The Lady Trojans have a roster packed with talented basketball players, but somehow, a freshman was able to stand out and grab a starting spot with the team.

Not only that, but another freshman is contributing off the bench and both are helping the team’s early success that has Parkland at 6-0 on the season.

Freshman Talia Zurinskas likes to hang around the three-point line and by hitting from that range, draws some attention away from the middle. That opens things up for senior Lindsay Berger and others who like to do their work in the lane. Madie Siggins is the other freshman, and she is one of those who can work in traffic and has developed into a tough rebounder.

Siggins has picked up the ability to rebound and against Dieruff she pulled in six, five of which came on the offensive end. The skill hasn’t all come naturally, and she credits teammates and coaching with helping her to progress.

“We work on rebounding with [head] coach [Ed] Ohlson and Lindsay [Berger] and we’ve been practicing it. I was able to get it down and able to take it into the game,” said Siggins.

Just as with Siggins’ ability to rebound, shooting has not always come naturally for Zurinskas, who is averaging just under seven points per game and has gone a perfect seven-for-seven from the foul line this season.

“I was never really a shooter until this year,” said Zurinskas. “I’ve really worked on it since quarantine to get that shot down. Plus, everybody has confidence in me, and coach Ohlson has encouraged me and worked with me to take those shots and have confidence.”

The two freshmen had each other to lean on, but the key factor was that they were both quickly welcomed by the older players on the team.

“The seniors really came out and helped us when we first came into the gym,” said Zurinskas. “They got us all together and really helped us right from the start. I think they’re a big part of the reason we’ve had success.”

Ohlson has talked all season about the impact that seniors Berger and Sonya Shivok have had on the team and has seen the effect that the other players have had on Siggins and Zurinskas.

“Sonya and Lindsay have been incredible in terms of almost helping to coach the team,” said Ohlson. “They have taken the young girls and said ‘no, you’re doing that wrong.’ We’ll do position drills and Sonya and Lindsay will be with me helping them, as has Zoe [Wilkinson], who is a junior, but has been pretty instrumental in helping them.”

In addition to having two standout freshmen, Ohlson is blessed with a sophomore who is also developing into a good weapon to have off the bench. Hailey Sammarco is showing signs of becoming a defensive stopper for Parkland, which she showed Saturday against Dieruff taking over guarding Jaydalise Cartagena, who had scored eight first half points. Sammarco limited Cartagena to just two second half points.

“Hailey does a great job on defense,” Ohlson said. “She worked on [Cartagena] and really did a number on her in the second half; she was great. There are big things coming for her.”

All this talent from freshmen on up to seniors has Ohlson optimistic about this season and the next few years for Parkland basketball.

“With these young players and having Mo and Jesse and Zoe coming back, we feel like we’re going to have a nice team for a couple of years and maybe more.”