Boys Basketball
By SHAWN RONEY
The Examiner
Coach Brad Oestreich feels comfortable at Raytown South – and one reason is because of the coach who preceded him: the legendary Bud Lathrop.
“The kids I had that played for him … had a good foundation of basketball, obviously,” said Oestreich, who’s 38-13 after two seasons at South. “And it made the transition very easy (for me), just (based) on their knowledge of basketball.”
In keeping with Lathrop’s emphasis on winning conference championships, the Cardinals’ first goal this season is to win the Suburban Middle Six title. South placed second in 2007-08.
“Once you get into … district play, it’s everybody’s ballgame,” Oestreich stated. “The ultimate goal is (a) state championship. But (the) first goal is (to) win the conference.”
Some of South’s competition for the league title has changed. Grandview and Park Hill South are gone, replaced by Lee’s Summit West and North Kansas City.
“Lee’s Summit West will definitely be a challenge,” Oestreich said.
Oestreich expects the Cardinals to have their hands full when they play a familiar conference opponent: Raytown.
“(The) Raytown game’s always a toss-up, just because it’s such a rivalry,” he said.
For the Cardinals to be a conference contender, Oestreich believes they must stay injury free and play unselfishly. Last season, South had to deal with major health issues. At times, for example, the Cardinals were without guard Dominique Newton.
“I think he missed four of five games (due) to an ankle injury and then also an illness at the end of the year,” Oestreich said of Newton, now a freshman at Central Arkansas. “I thought that was a big, big loss for us. Not necessarily losing him. Just the time we lost him.”
On the other hand, it shouldn’t be difficult for the Cardinals to play unselfishly. Oestreich has “a very unselfish group of kids,” he said.
“They’re willing to give of themselves for somebody else,” Oestreich said. “And I think any time you have that, you’ve got a chance to be pretty successful.”
Girls Basketball
By SHAWN RONEY
The Examiner
Of all the opponents the Raytown South will face, one will stir up more emotions in new head coach Amber Bloecher than any other: Raytown.
Playing Raytown will be emotional for Bloecher because of her ties to South’s crosstown rival. Bloecher played for Raytown, where she graduated in 1992, before playing collegiate basketball at Oklahoma Christian University. Eventually, she returned to Raytown, where she was an assistant coach for nine seasons, including two under current Blue Jays coach Jan Handley.
“It’s kind of weird to be on the other side,” Bloecher said.
Overall, though, the transition has gone well, according to Bloecher. Still, “the girls have given me a hard time if I wear a little bit of blue in my shoes or something,” she remarked.
Bloecher believes her experience at Raytown will serve her well when the schools meet Jan. 8, 2009.
Although the Blue Jays will “change up some things,” she’ll still have a feel for individual tendencies because of player familiarity.
“I’ve been with those girls for a long time,” she said.
Bloecher expects the Raytown games to be competitive. “Last year, when we played each other, it was a good fight,” she recalled.
Bloecher expects Raytown South to put up a good fight for the Suburban Middle Six title, too.
“North Kansas City might be a (contending) team, too,” she stated. “I don’t know much about North Kansas City because they’re new in our conference. I think Fort Osage (could contend). We saw them a little bit this summer.”
Ideally, Bloecher would like to play Raytown in districts and even see the Cardinals play for a state title her first season.
Realistically, however, she’s looking for South to be at least a .500-level team, especially after seeing how the Cardinals performed in an offseason fall league.
“The girls really got into a good flow in the fall league,” she said. “I’m excited about what we can do.”
