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Published: Tuesday, Nov. 13, 2012 / Updated: Tuesday, Nov. 13, 2012 05:19 PM

UNFINISHED BUSINESS: Lady Yellow Jackets

- mbanks@comporium.net

FORT MILL -- 

After getting back to the playoffs for the first time since the split to open Nation Ford High six years ago, the Fort Mill High Lady Jackets basketball team hopes to build on that success this coming season.

The Lady Jackets kick off its season Monday, Nov. 19 at York in the Palmetto Rehab Invitational.

Fort Mill has four seniors back this year, including Lauren Wood and Hannah-Kate Christopher, who is coming off a devastating knee injury that cut short her junior season. Christopher won’t be starting the season next week with her team, but will be back in early December after recently having follow-up surgery from last year’s injury.

Guard Ray Lynch and forward Hanna Lyons are the other two seniors on the Fort Mill squad this season.

The Lady Jackets finished 11-13 last year and head coach Christene Benyak hopes the team will continue to improve this season, despite moving back up to 4A.

“I feel good,” Benyak said. “We got a lot of freshman and sophomores that will have to step up. It’s a tough region.”

Fort Mill was picked to finish fourth in Region III-AAAA and will carry four sophomores and three freshmen on its roster.

Benyak said beside the height she has with Wood, Christopher, sophomore Ally Abbot, she also has a true point guard this year, for the first time in about four years.

“We have those missing pieces that we haven’t had,” Benyak said. “We just need to got develop them.”

Benyak said the key to this season will be finishing games and communication within the team.

Benyak said that even though Christopher isn’t on the court, she is like an extra assistant coach while on the bench.

“She has that leadership skill,” she said.

Fort Mill will play its first home game Nov. 30 against Indian Land High School.

The Lady Jackets kick off their season Monday, Nov. 19, at York in the Palmetto Rehab Invitational.