While football, volleyball, and soccer seasons have all ended, the high school winter sports season kicks off with boys’ and girls’ indoor basketball starting Nov. 17 and running through Feb. 28.
At Lopez High School, MR Buffum will be coming back after a six year hiatus to coach boys’ high school basketball, and Debbie Buffum will begin coaching girls’ high school basketball.
Both are experienced coaches; MR Buffum coached the Lopez middle school team for four years and the varsity team for 16 years, while Debbie Buffum has coached girls’ varsity basketball at Lopez for more than 20 years.
“We will practice every day except Sundays and Thanks giving Day,” M.R. Buffman said.
“Our first week consists of informal tryouts. Basically, students show up to practice, and after that, decisions will be made and I’ll cut the roster down to 14 team members.”
Lopez’ basketball team lost six seniors last year,
“But,” Coach Buffum added, “we have seven experienced players coming back and that will help fill out the roster and add depth to our team. These guys all played together in middle school and understand each other’s styles, so that’s an advantage.”
The first varsity game for the young men is against Grace Academy on Dec. 4.
Duenn to lead Orcas
At Orcas high school, Joe Duenn returns in his position as head coach for the boys high school basketball team and Terry Moran-Hodge continues in his role of head coach for the girls varsity basketball team.
“We only lost one senior in the girls varsity basketball and two seniors out of the boys varsity,” said Orcas high school Athletic Director Sandy Harris, “so that will stand us in good stead for the coming year.
“Also, the girls varsity team raised money this past year so that they could send themselves to a week-long NBC basketball camp in Spokane, Washington, and that experience can only make the team stronger.”
The boys team has a new supporting staff.
Chuck Todd will be moving from middle school coaching to high school and will be helping the junior varsity team, and Lonnie Sanders will begin work as well as an assistant coach to the junior varsity boys team.
Mike Lawson will be working with Joe Duenn as an assistant coach for the boys varsity basketball team.
Both teams also raise money by participating in our annual hoop shoot. The students obtain pledges and then shoot baskets for pledge amounts.”
12/19/08 Friday MVC MVC 4:30 PM
12/20/08 Saturday U Prep Home 4:30 PM
12/29/08 Monday NW Christian – Christmas Trnmt NW Christian TBA PM
The first four Orcas boys basketball games are:
12/06/08 Saturday Pullman Christian Home 2:45 PM
12/16/08 Tuesday Concrete Concrete 3:00 PM
12/19/08 Friday MVC MVC 6:00 PM
12/20/08 Saturday U Prep
Please go here online for more Orcas high school athletic schedule information:
http://oihssports.olinesports.com/
