The girl’s varsity basketball team matched up with Olathe East in the first round of the girls’ substate basketball. The Huskies kept the lead throughout the entire game and ended up defeating the Hawks, 48-30. 

At the end of the first half, the Huskies were leading the Hawks 17-10. Head coach Chayla Cheadle said that she wishes the team started out stronger but is proud that the girls cleaned it up in the second half. 

“Our girls did a really good job of executing our sets,” Cheadle said. “We started off slow in the first half, but we regrouped at halftime and they came out really good defensively and that just kind of helped us get our lead offensively.”

Senior power forward Elise Grosdidier ended the game with 18 points offensively. She expressed how well the team played, especially after the first half.

“I felt as a team, we played really well. The energy was high,” Grosdidier said. “We came back after halftime and came out and just just put it all out there. It was really fun.”

Cheadle said that there is always room for improvement when it comes to basketball, and that the girls need to be extra prepared defensively when they face Blue Valley North next game. 

“There’s always things that we can improve on as a team. I will say, I always harp on our girls about being more defensively sound,” Cheadle said. “We know next game when we play Blue Valley North that they have two really strong players– two star players– that we got to shut down defensively.”

Grosdidier said she believes that if the team plays like they did in the second half, they have a great chance to win their next game. 

“We started off a little slow, so I think if we come out with full energy, we can really get out and play better and start better,” Grosdidier said. “I think that will help us win and beat North which would be really fun.”

Cheadle expressed how proud she is of her team and her hopes for the upcoming game.

“I’m super proud of these girls,” Cheadle said. “You know, they put in the work day in and day out, and it’s showing so I’m hoping that we keep fighting, we keep winning and we keep advancing.”

The Huskies are scheduled to play Blue Valley North in the substate championship game on Friday, March 1, at 7 p.m. at Blue Valley North.