Members of the 2019-20 Manistique High School girls varsity basketball team include, front row from left, Madison Zellar, Brooke Richey, Kayla Muth, Emilee McDaniel, Raya Twardokus and Sarah Barker. Top row from left, head coach Dave Winkel, Ava Fleck, Olivia Kingren, Brooke St. John, Emma Swanson and assistant coach Scott Nagy. (Photo courtesy Dan White Photography)

Manistique girls

2019-20 schedule

All times Eastern

Home games in bold

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Dec. 3 — at Negaunee, 7:15 p.m.

Dec. 5 — Munising, 7:30 p.m.

Dec. 9 — Newberry, 7:30 p.m.

Dec. 11 — at Rudyard, 7:30 p.m.

Dec. 17 — Engadine, 7:30 p.m.

Dec. 19 — at Westwood, 7:30 p.m.

Jan. 3 — Gwinn, 7:30 p.m.

Jan. 7 — at Bark River-Harris, 7:30 p.m.

Jan. 10 — Negaunee, 7:30 p.m.

Jan. 13 – at Engadine, 7:30 p.m.

Jan. 17 — at Gladstone, 7:30 p.m.

Jan. 21 — at Munising, 7:30 p.m.

Jan. 24 — Ishpeming, 7:30 p.m.

Jan. 30 — Gladstone, 7:30 p.m.

Feb. 3 — at Gwinn, 7:15 p.m.

Feb. 6 — Iron Mountain, 7:30 p.m.

Feb. 11 — Rapid River, 7:30 p.m.

Feb. 14 — Westwood, 7:30 p.m.

Feb. 17 — at Iron Mountain, 7:30 p.m.

Feb. 25 — at Ishpeming, 7:15 p.m.

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MANISTIQUE — After some past struggles including a one-win season in 2017-18, the Manistique High School girls basketball team produced competitive games and tripled the win total last year.

But head coach Dave Winkel feels that the Emeralds have a chance to shine this time around.

“We won three games (last season),” he said. “Obviously, it’s not very fun, and you want to win every time you’re out. But the girls played hard, and we were competitive in many more games that we didn’t win.

“We’re just going to build off that this year, and I think we’re going to win a few more games this year.”

Manistique only lost two players to graduation as the Emeralds have hope with their returning group.

“Emilee McDaniel has been up on the varsity now for four years,” Winkel said. “I think she’s ready to break out this year.

“She’s been playing better year to year to year, and I think she’s ready to put it all together this year to carry a heavy load for us. I would look to her first and foremost.”

Juniors Kayla Muth and Emma Swanson will also look to lead offensively.

“We also have a couple of juniors that played varsity last year as sophomores,” Winkel said. “They came on late in the year, but I think that year of experience is going to allow them to be successful this year.

“Kayla Muth is a nice all-around player. She can do some things outside and inside for us. Emma Swanson really came on in the latter part of last year. She’s a quick little guard that can get to the basket, and I think she led us in scoring in a couple games last season.”

Winkel feels additions will complement the existing roster.

“We’ve got four new players this year,” he said. “Ava Fleck, who will probably be our backup point guard; we’ll look to her to carry some of the ball-handling abilities.

“We have a senior who didn’t play last year, Sarah Barker; she’s just a little bundle of energy. She’s a little firecracker that we can bring in to give us a shot in the arm. I think she can really give the team a bit of energy when we’re kind of in a rut.

“Olivia Kingren is another good energy player. She’s got some height and size, and she’s a really good athlete. She plays incredibly hard, so she’s hopefully going to wreak some havoc for us.

“Brooke St. John is another good all-around player we’re adding.”

Rounding out the roster are Madison Zellar, Brooke Richey and Raya Twardorkus.

“(Madison) is our starting point guard,” Winkel said. “She does a good job controlling the game, and is a real heads-up player. (Brooke) came on as a rebounder last year, and she’s one of our better outside shooters. (Raya) is one of our better shooters and defenders on the inside.”

The Emeralds’ focus in practice has mostly been on defense.

“We’ve struggled on the offensive side,” Winkel said. “I think the keys for us are going to be on the defensive end. If we’re not going to be a high-scoring team, then we can’t let the other team score.

“We’re really focusing on playing super hard on the defensive side. (We’re also working on) scoring in transition. If we can get some stops and push that ball up the court, we can get some easy baskets before the defense is set.”

Winkel’s Emeralds will focus on each game as it comes with the hope of a postseason run.

“The schedule’s always tough,” he said. “We’re in a really good (Mid-Peninsula) conference — it’s deep. Every night out is a battle. There’s no nights off.

“You just want to build as the year goes on. You want to be playing your best by the end of the year. Every year is different, so you take that regular season and figure out your identity. I hope that we can do that during the season, so come the last five games, we know who we are and what we need to do.

“In the postseason, anything can happen. You do what you got to do to win battles and move on to the next one.”