R.A. Long Girls: Lumberjills bring talented roster to the floor

By Joshua Hart, Columbian sports reporter

Published: December 20, 2019, 3:15pm

3 Photos

While R.A. Long must replace its top players, returners such as Bobbi Clark, left, give the Lumberjills hope. (Courtesy of Longview Daily News) Photo Gallery

The past four seasons at R.A. Long have been highlighted by bulldog guard Eastyn Reeves.

With the second player ever to surpass 1,000 points as a Lumberjill now at Oregon Institute of Technology, Jan Karnoski’s squad will need a new identity.

The Jills also graduated Rayanna Randall and Ari Maryott, making it 35 points and 15 rebounds a game to replace.

“It’s going to be tough,” said Karnoski, who rejoined the program two years ago. He also compiled a 54-32 record in four seasons in the early 1990s. “But we’ve got quite a few good ballplayers.”

Miranda Lomax, a 5-foot-4 sophomore guard, may be similar in stature to her predecessor, but her style of play lends itself to a new-look R.A. Long.

“Miranda is maybe more talented in certain areas than Eastyn,” Karnoski said. “But we will have to be more rounded in scoring. Most of the teams I’ve coached usually have nine, 10, 11 points but nobody that goes for 18 or 20.”

Lomax will have plenty of options on offense to orchestrate with. Six-foot junior post Bobbi Clark returns after an all-league season. Myah Bodily, a 5-6 junior, provides some shooting help on the perimeter. Makayla Jenkins, a 5-10 transfer from North Carolina, will add some athleticism to the squad.

“She runs the court faster than anybody,” Karnoski said. “She’s just a super athlete.”

The Jills are hoping to break a lengthy playoff drought and Karnoski doesn’t hesitate to say that’s the expectation: “We’re going to the playoffs.”

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