Dogs win despite injuries
January 13, 2023
The varsity Bulldogs came out victorious over the Anna- Jonesboro Wildcats Jan. 7 although they did face a few struggles throughout the game.
The Bulldogs started strong in the first part of the game. However throughout the game, they fell out leaving head coach Andy Fehrenbacher punching the air.
“I have a lot of confidence in our team that they will continue to work hard in practice and be prepared for each opponent,” Fehrenbacher said. We have been working a lot on defense (both man and zone) and making sure we are in proper positioning and communicating with each other on the defensive end of the floor as we are trying to get as many “stops” as possible. It is a process, and I don’t believe any team truly masters everything. There will always be deficiencies; however, you sharpen the skills that you have and make sure you keep doing what you are good at and then work on improving your weaknesses.”
Fehrenbacher isn’t the only one noticing this problem. Senior Charlie Fehrenbacher feels that the team needs to improve on a few things as well.
“We could really improve on rebounds,” Fehrenbacher said. “The other teams are getting too many offensive rebounds on us. We also need to work on not getting as injured. We need to stay on top of the ball and stop being scared. I feel like if we were more physical with our plays it could really help us improve.”
The Bulldogs are being trained every week to stay on top of the game. Senior Andrew Unthank said that they are staying really focused during practices.
“During practice we are focused. It’s hard when we have several players hurt, but we have to overcome those obstacles and keep pushing forward,” Unthank said. We are training hard after we had faced a hard week last week. We have taken it easy a little bit to get ready for the next upcoming game against Herrin. We’ve been playing some good basketball to be prepared to win this next game”.
With the Bulldogs having their weaknesses, they definitely have their strengths. Senior Myles Crank said that the team’s defensive skills are one of the reasons the Bulldogs are staying afloat this season.
“One of our strongest skills we have is our defense,” Crank said. “A lot of the time we change up our defense so other teams don’t really have an idea of what we’re doing when it comes to the day of the game.”
Senior Ross Rider enjoys the game, but feels that the relationships he has built are just as important.
“Basketball has always been a time for me to grow strong friendships,” Rider said. “The connection that a player shares with his teammates is so powerful because of the trust and cooperation that you have to have with each other on a daily basis. Playing basketball with my friends for the past four years has made it an amazing and fun experience for me. It’s definitely been one of the best decisions I’ve ever made to play sports in high school. The lessons I’ve learned and people I’ve met are invaluable and have had a great effect on who I am today.”
Rider feels that team spirit is a big part of being a Bulldog, no matter what sport a student plays.
“Harrisburg Bulldogs are connected with each other by common goals and a certain pride,” Rider said. “We know that we have had so many great athletes come before us, and it’s a matter of respect and responsibility that we give every ounce we have to bring glory to the school for those guys that came before us. In this way, being a Bulldog is being part of a brotherhood.”
