Holyoke girls drop season opener to Burlington

It’s always nice to get that first game of the season under your belt, especially when it’s the easier of your first two games.

The Holyoke girls basketball team expected to get in its first action Friday, Dec. 2, at home against St. Francis, Kansas. Mother Nature had other plans. Strong winds across the region led St. Francis to cancel its trip to Holyoke, leaving the Dragons hitting the floor for the first time Saturday, Dec. 3, at Class 2A No. 2 Burlington.

Holyoke Head Coach Arlan Scholl said not having the St. Francis game on Friday made the Dragons’ task more difficult at Burlington.  

“With a completely new team and coaching staff, it would have been a great help to have played a game before taking on Burlington, which will be one of the best 2A teams in the state of Colorado,” Scholl said.

The long bus ride, unfamiliar gym, sharing the locker room with the Holyoke boys team, and the constant noise of the Burlington band and drum core playing loudly a few feet away from the Dragons’ bench made for a difficult evening from a mental standpoint, Scholl said.

Despite those challenges, Scholl said he felt like his team learned some important lessons in the 26-54 loss and will be better prepared for its next games.

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