MILTON — While mid-way through their season, the Lady Jaguars of Central School are looking to keep their momentum going following a five-game winning streak.
One vital part of the team’s success is having a ‘never give up’ attitude, according to their coach, Michelle Smith. An example came during Tuesday night’s home game against district rival Laurel Hill School.
“It was a beautiful example,” she said. “At one point, we were at a seven- or eight-point deficit at the very close end of the game and they dug out.”
Laurel Hill kept the game close the entire night. While Central took the first two sets, their opponent took the third and fourth, allowing for a tie-breaking victory for the Lady Jaguars.
On Thursday, Central will face another district opponent at Northview High School. The varsity team plays at 6 p.m. The Lady Jaguars defeated Northview earlier this season.
Smith credits this season’s senior leadership for the team’s success. As of this writing, Central has a record of 6-4.
“With this group of seniors, this is the strongest senior leadership we’ve had in several years,” she said.
The coach credited team captain Ashleigh Smith for her leadership and sophomores Catie Retzlaff, Malarie Foster and Lindsey Smith for their contributions on the varsity squad.
While Coach Smith is pleased to see the team improving on chemistry, she said there is always room for improvement.
“They have the capability to play a little more organized offense,” she said. “We have consistency in passing we need to still need to work on.
“The barebone basics — that is the one thing that trips us up and keeps us from performing at our top…we are capable of much more.”
This article originally appeared on Santa Rosa Press Gazette: Central Jags look to keep momentum