by 
San Manuel Miner
Last season’s Lady Miners’ basketball team won 22 games and earned a berth in State Championship Tournament. This season’s team is hoping for a similar season, but will have to do it after the graduation of some key players.
Shooting guard Kadi Monfred and point guard Angelica Garica are the only returning starters from last season’s team. Monfred, a senior, and Garcia, a sophomore, were among the top scorers on the team last year.
Cita Sweeney, Sammy Sampson, Esperanza Carbajal, and Ashly Vargas are returning varsity players.
With only six players with varsity experience, head coach Dave Jungbluth is concerned about the team’s depth heading into the start of this season. The Miners need some of their less-experienced players to step up in order to achieve anything close to last season’s success.
Sweeney could make the biggest impact this season. She’s replacing one the best players in Division IV and All-Section selection last year, Angelica Zuniga. Jungbluth figures she’s ready to be a difference maker after spending last year as Zuniga’s back up.
Monfred and Garcia are also expected to be playmakers, especially considering their positions as guards.
The Miners open their season on Dec. 4, 2014, at Tanque Verde. The game is scheduled for 7 p.m.
Andrew Luberda began writing for Copper Area News Publishers (CANP) in February 2013 after working 15 years in Healthcare Financial Management. Andy covers sports for 11 high schools. His stories are published in Copper Basin News, San Manuel Miner and Superior Sun, in addition to the San Tan Valley Daily PRSS and CopperArea websites. Additionally, he has written human interest stories and business profiles. In May 2012, he earned an AAS in Sports Management at Central Arizona College before graduating with a BS in Communication from Arizona State University in 2014. He and his wife, Kelli, have three sons – AJ, Kyle, and Kade.
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