GALION — The Galion Lady Tigers basketball program hopes that 2017-2018 is the year that the streak is snapped.
Head coach Nick Vukovich will return for his third season as the leader of the Lady Tigers and owns a 9-34 record in Galion and 17-75 overall.
In Vukovich’s tenure in Galion, his girls squad is winless in Mid-Ohio Athletic Conference games (0-26). In fact, since joining the MOAC for the 2014-2015 season, the Lady Tigers are 0-39 in the difficult conference.
“Our league will be loaded once again,” Vukovich said. “Adding Ontario and Clear Fork will make for a very competitive league. River Valley, Pleasant, North Union and now Ontario will all be near the top, but don’t sleep on Buckeye Valley or Clear Fork.”
With the loaded MOAC challenge ahead of them, Vukovich remains positive.
“We dont have a lot of size, which could lead to problems rebounding, but we hope to still compete in the league,” he said. “Our goals are to win our non-conference games, reduce our turnovers and get our scoring up. The team is young, and we have the ability to learn and also change our style of play to do so.”
Galion will hit the courts without the presence of Dani Schieber on the interior, the outside shooting of Lauren Huggins and the all-over presence of Jaime Ehrman. Those three hoopsters are now Galion alums after graduating last spring.
Returning for coach Vukovich will be Julie Clouse, a healthy Gracie Groves and Gabby Kaple.
Kaple, entering her junior season, was an honorable mention on the District VI team and a second-team all-MOAC player last winter for the Lady Tigers. In addition, Vukovich says to keep an eye out for newcomer Mykenzie Debord.
The winter trek will begin for the Lady Tigers began on the road at Crestline on Nov. 24. MOAC play will open up with a tall order as the Galion squad will load onto the bus and head to Marion for a clash with the Pleasant Lady Spartans on Thursday, Nov. 30.