The Pillow Academy girls' basketball team opens the season today as the top-ranked team in statewide academy AAA ranks.
The Lady Mustangs return two starters (Morgan Woods and Ellen Hull) from last year's 34-7 squad. Katie Farmer, Meredith Kimmel and Stella Malouf round out this year's starting lineup after seeing considerable action last season.
Woods, a point guard, was an All-Commonwealth selection last season as a junior. She averaged seven points, 2.1 assists, 2.6 steals and 2.4 rebounds.
Woods is also known for her cat-quick defensive skills.
PA head coach Durwin Carpenter said he wasn't surprised to see his team start the season atop the AAA poll.
“I guess with the improvement we made over the summer and doing well in the State Games (third place), I kind of thought we would be ranked at the top or near the top,” said Carpenter. “It's a big honor, but you really want to be No. 1 at the end of the season. We've still got a lot of work to do.”
Other players being counted on this season are Amanda Sturniolo, Elizabeth Woody and Carolyn Wellborn.
Pillow plays Bayou at 7:15 tonight in the Indianola Preseason Tournament.
The Pillow boys, who made it to the MPSA Overall Tournament semifinals last year, start the season ranked No. 5.
They are led by senior guard Pate Shackelford, who averaged 14 points, six rebounds and three assists a game last season en route to earning All-Commonwealth honors.
Senior center Bo Craig and senior forwards Marcus Thomas and Jacob Land also return from a team that went 25-10 last season.
