Lady Trojans Basketball
by Mandy Lingenfelter • photography by Walter Jardine

After reviewing the varsity roster against 2010 state runner-up Westlake from one year ago, the Coffee High Lady Trojans returned only one starter this year.  The 2010-2011 team consists of seniors Tonisha Wilson, Sarah Bennett, Albrey Tyson and Myesha Clemons; juniors Dria Broomfield, Ikierra Simpson, Paris Hunt, Kyra Clemmons and Michala Jordan; sophomores Danielle Lott and Kiarra Kitchen; and freshmen Sonya Franklin and Destini Grantham. The Lady Trojans are relatively young – only four team members have varsity experience ¬– so Coffee scheduled many non-region games to help the team develop strengths as well as team chemistry and modify its weaknesses.

The Lady Trojans are 15-5 with three games remaining. Leading the team is Wilson (5’7”), who is averaging 17 points per game this season and 20 points per game in region play. She has scored more than 22 points in five games, with two-time career highs of 29 points against Lowndes and Houston County.  

“It has been challenging this year playing with a younger group; however, my drive to win is so intense that I have realized that we must play as a team and the wins will come,” Wilson says. “We are proving this game after game. I know that I have to do my part and the rest will come. I am also very thankful for my coaches. They push me so hard to do my best whether it is on the court or in the classroom.  Their belief and energy ignites me and reminds me to give everything I have no matter what we face.  We have a good group of young girls and I want to finish my senior year in the state playoffs.”

Wilson, Kitchen and Grantham have been sharing ball-handling responsibilities this year. Kitchen and Grantham work to make each other better every day. Kitchen, the current starting point guard, doesn’t take a day off.  “It is a great privilege to be the starting point guard on varsity as a freshman. I am a sophomore academically; however, due to an injury, I could not play as a freshman. This is hard work and an honor,” Kitchen says.

Tyson, Bennett and Jordan are the team’s other shooting guards while Clemon and Simpson are forwards.  Simpson, who has started numerous games this year as a junior, says, “We are coming together and it is so much fun!  We have improved tremendously since the beginning of the season. I realized this summer that I needed to step up and be a leader on this team. I am grateful that it is paying off and we are finally starting to play together.”

Lott, Broomfield, Franklin, Hunt and Clemmons are Coffee’s post players. “It is tough earning a spot as a post player on this team.  We have several players that are talented in this position and I have to fight every day at practice to be sure I get a starting spot,” Lott states.  Franklin adds, “Starting on the varsity team is a great opportunity. I am not as sharp as I am going to be but I work very hard. My goal is to make it to the top.”

The Lady Trojans are close to the end of regular season play and looking forward to the region tournament. Their starting lineup has changed many times but the team is beginning to gel and play together in a tough region. Coffee’s goal is a seventh consecutive appearance in the state playoffs.