State-Journal.com - It's fishing time for FCHS

Last season was one of firsts for Franklin County's girls basketball team " the Lady Flyers' first win over district foe Woodford County in seven years and their first district tournament championship since 2000.

With a new season starting, FCHS is putting last season in the past.

"We're not defending champions this year," FCHS coach Joey Thacker said. "We won last year, but we have to put that back in the tackle box and try to go fishing again."

The Lady Flyers will do so with a solid nucleus of returning players. They graduated five seniors, including starters Meagan Downs and Kathryn Clark, but have several players back who saw significant playing time last season.

That would seem to give FCHS a head start going into the season, but Thacker isn't convinced that it has.

"It seems like this time last year there were question marks we had answered, but I'm not sure that's the case now," he said. "The girls give a good effort, but sometimes they don't have too good an understanding of what we're after at both ends of the floor. We have 16 kids out and six of them are underclassmen.

"We return nine kids who saw some minutes last year," he added, "but they have to have a better understanding, and we have to learn to guard the ball. I think we had two players who were good at guarding the ball in Meagan and Kathryn. Moving Finnja (Ramcke) to the wing will help that because she's our best defender."

One of the Lady Flyers' strengths last year was its balance on offense, and it appears that will be the case again this season.

"We're not going to have somebody averaging 16 to 18 points a game," Thacker said. "If we do, great, but if we don't we'll share the ball and make sure everyone's a weapon.

"I think we're a little more balanced this year than last year from the standpoint we took a lot of perimeter shots last year, and we'll be looking to even out the perimeter and the post this year."

Thacker's seniors this year are Ramcke, Ashley Decker, Shelby O'Nan and Madelyn Brown.

Decker is a 5-4 guard and normally runs the point.

"Ashley Decker has been the biggest surprise," Thacker said. "She's worked on her shot, and she's done a good job. When she gets squared she takes good shots.

"She has to be sure to recognize the things we want her to do. Make the simple pass, distribute the ball is the biggest thing and not to try and hit a home run every time out."

Ramcke is a 5-7 forward who played in the paint much of last season, and Brown, a 5-8 guard, provided support off the bench.

"Finnja's improved leaps and bounds," Thacker said. "She's improved her scoring, she's our best defender, and she's really worked on her shooting.

"Brown is the glue for the whole team," he added. "She's really improved her shooting, and she knows all five positions."

O'Nan, a 5-7 forward, is recovering from a torn ACL and is expected to rejoin the team around Christmas.

"Shelby's the toughest kid," Thacker said, "and she's fought through so much."

Among the other players back from last year are Chelsea Craig, Andrea Howard, Ashli Mayes, Chelsea Rivers, Emily Hampton and Shaykila Collins.

"Ashli Mayes could be all-state one day," Thacker said, "but right now she has to understand to take it day by day and not put pressure on herself.

"Chelsea (Craig) has gotten better," he added. "She needs to find another gear. She worked this summer on things she was weak on last year. Andrea is probably the best-kept secret as far as being a player we can put the ball in her hands and she can make plays. She has to learn to guard each possession.

"Chelsea Rivers is going to be a good player," Thacker said. "She needs to learn to relax and have fun.
Hampton is probably the most improved defensive player from the end of last season, and Collins is the most improved offensive player in the post since last year, and Annie Smith is a big post player who can spell Chelsea (Craig) some."

The Lady Flyers have eight players who are 5-8 or taller.

"We're not big, but we're adequate all across the board with size," Thacker said.

Last year FCHS lost in the first round of the 11th Region tournament to Dunbar, and Thacker sees the Lady Bulldogs as one of the regional favorites this time around.

"It's LCA and Dunbar and everyone else," he said. "LCA has three legitimate Division I prospects, and Dunbar has two."

But right now the Lady Flyers are focusing on their game.

"We'll try to play up and down," Thacker said, "but also the game will slow down as the year goes on, and how we do in halfcourt sets will be crucial to see how far this team goes in the post-season."