The Lady Bobcats of Thermopolis are looking like a competitive team in the 2005-2006 season. “Last season, we were relatively young and relied on Brittany Blair and Bailey Deseyn to play a lot of minutes as Freshmen,” says head coach David Steele. This is Steele’s fifth year coaching Lady Bobcats basketball, and he is looking forward to having a more experienced team.

Returning starters for the team are Senior forwards Jen Johnson and Kinley Apland, Sophomore point guard Brittany Blair (who was also All-Conference last season), and six--count them, six--other letter-winners, led by Sophomore forward/post Bailey Deseyn and Senior post Anna Shopping. With this line-up, Coach Steele believes that “we will once again be competitive in conference play.” He also cautions, “Our conference is going to be too good for any team to simply just ‘show up and play.’” He hopes the Lady Bobcats will use their experience to improve on their regional play last season.

Coach Steele doesn’t see “a clear favorite” to win the conference this year. Last year, sports fans could see Douglas was at the top of their game, but this year there are several teams who should be viable options for the coveted playoff positions. “If I had to pick a preseason conference favorite,” he says, “I would have to pick Wheatland; [they have] many of their key players back.” Steele also has his eye on the Douglas team, which is “still the conference and state champion until someone beats them in March.”

In the statewide race, Steele feels that Lander is by far and away the favorite. “They have the best player in the state,” he confirms, speaking of senior Tahnee Robinson, who just signed with UW, “[Lander has] size, and they have post-season experience,” he adds.
Thermopolis has only 196 students, making them the underdog in their conference. “We are playing schools with two or three time the numbers we have on a nightly basis,” comments Coach Steele. Indeed, they have the fewest number of students of any school on their schedule. With about 550 students, Douglas will be the biggest school they face by far. Glenrock will be the smallest at 232 students. The almost overwhelming numbers lends the Lady Bobcats' season an almost Hoosier-like feel. The 2005-2006 schedule, which includes back-to-back face-offs with Wheatland and Douglas will test the Lady Bobcats’ determination and the coheason of this seasoned team; and it will make for some great preps basketball.

The Lady Bobcats finished with a 13-10 record in the 2004-2005 season. The hard-playing Bobcats are hoping to improve on that record this year and prove that underdogs can be the best teams to root for.

Thermopolis Lady Bobcats
2006 Basketball Schedule

Home Game Dates in Bold
Date Opponent Location Time
Jan. 6 Newcastle Newcastle 4:00/5:45/7:30
Jan. 7 Buffalo Buffalo 12:00/1:30/3:00
Jan. 13 Torrington Thermopolis 2:00/5:00
Jan. 14 Wheatland Thermopolis 2:00/3:45/5:30
Jan. 19 Meeteetse Meeteetse 5:30
Jan. 20 Douglas Douglas 3:15/4:45/6:15
Jan. 26 Riverton Thermopolis 6:00
Jan. 28 Wheatland Wheatland 4:00/5:30/7:00
Feb. 3 Rawlins Rawlins 4:00/5:30/7:00
Feb. 4 Glenrock Thermopolis 1:00/1:00/4:00
Feb. 7 Worland Thermopolis 5:00
Feb. 10 Newcastle Thermopolis 4:00/5:45/7:30
Feb. 11 Buffalo Thermopolis 1:00/2:30/4:00
Feb. 14 Powell Powell 6:30
Feb. 17 Powell Powell 4:00/5:45
Feb. 18 Douglas Thermopolis 2:00/5:00
Feb. 21 Riverton Riverton 6:00
Feb. 25 Worland Tourn. Worland 9:00(9th)
Feb. 25 Rawlins Thermopolis 2:30/4:00 (jv/v)
Mar. 3-4 Regionals Torrington tba
Mar. 9-11 State Casper tba