BILLINGS — Winning is something the Billings Central girls have proven to be quite good at.
The Rams are fresh off a state volleyball title, and they head into the girls basketball season as the defending State A champions. But this isn’t a group that’s content by any means.
“It's something I said last year, they fight like sisters out here. I don't have to worry about if they're going to play hard or competitive, but they fight for each other on the court," Billings Central head coach Jetton Ailes told MTN Sports. "We're always looking for more competition to get it out of them. If we can't challenge each other here, we're going to run into a buzz saw in a game sometime and we've got to be ready for it. The stronger we can get here and the harder we can get here, the easier games are going to be."
“I think we really push each other to be the best, because our bench is so deep. Anyone can take your spot at any moment," senior Ryen Hadley said. "Throughout the season I think you'll see lots of names having the top scorer in the game. It's not always one person."
The Rams are returning a bulk of their scoring from last season and should once again be among the top teams in Class A. That competitive atmosphere they create in practice leads to a team with depth, despite only having 19 girls out.
“I always want them to want more, want them to stay hungry and want to keep them on their toes and challenge each other," Ailes said. "Nothing is ever guaranteed. We can go down with injury. It's that next-man-up mentality, and they embrace it. They challenge each other and they know it's ever-fluid."
There’s a long history of successful female athletes at Central, and this crew knows the impact their play has.
"It's a privilege to be able to wear a Central jersey. There's many players — I know Shannon Cate. My mom went here her junior year," senior Coral Old Bull said. "I kind of talk about that with my mom, as well. There's so many great people. Mya Hansen. The seniors I had my freshman year. I think you just learn that from each senior class. I think that's a big thing for our seniors, as well, is leaving that mark because it's already been left before. It's just like you keep adding on to it."
The Rams open up the season at home this Saturday against Glendive.
