The Sedona Red Rock High School girls basketball team hit the hardwood just over two weeks ago looking to make it another solid season, and newly appointed Head Coach C.J. Sells believes the girls are progressing nicely.

“Anytime there’s a new system to learn, new offense, defense and drills, it’s going to take time and that’s what the girls are going through right now,” Sells said.

In his first season, Sells has reworked the program, making it his own. Each of the girls are getting to know their coach, and their coach is getting to know them.

Taking over for John Cunningham, the previous head coach for the Scorpions during the last two seasons, Sells inherits a program that went 19-8 overall during the 2008-2009 campaign.

Along the way, Sedona claimed the school’s first outright regular season region championship, finishing 11-1 in the 3A-West region.

The Scorpions also made it to the 3A state playoffs for the fourth straight season, losing to Window Rock High School in the first round back in February, 54-42.

Sedona has made it to the state playoffs five of the last eight seasons going back to the 2001-2002 campaign and have never made it out of the first round, sporting an 0-5 record during that time span.

This year, many players on the team hope it will be different.

“I think this year we can be good, really good. I think we have some talent here and this is going to be a fun year. I want to win a game at state; that’s our goal,” senior Katie Adams said.

Top Returners

Sedona graduated only one player from last season’s region championship team in senior point guard Breanne Cunningham.

Cunningham just happened to be the MVP of the 3A-West region, however, giving Sells a tough challenge in figuring out how to replace her.

Junior Ashley Lo Duca, who would have been a senior this season, was another player on the title team, but her family moved during the summer to Phoenix.

Adams, however, is a good start. Adams probably should have earned co-MVP honors with Cunningham based solely on her numbers, averaging 19.1 points per game, 1.4 blocks per game and 10-plus rebounds per game during the season.

Along with Adams, Sedona returns another senior in Rita Clancy.

Clancy should start again this season and could provide quite a bit of scoring this season for the Scorpions.

Besides Adams and Clancy, there are no other seniors on the team for Sedona.

“We actually have a bunch of young players, although I think they are somewhat experienced players,” Sells said.

In the junior class, Chelsea Strong leads the way with teammates Miki Jovanovic, Lila Rodriguez and Darlise Dogan.

All received playing time last season and should be contributors on the court this year.

Strong will provide intensity and hustle while Jovanovic will have to handle the ball quite a bit. Rodriguez should see most of her time in the middle while Dogan plays on the wing.

Sophomore Ashley Haas is the other returner for the Scorpions and should provide solid minutes for Sells.

Top Newcomers

Sedona has several young players that will make varsity this season and could see time on the floor in a hurry.

Sophomore Cheyann Walker, a transfer from Colorado, could be a decent player for the Scorpions in the future while sophomore Taylor Nolte comes up from junior varsity last season looking to prove herself.

There were three freshmen to also make the squad in Mary Kate Hafner and twin sisters Sierra and Tiana Hatler-Stefick.

The Hatler-Stefick sisters could see significant time on the floor as freshmen this season.

“I’m happy to see that we have young talent. Some of these girls may get plenty of playing time,” Sells said.

Season Outlook

With the new combined 2A-3A scheduling, Sedona will have plenty of opponents this season that will give them a game.

Look for the Scorpions to be competitive this season and make it to the 3A state tournament for the fifth consecutive year.

Brian Bergner Jr. can be reached at 282-7795, ext. 131, or e-mail bbergner@larsonnewspapers.com