Basketball Season Begins Next Week for Vandals

A rematch of last year’s 1A girls state basketball semifinals is the opening game of the season for the Eureka Lady Vandals.

They take on the defending state champion Pahranagat Valley Panthers in their first game at the WREC tournament in Wells Nov.29-Dec. 1. Other teams expected to be there include Elko JVs, McDermitt, Wells Jackpot, and maybe one or two others.

Pahranagat coach Amy Huntsman is starting her 25th year on the bench for the Panthers. And she has a record 14 state titles to go along with it, too.

The Lady Vandals lost only two to graduation off last year’s squad that finished 16-10 and was second to Wells in the regional tournament. Top players are expected to be the only two returning senior starters Angelica Townsend and Morgan Thomas, along with junior Iliyah Greely. Other returning players include senior Skylar Merrit plus juniors Gracie Garrett and Carlie Wells.

Coach Travis Gallagher says he has six freshmen players who will see time on both the JV and varsity squads. “We are going to need help from those freshmen players at the varsity level.”

On the boy’s side, coach Fred Minoletti had not submitted his roster to Maxpreps.com as of press time for the Sentinel.

As for the schedule for the Vandal boys, they also open the season at the WREC tourney in Wells Nov. 29-Dec. 1

Both the boys and girls teams participate in the Whittell tournament Dec. 6-8 at Zephyr Cove and the Round Mountain tournament Dec. 14-15.

After that, the Vandals are off for the holiday break and action picks up after New Year’s with a non-league game at home against Tonopah Jan. 4. The first league games are an out town trip Jan. 11-12 to Carlin and Owyhee.