With a brand-new head coach and starting only one senior, Kendall became the first team in Section V to win six games this season.
Lucian Price came to the program as head coach after 16 years in Albion and is getting contributions from virtually the entire team as they average 41 points per game on offense while allowing only 25 points per game.
The Eagles can attack the basket in multiple ways with senior Danielle Offhaus and junior Ava LeMay inside, along with the outside shooting from sophomore point guard Brooke Rodas, freshman Addison Kludt, plus sophomores Alea Barrett and Stella Kwiatek.
“I think we’re working a lot more as a team,” Offhaus said. “Our new coach really knows how to handle us and knows how to bring us all together; he’s forced a lot of energy on us, and it’s just been a great environment.
“We’re strong both in and out and we’re well-rounded this year – it’s been great.”
“We work together, and we hype each other up; we bring each other up if someone’s down,” LeMay added.
Kendall finished 3-8 in the shortened 2021-22 season and 6-14 last year before falling in the first round of the Section V playoffs as the tenth seed. Not a single Eagle was listed this season as a Player to Watch on the All-Greater Rochester preseason list.
But that has not deterred this group. The Eagles have the player skill set to push the ball up the court with speed offensively and then trap press defensively. Evidence was their win over Holley December 12 with six different players scoring points and multiple players hauling down rebounds and getting steals.
“I think the key for these kids is just being able to have that energy and effort every single game,” Price said. “They’re very athletic and they’re smart kids, they just have to play with confidence.
“The inside-outside is good because I think they feed off of each other. The guards do a good job of looking for the post, and the post do a good job of kicking it back out if that’s what’s available.
“It’s tough getting used to someone new. The first couple of weeks were kind of hard for them getting used to having someone new there, and kids are kids and will hesitate to trust you, and I think it’s starting to build now…and I’m excited for them to play the teams that are known for being some of the better teams in the league.
“So far, my favorite part of this group is how they seem to get along and that’s they’re just unselfish and they’re trying to complement each other.”
Kendall girls basketball has never won a Section V title, but have won seven Genesee Region league titles in history with the last coming in 2004-05.
But their 6-0 start has them at least dreaming big.
“It’s my last year and I’m one of the only seniors…to stick it out, and I really want that before I leave and I want to see them (her teammates) get there,” Offhaus stated.
