The Corsica-Stickney Jaguars have faced a handful of tough times this season, from injuries to a difficult schedule, but that has put no stop to the #3 team in Class B.
One of the top rated-teams from last season, the Jaguars chose to expand their horizons, scheduling back-to-back games against current Class A #2 Winner and #1 St. Thomas More. Both those games resulted in losses for Corsica-Stickney, but it showed the Jaguars that there was better basketball to be played in their future.
“The girls were ready to take that step and be pushed a little more,” Head Coach Lorisa Broughton said of those two games. “Winner plays a little physically, but STM’s defense is phenomenal and it was good for the girls to see that and get us to the next level. It was a great experience, it didn’t get them down and they took it as a challenge and an opportunity to get better.”
Corsica-Stickney then took that challenge and five days after the St.Thomas More loss, the Jaguars won a 56-50 battle against Class B State Qualifier Ethan on January 21st. And even with injuries in the way, the Jaguars knew they had a special season in store.
“We kind of had a middle of the season with some sickness and injuries and we hadn’t really hit our stride. Ethan was probably the start of it, but we lost Avery that game and we had to reset again and get into the flow.”
That Ethan game is now part of an active 12-game win streak; games that include talented Southeast South Dakota teams Menno and Burke. It also included Herreid/Selby Area, the Jaguars first round opponent in the state tournament.
“Those first round always bring a lot of energy and the crowd is hyped up. We do have an advantage and have been there before” Broughton said. “I think it’s going to be a really good game and it’s going to be a battle, they have a really good team.”
Corsica-Stickney won the first matchup 56-43, but Broughton knows that her team will have to make adjustments in this second matchup.
“We shot really well to start the game, but we also let up on defense and we had to make some adjustments in the second half, so we will be more prepared for them personally, and the same for them. It’s always kind of fun to see how you attack a team you’ve already played when you play them a second time.”
Now with a chance at the state championship on the line, it’s no secret that the Jaguars have been considered the team to beat in Class B all season long. But even with the hype, Corsica-Stickney pays no mind to what others are saying.
“We don’t talk about it too much,” Broughton said of being the favorites. “We realize that there is that target on our back and we get everybody’s best game, but it’s not something we talk about on a daily basis.”
Corsica-Stickney (20-2) will play Herreid/Selby Area (19-3) at 7:00 p.m. in Watertown on Thursday.
This article is part of our new series with State Tournament Previews. Please be sure to ready the other previews and State Tournament recaps throughout the week.
