By Andy Villamarzo
Hernando Sun
With all the summer-fall sports now officially concluded in Hernando County, we move into the fall-winter season of athletics and it brings on boys and girls basketball. Along with basketball is boys and girls soccer, weightlifting and wrestling. We take a brief look at all the girls basketball teams across Hernando County and what to look forward to this upcoming 2019-2020 campaign.
Nature Coast: It was a rough 2018-2019 campaign for the Sharks, as the team went 7-17 and hopes are going into this season the program will improve from over a year ago. The Sharks have started off the preseason with a 72-25 loss to Wildwood, so Nature Coast will need to pull it together as they get ready to start regular season play.
Springstead: No team is coming off a more disappointing 2018-2019 season than Springstead, who went 13-6 just a couple years ago. The Eagles finished last year with a record of 5-22 and the graduation of several experienced players had something to do with Springstead’s drop. Despite having to go in the direction of the youth movement, it should pay dividends for the Eagles, as they’re another club that returns many players from last year.
Hernando: The Leopards were one of the more surprising teams from a year ago in Hernando County, as they were able to finish 11-11 on the season. With no preseason games under their belt just yet, this youthful squad should be able to capitalize from the success it had last year. Expectations are that the Leopards will be an above .500 mark club.
Central: Central took small steps last season when it came to improving and the Bears after going 2-23 a couple years ago, they did win one more game in 2018-2019. Despite not taking a huge jump when it came to the win-loss column, the Bears were in a lot more of their games last fall-winter and should take that next step this season. Central has many returners and should be a more competitive group.
Weeki Wachee: Reaching the state semifinals is always a huge deal and that’s exactly what Mike Munro and his bunch did last season, capping a historic campaign for the Hornets. Now it’s likely back to reality for Weeki Wachee, as they lost many of their key players that led the Hornets to that very state semifinal berth. The Hornets are hoping they’re just reloading and not rebuilding, but expectations should be tempered as they have to work with a whole new starting lineup.
Hernando Christian: One of the county’s top girls basketball teams is on the private level in Hernando Christian. The Lions went an impressive 22-4 last season and are aiming to continue their impressive ascension. Hernando Christian has already started off its preseason play, with a couple games under its belt. Expect the Lions to be one of the better Hernando County teams this fall.
Andy Villamarzo can be reached at [email protected] and follow him on Twitter @avillamarzo.
