UJH boys look to build on winning foundation

UNIONTOWN -- Uniontown's Junior High basketball boys are looking to continue their winning ways.

Last year's team finished 11-5 and provided a solid returning foundation, as well as helping those who are now freshmen on the varsity.

Head coach Chad Hays, who has already overseen the school's unbeaten football season, returns to the challenge of basketball with nary a break.

Hays, aided by assistant Cameron Schneider, is optimistic that the groundwork is in place for continued player and team improvement.

"I think our strength this year will be our athleticism and our work ethic," Hays said as he assessed the young Eagles. "To have a successful year, we will have to have a strong commitment on the defensive end. The boys have been working hard and are starting to get a good sense of what we are looking to do.

"We won't have much size this year like we have had in the past, which means we will just have to outwork our opponents."

Key returners from a year ago are eighth graders Hayden Miller, Jez Simpson, Noah Reynolds, Nick Hathaway, Chance Furhman, Haydon Schaaf, Matthew Morgan, Brendan Herring, and Graham Hathaway.

Miller, Simpson, Reynolds, Hathaway and Furhman will likely start.

Incoming seventh graders are Rhett Reed, Gavin Ross, Kord Bowen, Luke George, Jonathan Pryor, Tydas Lawrence, Hunter Martin, Colt Eck, Matthew Harclerode, and Andrew Reed.

Hays expects some challenges but also a lot of unknowns with his team's opponents.

"You're never sure since things change so much year to year in junior high," he said of the schedule. "Jayhawk has a nice athletic program in junior high so they will be tough. As far as some of the other schools, I don't know much about them yet."

Uniontown opens the season Thursday at Northeast.