Gilmanton boys basketball numbers a concern for 2016-17

by Beth Kraft

Gilmanton High School may not have enough players to support a boys junior varsity basketball team next year.

Gilmanton Schools Principal Kory Rud told the School Board at its monthly meeting on Wednesday, Jan. 13, that current projections for Gilmanton’s boys basketball program next year indicate that there may be no freshman players coming in.

There are no boys in Gilmanton’s current eighth grade class, and with four seniors on the current squad that likely won’t be replaced the program may only have about 10 boys out for basketball next year.

Therefore, the Panthers would opt to play varsity-only games, said Rud, with the intention of bringing back a JV squad the next year when numbers could rebound.

The Board agreed Gilmanton should work to keep its basketball programs independent as long as possible, said Rud.

The girls basketball program is expected to have enough players for both varsity and JV teams next year, he added.

Boys and girls basketball and girls volleyball are currently the only three sports at Gilmanton that aren’t co-op teams with Independence.

In other business that night, the Board approved keeping open enrollment spaces for 2016-17 the same as this year except for middle/high school special education, which was capped at 15.

Rud also reported to the Board that planned upgrades to school building electrical panels were completed over winter break.

The Backpack Program, which provides weekend meals to elementary students, could potentially be expanded to offer free food options at the high school building soon, Rud added.

Also that night, the Board approved the following:

• gifts from All-American Publishing, $542; refrigerator donated to Backpack Program from Mondovi Area Food Pantry

• Board policy changes as presented

• 66.0301 cooperative agreements with  Mondovi and Osseo-Fairchild for 2016-17

• CESA #10 contracts for 2016-17

• 2016-17 school calendar