Catasauqua girls’ basketball Mark Seremula has likened his team to the adage, “one step forward, two steps back.”

But Seremula lately has seen his young team take more steps forward. In fact, the Rough Riders (4-14) have one more victory than last year’s total and believe they can double last year’s mark in the final stretch that includes Northern Lehigh, Notre Dame Green Pond, Notre Dame East Stroudsburg, and Northwestern.

“We’re getting better,” offered Seremula. “We have a few games left, and we have a legitimate chance to double our win total from last year.

“We just run into these shooting droughts that kill us. We can have good halves, but we can’t put enough together. Yet, we have been able to run more offenses and defenses than we have been in the past. We’re playing about 10 girls a game now, and we are only losing two of them.”

Junior guard Lexi Rushatz continues to be the Roughies leader on and off the court. She has been the team’s leading scorer averaging 10 points a game.

“She has been a leader by example,” said Seremula about his floor general as the point guard. “Teams know about her and try to stop her. She has a lot of responsibility out there, but she has handled it well.”

Seremula has been impressed with her ability to shake some early shooting woes.

“She (Rushatz) had some trouble with her shooting early in the season,” noted Seremula. “She was struggling, but she really was working to overcome it. She worked through it and it was great for her confidence.

“Lexi has a lot of drive and determination and that’s why she is a leader out there. She has grown since she was a freshman and has really set the pace for us.”

Rushatz believes her game has reached another level.

“This season, I believe that I have developed more each game,” said Rushatz. “I think my ability to be a team player not only on defense but also on offense has helped develop me as a player. I not only contribute on defense and get steals, but I also have been contributing significant amount of points to help me team.”

Rushatz envisions her team taking the next step as well.

“I think we got better toward the end of the year,” she said. “We are becoming a more competitive team in the Colonial League and look to even have a better season next year.”