Young Kent Island Girls Basketball Enjoying Fast Start

Kent Island has become a contender at the state level for girls basketball the past couple seasons. The Buccaneers, who had not won a regional title before 2016, enter this season after claiming consecutive 2A East championships. Last season Kent Island finished its season 24-2.

Many of the girls who comprised those talented teams are gone now due to graduation, but that hasn't stopped Kent Island from having a strong start to this season. The Buccaneers are 5-0, and have beaten their opponents by an average of just under 15 points per game.

"We are 5-0 so far with a couple very good wins against good teams. This group of young ladies are finding ways to win tough games," head coach David Plumer said. "This year we are much younger, we only returned one starter from last years squad, but we are still very athletic and will get better as the season progresses."

Senior guard Seri Miles is that lone returning starter, and she's done an excellent job of leading thus far, averaging 18 points per game. Sophomore forward Blair Goodrich will be another key player the group and a nightmare match-up for Kent Island's opponents. Thus far, Goodrich has averaged 10 points, eight steals and five rebounds a game.

Jordan Grard, a speedy junior guard whose outside game is really developing, is the team's third leading scorer. A freshman center/forward, Savanah Stevens, rounds out Kent Island's key core this season, with Plumer saying she isn't just a player for the future, but also the present.

"We will be able to get up the floor in more of a running game than years past," Plumer said. "Our strength will be an inside outside game on the offensive side when we aren't running the floor."

That group will have to continue to play well if Kent Island is to get the results it has the past couple seasons. The Buccaneers still have two contests on their schedule with main rival Queen Anne's, as well as two games with Easton.

Even though this group lacks the experience the program has enjoyed in recent years, Plumer still sees it as a season where Kent Island can be successful.

"With having only one returning player we know we are rebuilding," Plumer said. "With that being said, we are still looking to win our conference and make it to states. This young team will get better as the season goes along and we are out to a very unexpected good start."