By VINCE LOVERGINE
TopSports.news
Since at least 2006, the Topeka West girls basketball program has not had a winning season. However, looking back at the last two seasons under head coach Angie Ketterman, the win total is adding up.
Senior Addaline Hall (13) is a top returner for Topeka West girls basketball. [File photo/TSN]
Teairra Gonzales (22) will be counted on for senior leadership this winter for the Topeka West girls. [File photo/TSN]
In 2023-2024 the Chargers won eight games and in 2024-2025, they had six wins. That’s 14 wins in a two-year span. Before that, it took West five years to notch at least 14 wins total. Not to mention, the last season where they had at least five wins before 2023 was 2016.
“Every school has seasons where they’re really good,'' Ketterman said. "Eventually, you’re going to fade back out and then you start coming back up. I really feel like we have kids coming in now and we’re on our way up.
"They’re starting to see it, they’re starting to believe it and that they can win, so it’s going to be a fun year.''
Ketterman played for the Chargers and also coached at one point before coming back. She said with this being the third year and the same coaching staff, the girls are starting to figure it out.
“They know what we expect. This year feels different because I feel we’re all on the same page. They come in and know exactly what we’re wanting,” Ketterman said. “We didn’t have any seniors last year and now we have four. It’s a good group.”
Ketterman is excited about what the seniors are bringing in terms of a leadership standpoint because the younger girls, especially the bigger freshmen class, are buying into that. That’s the route Ketterman wants this team to take.
“It’s a good mixture. I can honestly tell you, we don’t know who we’re starting, it’s a good problem to have, it’s kind of exciting,'' Ketterman said.
Seniors Teairra Gonzales and Addaline Hall have been in the program for four years and in the UKC with tough competition and Gonzales said it's their time to shine and grow.
“I like how everybody on our team is interchangeable. We’ve all played together for so long, play each part of the game and we can switch it up sometimes,” Gonzales said.
“A new year and a fresh start,'' Hall said. "We have a good amount of freshmen coming in and will be able to contribute to the program in a successful way, having the second string come in if the starters need a break. The freshmen are fast, so especially in the UKC that will help against the tougher teams in the conference.''
Gonzales said something about this group is that they’re always laughing and keeping things light, but when it comes down to business, they handle it properly.
Ketterman said while there’s a short window of practice times before their first games, they’re hitting the ground running and hoping that the trajectory of becoming that winning program continues.
