With four starters back from a team that reached the second round of the Class A state playoffs last season and a group of girls that has put in extra work in the offseason, Bremen High School girls basketball coach Kathy Matthews is approaching the 2009-10 season excited to see how her players’ work pays off.

“This team was what I classify probably as my biggest gym rats that I’ve ever had this summer,” Matthews said.

The team had its usual summer drills, but Matthews was impressed by the number of players who wanted even more practice in the form of individual workouts.

“They were wanting to put in the extra time,” Matthews said. “And hopefully it’ll soon pay off in the regular season whenever the games start coming up.”

Senior forward Taylor Jennings is back to lead the way in the post after a solid junior season, and her frontcourt mate, junior Sarah Stansberry, is also back. Matthews said Jennings was one of the players who worked the hardest in the summer and that she’s hoping the senior’s strong play in the post will gain her some well-deserved attention from colleges.

“This being her senior year, we’re looking for greater things out of her this year,” Matthews said.

Juniors Terica Bexley, Joyce Smith and Kortni Kilgore and freshman Kayleigh Medlin will look to provide depth down low.

Jennings has seen a business-like atmosphere and good team chemistry in the group’s first practices.

“We work hard in practice, and we work together,” Jennings said. “And we just get things done.”

Matthews has also seen that team-focused quality from her girls.

“They get along well, and they seem to want the other person on the team to excel instead of being the selfish person that wants all the glory,” Matthews said. “So that’s what makes it fun.”

Junior guards Whitney Calhoun and Holly Williams are the other two returning starters, while Matthews expects juniors Emily Miller and Taylor Hendrickson and freshman Jordan Hill to give her team more depth at guard.

Matthews said Calhoun will handle much of the ballhandling, though the coach said both Calhoun and Williams will be looked to for more scoring this season after the loss of Haley Sewell to graduation. The coach said Williams should be the team’s lockdown defender once again.

After going 15-11 last season and knocking off Pace Academy 45-40 in the first round of the playoffs, Matthews said having so many players with experience on a successful team can only benefit Bremen.

“That experience does nothing but help,” Matthews said. “So you bring that experience with the eagerness to work hard and the eagerness to win, and hopefully great things will happen because these girls deserve it. They’ve worked hard.”