Impressive Imperials | Video

Lee Timmerman | 12/18/2012

Most high school teams have to worry about filling holes left by graduation. The Napoleon girls basketball team does not have to worry about that. The Imperials return all of their starters and key reserves which is one of the reasons they are second in the first Class B statewide poll of the year.

"A lot of seniors means a lot of experience. These girls have been hungry basketball players most of them playing varsity since the 8th grade. It`s too bad we haven`t gotten to the state tournament before but we`ve kind of become now or never with this group of seniors they`re a talented bunch. It`s going to be sad when it`s their last game for Napoleon High School," said coach Darcy Lehr.

That`s not to say the Imperials haven`t been close to going to state, but being close to winning the region makes the fact they haven`t won yet feel even worse.

"We have been second for the last three years and all of us seniors are sick of it. We want to go to state finally and this year our mind is set to go. It`s our last year and our last sport and we`re going to do it. We`re going to work hard in practice. We worked hard in the off-season and shoot around in the morning. We`re going to play as a team and we`re going to believe in each other and we`re just going to play good," said senior Kendra Weigel.

That certainly happened in the season opener for Napoleon. The Imperials beat Beach by five points. They host Carrington on Thursday.

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