Eagles Seek to Improve

Southern Door’s Sophia Counard (10) guards Sevastopol’s Kayla Ranly (3) driving inside during last season’s game in the Eagle Gym. File photo by Rachel Lukas.

After tying for fourth place in the Packerland Conference at 9-7 and finishing last season 14-11 overall, Southern Door’s girls basketball team will be seeking to improve and be competitive in 2023-24.

Andy Bruess enters his second season as head coach of the Eagle girls and his 17th overall as a head basketball coach after previously leading the Mosinee boys team for 15 seasons.

Bruess will be without two top players who graduated after his inaugural year at Southern Door – post player Alli Dufek, who was named to the Packerland All-Conference first team, and guard Callie Miller.

His list of top returning players includes junior guard Ashlyn Delfosse, a member of the All-Conference second team, senior guard Payton Gilbertson, who received honorable mention in the Packerland, and two other seniors, forward Bella Price and guard Sophia Counard.

Bruess said the strengths of this season’s team include teamwork, work ethic and defense, though the Eagles now have a lack of size following the departure of Dufek.

“Depth is a bit of a concern, so we need to stay healthy,” he said.

Bruess said he is looking forward this season to “playing a style that works with what we have for personnel.”

Along with last season’s undefeated conference champion Sevastopol, which the Eagles will face on the Pioneers’ home court Dec. 1, Bruess said the top opponents on the 2023-24 schedule also include Packerland foes Algoma, Kewaunee and Oconto.

Southern Door opens the season the weekend of Thanksgiving with a tournament at Denmark High School, before hosting its first conference game Nov. 28 against Peshtigo.