EDWARDSVILLE - Seniors Molly Peel and Olivia Kolnsberg are two keys for the Edwardsville girls' basketball team this season.
The pair bring leadership qualities of a team that is young with mostly sophomores, a freshman and four juniors.
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The Tigers have had a slow start, but are expected to show strength as the season progresses. Each game the girls are learning and should be formidable foes for anyone by the season's end.
"We've been practicing a lot every day and I can see improvement," Peel said.
Peel is also excited about hitting heavy Southwestern Conference play as January 2024 unfolds.
"I think to me being a senior, it's to know it's my last go-around," Peel said. "I'm just looking to make the most of this. It's my last year, and we've been working hard in practice, so I expect us to go pretty far and do well."
Being the only two seniors on the team, Peel knows that she and Kolnsberg will be expected to show leadership and take the young players under their wings and show them how things are done in Edwardsville. It's a challenge that Peel gratefully accepts.
"We have a ton of new freshmen," Peel said, "and middle school basketball's a lot different than high school. So, being able to lead them is pretty important and with just two of us, it's hard at times, but it's nice to be able to see improvement, that people actually listen to you."
Although the Tigers are a young group this season, the winning traditions set by former coaches Lori Blade and Caty Happe are still strong and deep-rooted in the program.
"I think our expectations are whatever we do in practice, we should apply to our game," Peel said. "And then, I think we should try to win a lot of our remaining games."
Peel is looking ahead to the new season and is hoping for a lot of success and improvement as everything goes along.
"I'm hoping for a good season," Peel said of what remains in the 2023-2024 year. "I want us to do well, I want everyone to feel like they belong on the team."
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