2024 Bureau Valley girls basketball preview: Storm will transition to Lincoln Trail Conference

Jonathon Henegar is not taking things slowly taking over the Bureau Valley girls basketball program this year.

He wants to get up and go.

The new Bureau Valley coach is introducing a fast-paced game as he takes over the Storm program.

“I have been really excited with what I’ve seen this first week of practice,” he said. “Some of the things we focused on and stressed this past summer were shooting and playing with pace. We have looked better this week than we did this summer at both of those things.

“I think the kids have really bought into the idea of playing fast this season. There has been a lot of positive energy and enthusiasm at each and every practice. I expect us to be very competitive this season with both our non conference and conference schedule.”

Henegar, 34, has coached basketball in Kewanee the past 12 years, most recently as the varsity boys assistant coach. The Princeton native succeeds Matt Wasilewski, who resigned after three seasons, and is the fifth head girls basketball coach in 10 years, and the eighth in program history.

Henegar looks for seniors Bella Birkey and Lesleigh Maynard, who played meaningful minutes last year, to be leaders on and off the court along with classmate Emma Stull.

Juniors Emma Mussche and Emily Wright saw varsity minutes last year, and junior newcomer Kadyn Haage will provide depth along with classmates Abby Jamison, Ashlyn Maupin, Maddie Wetzell and Alivia Zemke, Henegar said.

Sophomore guard Libby Endress will be a key player for the Storm, the top returning scorer at seven points per game while dishing out 4.9 assists per game as a freshman.

Freshman Brooke Helms also will be a part of the varsity team, providing some quickness and ball handling ability.

“We are going to push the ball in transition and be aggressive offensively, while also sharing the ball, which will hopefully lead to some balanced scoring throughout the season,” Henegar said.

In addition to losing three key 2024 graduates from last year’s 14-16 squad – unanimous all-conference player and 1,000-point scorer Kate Salisbury, Lynzie Cady and Kate Stoller – senior Taylor Neuhalfen (9.9 ppg, 3.4 rpg) transferred to a neighboring school midsemester.

Bureau Valley will play a JV schedule for freshmen, sophomores and some juniors. Sophomores Maggie Besler and Sierrah Taylor and freshmen Ali Carrington, Brynley Doty, Kiara Dye, Caitlyn Egan, Madi Price and Sophia Regan will contribute to the team.

The Storm will play in a new conference this year, the Lincoln Trail, after departing the Three Rivers. In the Lincoln Trail, the Storm will compete against Abingdon-Avon, Annawan, West Central, Galva, Knoxville, Monmouth United, Princeville, Ridgewood, ROWVA-Williamsfield and Stark County.

The Storm also will host their own new tournament to tip off the season, including Rock Falls, Riverdale and Erie-Prophetstown. They will meet the Rockets in the season opener at 7 p.m. Monday, Nov. 18.