Xairius Larry’s first season as Junction City’s coach was a rousing success.
The Dragons won 20 games, won a share of the 8-2A regular-season crown and reached the second round of the state tournament, knocking off tournament host Mansfield in the opening round.
For Larry, the season was one of growth for the Dragons.
“Going into to the season with no expectations, it turned out better than I could ever imagine,” Larry said. “We all know how it can be when you’re going into a new job and how long it takes to get settled. What stood out most was the growth of the players and how they caught on to what I envisioned to do this season. We accomplished a lot of great things that weren’t expected. Season 1 was a great one.”
Larry said plenty of work lies ahead in the offseason for the Dragons.
“Offseason is the best season,” Larry said. “It’s going to be a lot of work getting done this summer. We are going to just do camps one month in the summer and the rest of the time will be spent on working as a team and individually. A lot to be done.”
The Dragons will have to replace three starters, and Larry said the summer will be crucial for development.
“Losing three starters that really helped us go as a team, there will be some shoes to fill for the ones that are returning,” Larry said. “That’s why I stated there will be some work done in this summer, for that reason. Guys have to step up and bring more to the table. I know they’ll get it done.”