By Chris George
TuckerCountySports.Com
HAMBLETON – Last season the Tucker County Lady Mountain Lions made a strong run in the 2021 West Virginia Girls Basketball State Tournament. After disposing of Webster County in the Quarterfinal round, the Lady Mountain Lions would lose to eventual state champions, Tug Valley in the Class A Semifinals.
However, a bunch of experience returns in 2022. Still, this remains a young Tucker County squad. Gone are three varsity regulars from a year ago and this season only one senior and two juniors are atop the age chart this season. Jayden Kuhn returns for her senior season after not playing last year. Kuhn contributed as a varsity player during her sophomore season. She will be asked to play both guard positions this season and has improved heading into her final year. The Juniors are Kadie Colebank and Jacey Davis. Colebank is the leading scorer returning for the Lady Mountain Lions this season. Colebank as a sophomore averaged 17.7 ppg. She will be the leader down low in both offense and defense rebounding this season. She averaged 14 rebounds a game as season ago. Jacey Davis also returns. Davis started some games last year and returns to help Colebank in the frontcourt. Davis averaged 6.5 ppg a season ago. These three upperclassmen will be counted on for their leadership this season.
Nine sophomores make up the bulk of the varsity roster this season. Macy Helmick, Avery Colebank and Brylee Wetzel return with varsity experience from a season ago. Helmick was solid both offensively and defensively in 2021. Running the two-guard position, Helmick averaged 10.2 ppg as a starter. Avery Colebank is known for her outside shooting, and she showed that as a freshman getting varsity time last season. She is a much-improved overall player in 2022, as she looks to team up with her sister Kadie more this season. Wetzel is another talented guard who saw action a season ago. Wetzel can play both guard spots and is a good shooter beyond the 19’9” arc. These three sophomores are joined by a group who all stood out on the junior varsity team a season ago. Tabitha Adams and Ericka Zirk will provide quality depth in the frontcourt this season. Zirk stands over 6 feet tall and does a good job altering shots inside. Both will be key this season as they pair with Kadie Colebank and Jacey Davis inside. At guard, Jayden Moore, Katie Hicks, Addie Hicks and Hannah Cussins will all provide depth and compete for varsity action this season. The sister tandem of Katie and Addie are quick as cats and will be a force on opposing guards this season and both will provide scoring as well. Moore is a talented athlete who can play inside and out and can also help with scoring and defense. Cussins likewise much of the same as she adds her talents to the rest of this deep strong group of sophomores.
There are five freshman that are out for the team this season. Reagan Herron, Emily Snyder, Olivia Williams, Raven Matthews and Kelslynn Whitehair. All these talented young ladies will make up this season’s junior varsity squad to start the season. If they continue to grow and improve, they could very well move up to the varsity roster later this season.
The schedule this season looks like schedules of the past. Head coach Dave Helmick and his staff always loves to challenge his ladies to a hard tough schedule to prepare them for Charleston. The Lady Mountain Lions were scheduled to scrimmage Buckhannon-Upshur in Tennerton on November 29. That will be their last tune-up before the regular season starts December 2 with a home Game with Elkins. JV is set for 5:45 with varsity tipping off at 7:30 PM. Other top games on the schedule this season include home matchups with Class AAA Lewis County, state tournament contender Gilmer County, plus a strong Petersburg team will be on the schedule in February. The road portion of the schedule is also challenging. Tucker will hit the road to challenge the likes of Notre Dame, Lincoln, Philip Barbour, Gilmer County and a mid-season tournament at St Mary’s high school, where they will take on Cameron in the first game.
Coach Helmick returns for his 5th season as the Tucker County Girls’ Basketball Head Coach and his 7th season overall as a Head Coach after serving as the TCHS Boys’ Basketball Head Coach 2 years prior. Helmick looks forward to coaching this young and talented group. Here are his thoughts on the upcoming season, “This is a young team, but there is some talent in this group so that is exciting.” Helmick added, “Practice has been great, the girls’ are working hard and they are getting better every practice.” There will be a new assistant coach this year as Carrie Colebank, the mother of Kadie and Avery Colebank will step in and assist coach Helmick and coach the JV team this season.
This should be a fun 2021-2022 season. WVRC Media sports broadcaster and longtime play by play voice of the Tucker County Mountain Lions, Chris George will have the play by play of select home games on Tucker County’s official YouTube page this season. The video of the games is being sponsored by St. George Medical Clinic and the audio play by play will be handled by TuckerCountySports.com. For the entire schedule and a link to the YouTube page visit tuckerdcountysports.com for more information.
