The Dixon Lady Bulldogs must replace some key pieces who helped return them into a competitive unit last season.
However, head coach Scott Ballard hopes an influx of some talented freshmen will off-set some of those losses.
After combining for just 15 victories over the previous five seasons, Dixon put together a competitive 12-14 campaign last season. The Lady Bulldogs dropped a 48-46 heartbreaker to Buffalo in the Missouri Class 4 District 10 Tournament a season ago. Dixon finished just 1-6 in the Frisco League, but had much more competitive conference games than in recent seasons.
The big loss is all-district and all-conference Kensley Lipscomb, the team’s leading scorer the past couple of seasons and the lone senior from 2024-25. Also, last season Dixon co-opted with Newburg, which didn’t field a team in 2024-25. Newburg will have a team this season, and that will subtract guards McKenna Suschanke, Laynee Caquelin and Eva Sherrer from the Lady Bulldog roster.
As a result Ballad will field an extremely young unit this season, led by three returning sophomore starters in guard/forward Alley Yarbrough, guard Jaylee Herndon and guard/forward Jordyn Young.
And joining that sophomore trio in the varsity rotation will be three talented freshmen in point guard Inez Ballard, guard Aaliyah Ford and guard/forward Sadie Clubb.
Inez Ballard is considered one of the top freshman prospects in the area.
“With the amount of experience they were able to obtain last year, all three of my returning sophomores should be key contributors,” Coach Ballard said. “The last couple of years, it has been a real struggle to score. But this year will be different. With this group, if shots aren’t falling they don’t jack around, and just go get tough buckets.
“Defensively we will be better as well this year. We have a freshman who can guard around the perimeter well, but also can be a great inside defender.”
