GIRLS BASKETBALL
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2023 | 19
Lots of new faces for Montevideo Thunder Hawks
New head coach Kylee Heurung will rely on Kiera Foley and Teagan Epema to carry the load BY MICHAEL LYNE West Central Tribune
MONTEVIDEO — There will be a lot of fresh faces on the Montevideo girls basketball team in the 2023-24 season. Anthony Jackson, after serving as the Thunder Hawks head coach for three seasons, has stepped away. Now at the helm of Montevideo is Kylee Heurung. She will be assisted by Bob Foley, Joanna Magnuson, Char Dahl and Jan Dorn. And as Montevideo has lost Jackson, who had a 62-15 overall record in his three seasons as head coach, the Thunder Hawks also lost quite a bit of experience on the players’ side. Montevideo graduated six seniors highlighted by Avery Koenen, Tenley Epema and Hailey Dirksen. Koenen, an All-Area First Team pick for three consecutive seasons, is a freshman forward for NCAA Division I North Dakota State University. Epema, an All-Area Second Team member (2023) and All-Area Third Team pick (2022), is a freshman guard for the University of Jamestown of the NAIA. Dirksen is a freshman within Briar
Cliff University’s JV women’s basketball program. The trio helped Montevideo to a 12-0 record in West Central Conference play as well as a 22-4 overall record. The Thunder Hawks lost to New London-Spicer, which went on to win the Class AA consolation championship, in the Section 3AA semifinals. Now the attention turns to Montevideo’s pair of returning starters in Kiera Foley and Teagan Epema to carry the load. Foley is a senior guard and Epema is the Thunder Hawks’ main distributor as their point guard. “These two will provide leadership for us this year being the only two returners with experience,” Heurung said. Joe Brown / West Central Tribune Also looking to make contributions for Montevideo are: senior Taya Weber; Montevideo junior Kiera Foley grabs onto a loose ball during a Section 3AA-North semifinal game against West Central Area on Tuesday, Feb. 28, 2023 at the Big juniors Lily Eisenlohr, Brooke Lindeman and Hallie Helgeson; sophomores Red Gym in Willmar. Jessa Norby, Addison Pauling and Gillian Nelson; and eighth-graders Megan Koosmann and Jillian Magnuson. “It will be exciting to see who will step up and see how we develop as a team Saturday, December 2 Friday, January 26 throughout the season,” Heurung said. Game 2:00PM .................................................... Luverne Game 5:30PM .......................... New London-Spicer
MONTEVIDEO THUNDER HAWKS Girls Varsity Basketball 2023/2024
SMSU RA Facility
Montevideo High School Gym
Tuesday, December 5
Monday, January 29
Game 5:45PM .................................. Minnewaska Area Minnewaska Area High School
Game 7:15PM .................................................. Canby Montevideo High School Gym
Thursday, December 7
Tuesday, January 30
Game 7:15PM ................................. Redwood Valley Montevideo High School Gym
Tuesday, December 12
Game 5:45PM ............................. Minnewaska Area Montevideo High School Gym
Thursday, February 1
Game 7:15PM ..............................West Central Area Montevideo High School Gym
Game 7:15PM ................................................ Benson Montevideo High School Gym
Friday, December 15
Tuesday, February 6
Friday, December 22
Thursday, February 8
Game 7:15PM ............................................... B.O.L.D. Montevideo High School Gym
Game 7:00PM ............ Morris Area/Chokio-Alberta Montevideo High School Gym
Game 6:00PM .................................................. Minneota Minneota High School - Viking Gym
Game 7:15PM ...................................West Central Area WCA Secondary School, Barrett
2024 Tuesday, January 2
Friday, February 9
Game 7:15PM .......................................... Dawson-Boyd Dawson Boyd High School
Thursday, January 4
Game 7:00PM ..................................... Melrose Area Montevideo High School Gym
Friday, January 5
Game 7:15PM ...........................Lac Qui Parle Valley Montevideo High School Gym
Game 7:00PM .....................................................B.O.L.D. B.O.L.D. High School
Monday, February 12
Game 7:30PM ................................................MACCRAY MACCRAY High School (Clara City)
Tuesday, February 13
Game 7:00PM ............................................ Sauk Centre Sauk Centre High School
Thursday, February 15
Tuesday, January 9
Game 7:00PM .......................................... Melrose Area Melrose Area High School
Thursday, January 18
Game 7:15PM ............................. Yellow Medicine East Yellow Medicine East High School
Game 7:00PM .......................................Sauk Centre Montevideo High School Gym Game 7:00PM ................ Morris Area/Chokio-Alberta Morris Area Elementary School
Tuesday, February 20
Tuesday, January 23
Game 7:00PM ................Atwater-Cosmos-Grove City Atwater-Cosmos-Grove City High School
Macy Moore / West Central Tribune
Montevideo sophomore Teagan Epema looks for an open teammate to pass the ball to while being guarded by senior Lily Dean of BOLD during a game at Montevideo High School on Friday, February 3, 2023.
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Check the school’s website for a updated events list www.montevideoschools.org/o/mhs
