By Nick Nunn
Staff Writer

Even a casual glance at MCHS’ sport schedules for 2012-2013 will show that something is missing: a girls’ JV basketball team. 
The hole in the schedule was no oversight; there really will be no girls JV team this year.
The explanation for why there is no team is simple.
“Last year, we had 13 seniors on the varsity,” said Morgan County schools’ athletic director Steve Cisson. “Those who were on the JV last year and those coming up from middle school have to move directly to the varsity to fill those spots and that leaves no one for JV.”
Charlemagne Gibbons, head coach for MCHS’ basketball teams, stated clearly that the program was not suffering any lack of interest on the potential athletes’ part.
“When you lose 13, it is hard to replenish,” said Coach Gibbons. “It’s a tall order.”
Although the departure of so many seniors last year means that the team is mainly populated by underclassmen this year, Coach Gibbons has faith in their ability to step up to the challenges that they will face throughout the season.
“We’ve moved some girls up, and they are already competing at the varsity level,” said Coach Gibbons.
Earlier in preseason talks, the basketball program hoped that it might be able to add on a JV girls team later in the season, but Coach Gibbons said that there is currently no intention of implementing that possibility.
The lack of a girls JV team does not, however, mean that there will be no boys JV team. Their schedule will go ahead as planned; their first game of the season was this past Tuesday against Cedar Shoals. The results of that game will be reported in next week’s edition.

Printed in the December 6, 2012 edition