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Lancaster Lebanon League – Section 1 (AAAAAA)
Head Coach: Jamie Walborn – 8th season
Top Returners: Zariyah Whigham (Sr.); Jae Burrus (Jr.); Kailah Correa (Jr.); Liliana Harrison (Jr.); Olive Brandt (So.)
Key Newcomers: Tayana Camuy (Fr.); Natalie Harrison (Fr.); Skyler Strickler (Fr.)
Key Loss: Aaliyah Ferrer (Alvernia)
’22-’23 Results: 26-3 overall, 22-0 regular season, Section 1 Champions, State Qualifier
Cedars Girls Basketball Season Outlook
’22-’23 was a magical season for the Lebanon Cedars, as they worked their way through an undefeated regular season on their way to being able to upset Haverford in the PIAA State Tournament. One of the key takeaways from watching this team last year was how tenacious they were in high-pressure situations, often grinding out close games with clutch play down the stretch. These close games included the wild triple overtime game played against Cedar Crest on January 27th.
According to Head Coach Jamie Walborn, these learning experiences will hopefully translate into a stronger team this season. She told LebCoSports.com, “We were able to play in a lot of close games last season, including a couple of overtime games, District and State games, and so on. We are hoping those lessons will carry over into this season, and we come out ready to play.”
Walborn will return most of her starting lineup, including junior point guard Kailah Correa. Correa, who has already scored 1,000 points in her high school career, provides the Cedars with an obvious solid scoring threat. The reigning LebCo Girls Basketball Player of the Year has the ability to takeover games at will, something that has gained the attention of several NCAA Division I programs. What is less obvious when looking at the stat sheet is how Correa is the ultimate team player, making her even more valuable to a team looking to build upon the success they experienced last year.
While Correa garners much of the attention (deservedly so), she is part of a solid lineup and often spends much of the game distributing the ball to teammates to make plays that will help Lebanon win. Among those options is junior Liliana Harrison, who having worked on her game over the summer months, looks to continue to provide solid play in the paint. Senior Zariyah Whigham will look to build on her breakout season from a year ago, as she provides pure athleticism that often gives the Cedars multiple chances to score on each possession. Sophomore Olive Brandt also returns, giving another scoring option that will take the pressure off her older teammates.
With Aaliyah Ferrer moving on to play collegiately at Alvernia, there is a hole in last year’s starting lineup. Luckily, junior Jae Burrus was used in heavy rotation last season and frequently provided timely perimeter shooting that sparked the Cedars. Lebanon will also welcome a solid class of freshmen who should see some meaningful varsity minutes.
The Cedars are a tough team with clear goals. While it will not be an easy road given the high expectations, there is a high chance that their overall experience will help them to find that next level.
Cedars Girls Basketball Roster: ’23-’24
# |
Name |
Year |
Position |
0 |
Zianna Whigham |
Sr. |
Guard |
1 |
Kailah Correa |
Jr. |
Guard |
2 |
Olive Brandt |
So. |
Guard |
3 |
Jaelyana Burrus |
Jr. |
Guard |
4 |
Zujuanlisse Figueroa Vila |
Jr. |
Guard |
5 |
Zariyah Whigham |
Sr. |
Forward |
10 |
Jalyne Mejia |
Fr. |
Forward |
11 |
Lizbeth Ortiz |
Fr. |
Guard/Forward |
13 |
Amani Morales |
Fr. |
Guard |
14 |
Milaysia Dominguez |
Jr. |
Guard |
15 |
Katrina Leary |
Jr. |
Guard |
20 |
Natalina Harrison |
Fr. |
Guard/Forward |
21 |
Jezauni Hernandez |
So. |
Guard |
22 |
Dora Lopez |
Sr. |
Forward |
23 |
Tayana Camuy |
Fr. |
Guard |
25 |
Skylar Strickler |
Fr. |
Forward |
33 |
Sachenka Soto Correa |
So. |
Guard |
50 |
Liliana Harrison |
Jr. |
Forward |