The Riverside Girls Basketball team is ready and excited for the start of the 2024-25 season.  The Bulldogs show a lot of promise as they are returning a large portion of what was a young team that finished 11-11 last season. Head Coach Mark Jeppesen says the team is ready and that he’s enjoyed watching the team get better with another year of experience under their belt.

The Bulldogs are returning their leading scorer. Last season, Sophia Taylor led the way averaging seven points per game, and was Riverside’s best 3-point shooter, shooting 35% from beyond the arc. Jeppesen commented that Taylor has been a hard worker and that she is ready to be one of the team’s leaders.

Coming off a year with such a young team, there are lots of opportunities for players to step up and have breakout seasons. One of those players is sophomore Kayden Schnack. Last season, she finished in the top five on the team in scoring, field goal percentage, and 3-point shooting. She also led the team in free throw percentage. The Bulldogs also return their top two rebounders from a season ago. Madison Kelley led the team averaging 4.3 per game. Sydney Sommers wasn’t far behind averaging 4.0 per game. Jeppesen is excited about the number of girls who are on track for a breakout season.

The Bulldogs are also adding some new pieces to the mix as well. Carly Miller and Riley Ewoldt both moved to the district this year and are set to provide some extra experience to the mix. Jeppesen says it’s easy to see how much they enjoy the game.

One of the most encouraging signs of this team is the depth and internal competition. Jeppesen knows that this can only be a good thing and that his team is ready to get out on the floor and compete.

The Riverside Bulldogs open their season at home against Essex this Friday at 6 pm.