After finishing out the 2007-08 season with a narrow three-point loss to New Madrid in MSHSAA Class 3 sectional playoff back in March, the Doniphan Dons have a lot to contend with over the next few weeks leading up to the regular season.

First and foremost, they have to deal with time. Or a lack of time if you will.

Starting this season, all MSHSAA basketball teams didn't start practice until this past Monday which is a week later than last season. And just to make matters all the tougher for the Dons, they lost three key seniors including the highly-regarded Wilson twins, Chandler and Charles, as well as Tyler Collins, who nearly sent Doniphan to the quarterfinals on a late 3-pointer try against the Eagles.

Doniphan coach Jason Andrews is trying to squeeze all he can out of his less-experienced team with one less week of practice to work with.

"It really hurts us this year because we are so inexperienced," Andrews said. "I don't like (the practice start being later) at all. We're only gonna get three weeks to practice when we normally get four. For an inexperienced team that's a big deal. I think all the coaches are a little disgruntled."

Andrews' squad would normally spend three weeks before practice starts doing conditioning drills. But this year, the Dons went through five weeks of conditioning to compensate for the impending missed week of practice.

Andrews said his team in the past would normally practice for two and a half hours per day. Some coaches might try to add on time to practice each day this year to make up for a missed week, but Andrews, who's in entering his third season at Doniphan and boasts a 44-12 record, didn't go that route.

"I think if you spend too much time in the gym, your kids lose focus and you don't get anything out of that either," Andrews added. "We're in good shape; we just don't know what to do yet."

Andrews generally uses the first week to mold his team and generate intensity right off the bat.

"Our first week, we wanna set the tone as far as intensity and getting the kids to really play hard and be aggressive," Andrews said.

So far through the first two days of practice on Monday and Tuesday, the returning players like senior Mitch Granier and junior Greg Davis have set the example.

"Our older kids, they what it's about -- they've been there," Andrews said. "Our other guys -- they're having to adjust from the JV level of intensity to the varsity level and that's a big difference. We're not there yet and we may not be there until January. I feel like our kids will respond, but it's just gonna take a little time but I think by the end of the year we'll be pretty tough."

ALL-STATE VOLLEYBALL

Bernie senior Kristin Eaves was selected to the MHSVCA Class 1 All-State Second Team.

"I'm very proud of Kristin for receiving this great honor," Bernie head coach Jeff Rodgers said. "She had her ACL rebuilt over a year ago and for her to come back with a great year like this is very commendable."

Eaves had 280 kills, 226 blocks (104 solo) and a kill percentage of 30 percent. All three categories are tops in the past eight years at Bernie and could be date back even longer then that according to Rodgers.

STODDARD COUNTY VOLLEYBALL

ALL-CONFERENCE TEAMS

FIRST TEAM: Jasmine Johnson, Bell City; Codie Lancaster, Bell City; Cathryn Heil, Dexter; Jessica Satterfield, Dexter; Kristen Eaves, Bernie; Jessica White, Bloomfield SECOND TEAM: Sami Palmer, Bernie; Lauren Johnson, Woodland; Sarah Holloway, Puxico; Abbie Warren, Dexter; Sherilyn Long, Bell City; Kristen Pratt, Puxico

HONORABLE MENTION: Cindy Simmers, Advance; Sara Deason, Bernie; Hannah White, Puxico; Tiffany Brown, Richland; Taylor Parker, Bloomfield; Che Holford, Bloomfield; Whitney McClung, Richland; Kaitlin McCormick, Woodland

PLAYERS OF THE YEAR: Jasmine Johnson and Codie Lancaster, Bell City; DEFENSIVE PLAYER: Sherilyn Long, Bell City; COACH: Erin Hoffman, Bell City

DAR BASKETBALL PREVIEW: Look out for our 12-page high school basketball preview tab in the Monday, Nov. 24 edition. Their will be team previews on the upcoming Poplar Bluff Mules and Lady Mules seasons as well as team-by-team capsules for all area boys and girls teams.

CONTACT US: Have an interesting story idea, any upcoming records or other factoids on the upcoming basketball season? Shoot me an email at rtate@darnews.com or call at 785-1414. Also, if there are any area athletes signing with colleges, shoot Alex Abate a line at aabate@darnews.com.