The Spring Creek girls basketball team did not like how the 2007-08 season ended. Not one bit.

For the first time in three years, the season ended without a 3A state title.

If last season was the rebuilding year, then this season the Lady Spartans are out for revenge and redemption and Spring Creek thinks it has the team to return to the elite level.

“For the first time since I've been (the head coach) we have a solid team,” said Spring Creek coach Sarah Arendt. “Every player can contribute and is a solid player. They all have their attributes. Some are outside shooters and others are hustlers.”

The post-Johnna Ward era last season began with promise but ended with a first-round loss in the regional tournament. The Lady Spartans were a bit on the inexperienced side and it caught up with them.

Inexperience won't be an issue this season. Neither will uncertainty, depth or confidence. It's hard to pinpoint a weakness on the team.

“Our goal is to be competitive in every game, to play hard and improve,” Arendt said. “Our season started at the end of last year when we didn't make it to state. We're going to take it one game at a time, each practice at a time. If we do that, the outcomes and our goals will be reached.”

Arendt compares the current Lady Spartans' depth to the 2005-06 team. Practices are intense and the competition on the team should be tougher than many games.

Inside and outside, the Lady Spartans are loaded with quality players.

On the interior, Spring Creek can go six deep with little change. Senior Lacy Rider is the team's proven leader after she averaged a solid 14 points and nine rebounds a year ago and was named first team all league.

Rider should have more help up front, due in part to 6-foot transfer Mary Suing. Suing runs the floor well for a tall player.

Juniors Sam Rynearson and Tiffany Eleson joined the varsity team at the end of last season and will play increased roles in the post this season. Junior Melissa Sarman is a hustler who played on the JV squad a year ago and should also help.

The most versatile player on the team is sophomore Stacey Kerr, who will see time in both the post and on the perimeter. Kerr scored 4.6 points and grabbed 5.7 rebounds a game during her freshman season on the varsity squad.

“She put in a lot of work during the offseason,” Arendt said of Kerr. “I don't think she took more than two days off since the end of last season.”

With improvement expected in the paint, open shots should find their way to the Spring Creek backcourt.

Seniors Andrea Empey and Teagan Tolden and junior Noelle Laffoon bring a lot of experience to the backcourt. Empey did the bulk of Spring Creek's ballhandling and had a team-high 2.7 assists a game. She also was second in scoring with 7.5 points a game.

Tolden could easily slide into the point guard role if needed and Laffoon is a sharpshooter from behind the 3-point arc. Laffoon scored 29 points in a single game last season.

Three promising freshmen provide depth in the backcourt. Zulieka Grinsell is a true point guard, McKenzie Wasley is a hustle player and Kyla Siri is the toughest player Arendt has ever coached. Siri also is the goalie on the soccer team.

“We're going to be a nice mix,” Arendt said. “We'll be competitive and up and down the court. Andrea and Lacy are our captains. They're very goal-oriented. We've got a great, talented basketball team and we have a lot of depth.”

A benefit of the team's make-up is flexibility. Offensively, the Lady Spartans can feed the post when they need to or hit the outside shots. They also feel they can score in transition or set up a half-court offense.

Spring Creek has the same versatility on defense. Depth allows the Lady Spartans to press for long stretches and they can substitute without a drop off in production.

The Lady Spartans will need to play well and get as much as they can from their depth considering the level of competition in Northern 3A.

Defending state champion Yerington returns nearly intact as does runner-up Truckee. Lowry won the regional tournament and didn't lose much either. Just getting out of the north will be an accomplishment.

Southern 3A took a hit when Pahrump Valley moved up to 4A, but Faith Lutheran remains a tough opponent should Spring Creek cross paths with the Lady Crusaders.

Spring Creek has a tough December on its schedule with just two home games and three tournaments on the slate. By the time league play begins in January, the Lady Spartans figure to be battle-tested.

“We're going to be a great team,” Arendt said. “Last year we learned a lot. This year we hope to capitalize on what we learned last year.”