By Joanna Chadwick
When asked about the season, Central Plains’ Marilyn Soeken is quick to pass praise to her teammates.
“(It’s) the teamwork (that) me and my team have,” she said. “We are all like family, and it isn’t a one-person show. Everyone is out there scoring.”
But give coach Pat Stiles a chance to talk about Soeken, and he will take the opportunity to heap praise onto her.
“In her senior year, Marilyn has truly emerged as the team’s heartbeat – leading in points, rebounds, steals and assists, showcasing her all-around game and basketball IQ. She stepped up not only as a player as a vocal leader, motivating her teammates with her relentless drive and determination.”
Soeken notes that her leadership is important.
“What makes me a good player is that I know how to be a good leader for my team. I will do whatever is best for my teammates and I’d do anything to win,” she said.
Central Plains understands success – the program has won eight titles in 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022. They likely would have won in 2020, as well, but state basketball was canceled due to Covid-19. The program also owns a 138-game winning streak, which went from 2015-2020.
No surprise, the Oilers are 12-2 this season.
But to succeed at such a program, Soeken understands that she had to keep working to improve. One of the areas she focused on was specifically her jumper.
“Her game has evolved significantly, as she has developed a reliable midrange shot and mastered the art of playing with a change of pace, allowing her to control the tempo of the game,” Stiles said.
“Defensively, she is a nightmare for opposing teams, always putting pressure on the ball and forcing turnovers. Offensively, her ability to attack the basket at will keeps defenders on edge, making her a constant threat and key player on both ends of the court.”
