Blossom Girls Basketball Excited for Season to Start

The three players that Blooming Prairie girls basketball graduated off last season's team led the squad in several statistical categories, but they bring back a number of players with varsity experience as they begin their winter campaign.

Marissa Larson led the team in scoring and rebounding. Kylie Forystek was tops in assists. Jasmine Anderson also graduated. Coach John Bruns says the squad brings back several players with starting experience. Seniors are McKenna Hein, Samantha Wurst and Ayren Ingvalson. Julia Worke, Maya Lembke and Megan Oswald all logged significant minutes in 2016-17.

Bruns spoke of their experience recently on the KRFO coaches show.

Bruns added, "To begin the season we are focusing on building a cohesive system that will allow all of our girls to contribute in many ways." He also cautions that, "Lack of depth and inexperience will be an issue early in the season, but as our players gain confidence, we should be competitive."

After a season-opening 62-45 win at Triton Tuesday, the Awesome Blossoms open their home schedule Friday, December 1 with Waterville-Elysian-Morristown. Thursday, December 7 the girls travel to Plainview-Elgin Millville. Friday December 8 they play at Medford.

Bruns, in his third year as the girls coach, looks at Maple River as the preseason Gopher Conference favorite and says, "WEM will also be solid." Regarding the section, "Goodhue is the favorite to win the section again this year. They are the two-time defending Class A state champions. Close behind, however is newcomer to the section Hayfield who has a very solid core to work with this season."

Blooming Prairie went 10-16 last season, 5-7 in the Gopher Conference. They lost to Grand Meadow in the subsection quarterfinals.