Hartland guard Brinley Neuer is a sophomore. She doesn’t know any better heading into Wednesday’s district matchup with Howell (21-1).
She thinks the baby Eagles (15-8) have a shot against the Highlanders. If nothing else she is headed into this game with no fear. I applaud her for that. No athlete should show fear while facing an opponent no matter how devastating they are.
“We have nothing to lose,” Neuer said. “All we can do is upset them and go in with a lot of energy with this win.”
Neuer did not predict the upset of the century. She simply stated what the Eagles mindset must be while facing Howell. Howell’s success goes beyond McDonald’s All-America Lilly Williams and sharp shooter Gabby Piepho.
Hannah Ralko and Lyla Valentine seem to have superior skills to anyone else in the KLAA West Division.
Neuer may lack the skills of her older foes at Howell. But she has that something special. She is gritty and skilled. And unafraid. That makes her dangerous on the court.
But who is going to stop the 6-foot-5 Williams? What happens when defenders sag off Piepho and Ralko?
Pick your poison.
Howell has already thumped Hartland 57-35 and 48-19. There is more where that came from. That’s why a Harland win would be a bigger upset than the Miracle on Ice when the United States beat Russia in the 1980 Olympics.