 points per game.
She led the team in two-point field goal shooting percentage (40 percent) and in free throw percentage (64 percent).
“Olivia (Crawford) has a true understanding of fast break basketball,” said Sheets. “It comes to her naturally.”
Back on the court for her junior season with the Lady Rockets is 5’8” forward Kelbee Coffman. Coffman was second on the team in rebounding last season, averaging 7.3 boards per game.
She also contributed 7.2 points per game and led the team in three-point field goal shooting percentage (34 percent).
“Kelbee (Coffman) has the ability to score the basketball. I recall a compliment about Kelbee from coach Brett Justice of Peebles, who said, ‘Kelbee has perfect shooting form,’” Sheets explained. “I’m pretty sure he knows what shooting form should be like.”
Also on the return for the Lady Rockets is 5’5” sophomore forward Maddie Brockman. Brockman played both junior varsity and varsity last season, seeing playing time in 14 varsity games.
Sheets also holds high expectations for 5’8” freshman point guard Anne Murphy, as the Murphy name continues in the Lady Rocket basketball program. Anne Murphy is looking to fill some big shoes at point guard after her two older sisters (Samantha Murphy and Cecilia Murphy) excelled at the position in years prior. Both her older sisters scored over 1,000 career points. Sheets even coached their mother, Angela (Molitor) Murphy, who graduated in 1990 and is now the Fayetteville-Perry High School Athletic Director.
This marks the sixth straight year there will be a Murphy running the point of the Lady Rocket offense on varsity. According to Sheets, Anne Murphy may be the most talented of the Murphys thus far.
“I was Anne’s physical education teacher from kindergarten through sixth grade, (and) I have said to myself many times that ‘this young lady is going to be the best Murphy of all,’” said Sheets. “Her height (5’8”) is different than her sisters. She can do it all (run point guard, score, rebound, and defend any position player).”
Others appearing on the this year’s Lady Rocket varsity roster include: sophomore forward Delanie Combs, freshman forward/guard Cassidy Feldhaus, junior guard Kelby Craig, junior guard Cora Hansel, freshman forward Faith Rosselot, and sophomore forward Hanna Polston.
The Lady Rockets lost three seniors to graduation from last season, a season in which they finished 13-11 overall and 6-7 in the Southern Hills Athletic Conference.
They are preparing to once again face some tough competition in the SHAC.
“I feel once again the SHAC is very balanced. Some very strong seniors graduated from several teams of a year ago,” said Sheets. “In our division (SHAC Division II), I would say any of four schools (Peebles, Fayetteville, Fairfield, Manchester) could win it. In (SHAC) Division I, I would say North Adams and Eastern will be the toughest.”
The Lady Rockets officially kick off their 2019-20 basketball campaign with a home game against the Whiteoak Lady Wildcats on Dec. 2.
