FREE READ - LADY EAGLES CLOSE DECEMBER 2-4 UNDER NEW SYSTEM, COACH
By Staff
CANTON – The 2024/25 Canton/Galva girls basketball season is being played out with a new coach and a new system, and they have succeeded in earning a pair of wins sandwiched on either end of a four-game losing streak.
Not only did David Ediger take the reigns of the Lady Eagle program, but he also spent the first few games implementing a new system while doing so without the senior Rae Hawkinson and junior Jordyn Elliott , who both opened the season with injury issues.
After both returned midway through the first month of the season, coach Ediger pointed out, “It feels great to have a full eight players available. One of our biggest strengths will be that we can play more aggressively on defense. We still need to get better at several things, like being able to communicate the entire game and being more aggressive with our rebounding on both ends of the court.”
Heading into the holiday break with a record of 2-4, the Lady Eagles will be back on the competitive hardwood Friday, January 3 on the road at Cunningham followed by a home game on Tuesday, January 7 hosting Wakefield before traveling to Elyria Christian on Friday, January 10.
Here is a summary of the Lady Eagle games in December:
The Lady Eagles opened the season hosting Rural Vista on Friday, December 6, where they hammered out a 31-point, 50-19 victory.
After leading 11-5 at the end of the first quarter, Canton/Galva rolled out to a 16-point, 23-7 advantage at the halftime break before extending the lead to 28, 37-9, by the end of the third quarter and then coming in with the final 31-point win.
Freshman Faith McMannis led the Lady Eagles on offense with 12 points while junior Trinity Espinoza chipped in with 11 points thanks to three, three-pointers. MaKinlee Hoppes also reached double digits in the scorebook with 10.
Lady Eagle Individual Scoring vs. Rural Vista = Faith McMannis – 12 pts, 4-4 fts; Trinity Espinoza – 11 pts, 3-3pts, 2-2 fts; MaKinlee Hoppes – 10 pts, 2-3pts; Malia Hoppes – 8 pts, 1-3pt; Brynn Kruse – 7 pts; Emerson Hoppes – 2 pts.
ON Monday, December 9 in the first game of the Goessel Bluebird Classic, the Lady Eagles went up against Class 1A Division I top-ranked Little River and were humbled with a 10-50 loss.
Coach Ediger noted, “This was a tough game for us as Little River is tough enough, let alone playing them short-handed with Rae (Hawkinson) unable to play and Jordyn (Elliott) being limited.”
Lady Eagle Individual Scoring vs. Little River = Faith McMannis – 5; Emerson Hoppes – 2; MaKinlee Hoppes, Trinity Espinoza, Malia Hoppes – 1.
Friday, December 13 the Lady Eagles tangled with host Goessel in the Bluebird Classic and lost by six, 31-37.
In her season debut and return from injuries, Rae Hawkinson led the Lady Eagles in scoring with 14 points.
Lady Eagle Individual Scoring vs. Goessel = Rae Hawkinson – 14; Trinity Espinoza – 6; Faith McMannis – 5; Makinlee Hoppes – 4; Brynn Kruse – 2. 3-Pointers Made = Hawkinson – 2; Mak. Hoppes – 1.
The final game of the Bluebird Classic came on Saturday, December 14 against Elyria Christian where the Lady Eagles had late game heroics but came up short with a six-point, 32-38 loss.
After trailing by 13, 5-18 at halftime, the Lady Eagles fell behind by 14, 12-26, at the end of the third quarter before putting 20 points on the scoreboard only to fall short in the six-point loss.
The Lady Eagles did connect on five three-pointers and grabbed 20 rebounds while making nine steals, only to turn the ball over themselves 18 times.
Trinity Espinoza led the team in scoring with 11 while Rae Hawkinson just missed double digits with nine.
Lady Eagle Individual Scoring vs. Elyria Christian = Trinity Espinoza – 11; Rae Hawkinson – 9; Faith McMannis – 6; Makinlee Hoppes – 3; Emerson Hoppes – 3. 3-Pointers = Espinoza – 2; Hawkinson, McMannis, Mak. Hoppes – 1.
Canton/Galva lost another heartbreaker on Tuesday, December 17 hosting Marion as the Lady Warriors handed the Lady Eagles their fourth straight loss, 31-34.
Trinity Espinoza led the Lady Eagles with 11 points while Rae Hawkinson and Faith McMannis each scored eight.
Lady Eagle Individual Scoring vs. Marion = Trinity Espinoza – 11; Rae Hawkinson, Faith McMannis – 8; Malia Hoppes - 3; Makinlee Hoppes – 2; Emerson Hoppes – 1.
On Friday, December 20 on the road at Centre, the Lady Eagles had their best game of the season as they dominated in a 31-point, 52-21 win.
After powering out to a 21-point, 25-4, first quarter lead, the Lady Eagles extended the advantage to 29 points at 40-11 at the halftime break before pushing the lead to 33 points, 47-14 at the end of the third quarter and then settling in for the final 31-point victory.
Faith McMannis led the team in scoring with 14 points while Trinity Espinoza scored 11 and Rae Hawkinson just missed double digits with nine.
Lady Eagle Individual Scoring at Centre = Faith McMannis – 14; Trinity Espinoza – 11; Rae Hawkinson – 9; Emerson Hoppes, Jordyn Elliott – 6; MaKinlee Hoppes – 3; Malia Hoppes – 2; Brynn Kruse – 1. 3-Pointers = Elliott – 2; McMannis, Espinoza, Hawkinson, Mak. Hoppes – 1.
(The Staff covering McPherson County Activities can be reached by email at macks.people.places@gmail.com)
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