Second-year Washington head girls basketball coach Kale Simon is concentrating on taking things day by day with his team this season.

It’s a trust in the process that he believes will help get this year’s Washington Warriors back to the State finals.

Even though there are lofty goals for his team, he tries not to let them get too caught up in where the team finishes.

“We don’t focus on the destination, we focus on the process and we want to get better every day,” Simon said. “But we do realize if we’re not right back where we were last year we will be disappointed.”

Last year’s team finished the year 27-2 and State runners-up after losing to Jones 39-33 in the State finals.

Washington returns a bunch of talent from last year’s team, which had a 22-game win streak at one point.

The Warriors lost Kyndall Wells and Daisy Lampkin to graduation, with Wells being a mainstay in the starting lineup.

Breanna Lindert, Kelby Beller – who is returning from a knee injury suffered in the finals of the State tournament last season – and Preslee Johnson are a talented trio who are seasoned well above their sophomore (Beller and Johnson) and junior (Lindert) classifications.

Simon said improving each day will be the key to his team’s season.

“We want to train at the highest possible level every single day,” he said. “We want to create habits of doing the right thing. That’s the key.”

Comanche

The Warriors started off the season on the right foot last Friday with a 60-24 win over Comanche.

“We played well,” Simon confirmed. “We guarded well and played hard.”

Breanna Lindert led the team in scoring in the win with 17 points.

Shelbie Caveness had a strong game offensively and scored 15 of her own.

Kelby Beller, who is still being limited in minutes as she gets back to 100 percent, scored nine points.

Washington hosted Bridge Creek Tuesday before beginning the Latta tournament December 7-9.