Licking Lady Wildcats: New look for new season
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The 2025-26 Lady Wildcats Basketball Team includes, from left, front row: Cheyenne Mason, Keely Gorman, Kylee Rinne, Jayde Thompson, Bailee Medlock, Adriana Jones, Delilah James and Hadlee Davis; back row: Olivia Clayton, Adalee Hart, Addison Floyd, Morgan Stone, Penelope Huff, Savana Evetts, Avery Case and Lilly Reed. Not pictured is Khloe Kinder.
The Licking Lady Wildcat Basketball team is preparing for their new season with a new look. Junior Morgan Stone provides the team with height under the basket and, with senior Addison Floyd, gives the team a presence at the posts.
The Lady ‘Cats will be another young team for Licking this year, but Head Coach Steve Rissler said the team is faster and has a lot of energy. Expect to see more scoring off of turnovers and aggressive defense, with more man-to-man play and trapping, both man and zone. With seventeen girls in the program this year, the numbers are up, and Licking will be the only one in the Frisco League with a full JV team.
Coach Rissler says he has several options for a lineup, with one option including freshman Adalee Hart in with Stone and Floyd, giving the team power and height in the paint.
The team’s one returning starter is sophomore Hadlee Davis, but several other players saw significant time on varsity last year and are ready to step into their roles. Davis was First Team All Conference and First Team All District last year, and she will be running point.
Junior Keely Gorman is another guard, and will be contributing with more scoring this year and with her good ball handling skills.
Junior Kylee Rinne will be counted on as a shooter, and Coach Rissler says she has gotten better on defense as well.
Freshman Penelope Huff gives Coach Rissler the option for a lineup without a post player; she is fast and a good athlete.
Junior Jayde Thompson returns as a guard and is expected to contribute.
Freshman Bailee Medlock also brings more options for Coach Rissler to vary the team’s look.
The team traveled to Fatima on Friday evening for a Jamboree. Coach Rissler commented on the team’s performance.
“Overall I rate the jamboree a success. We got to play against multiple defenses. We got to defend multiple offenses. We got to play multiple lineups. We know what we need to improve on and what we need to add before the Big Cat Classic.”
The Big Cat Classic between Licking and Salem will be in Licking this year. It will start with the JV Girls team in action at 4 p.m. on Tuesday, November 25. They will be followed by the JV Boys, then the Varsity Girls will play. The Varsity Boys game will finish the evening.
The team is seeded fourth in the Frisco League Conference, which will begin Saturday, November 29. Licking will play fifth seed Dixon at 1:30 p.m. The tournament will be held in Laquey.
Good luck, Lady ‘Cats! Have a great season!
