Girls West-Pac teams are looking good this year.
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THE CHOPS
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Girls West-Pac teams are looking good this year.
WestPAC looking to be tough again
By CORY ISENBERG
THE TRIBUNE-DEMOCRAT
Quote:
Last year's battle for the right to play for the WestPAC girls crown came down to the waning days of the season.
In the title tilt, North representative Conemaugh Valley edged South winner Rockwood by a point to capture the championship.
This year's march should also feature numerous spirited confrontations.
North Conemaugh Valley
"The team is excited about defending their WestPAC championship and working hard toward taking things further this year," Blue Jays coach Teri Cruse said. "We are a very young team but return four starters and our top three scorers from last season."
Two-year letterwinner, junior guard/forward/center Samantha Pollino, is the team's leading scorer, eclipsing the 1,000-point scoring mark late last season.
The other returning letterwinners include, guard Samantha Gelles, the lone senior for Conemaugh Valley, junior guard Jilena Barnouski, sophomore guard/forward/center Kayla Brandle and sophomore guard Emily Coy.
The remaining team members are sophomores Carlie Frick and Ashley Williams and freshmen Leah Borow, Shantelle Brothers and Kirsten Garman.
"Our young girls are learning the system well and will need to step up and contribute early on," Cruse said.
Over the weekend, the Jays opened the season 0-2 at the Hilltopper Classic.
Conemaugh Township
Joe DiBartola will have at least one proven scorer as he takes over as girls basketball coach at Conemaugh Township.
Senior Holly Muir is closing in on the 1,000-point mark for her carrer. She starts the season with 890 points.
Muir is just one of six letterwinners that return from an Indians squad that went 8-16 last year.
DiBartola is confident that Conemaugh Township will be more successful this season.
"The team is looking forward to a winning season," he said. "Staying healthy and injury free is necessary to our success."
Ferndale
The Lady Jackets have two returning letterwinners for third-year coach Mike Crisafulli, senior forward Samantha Eisenhuth and sophomore guard Sarah McAteer.
"We lost a lot to graduation and have a young team," Crisafulli said.
The other seniors for Ferndale are guard Emily Johnston and forward Katie Rhodes. Juniors are forward Emily Sarver and Carla Piro.
The other roster members are forward Nicole Folta and Kylee Taylor, both sophomores; and freshmen guards Ali Russell, Leah Tomechak and Kim Zahoran.
Last weekend, Ferndale opened the season 1-1, losing in the Windber Boosters Tournament championship to Bishop McCort.
North Star
The Lady Cougars have six returning letterwinners but only one, junior guard Kelly Miller, has any experience in the starting lineup.
"We lack varsity experience," said fifth-year coach Ed Danel. "We also lack height and have only 12 players on the roster."
The other returning letterwinners are senior forwards Katie Schmidt and April Trexel, junior guard Janelle Koontz and sophomores Cara Studer, a forward/center, and forward Kylee Walker.
North Star senior guard Bethany Putman is out for the season with a knee injury.
Probable starters include Miller, Trexel, Schmidt or Walker and Studer along with Koontz or sophomore Laurel Lichvar or freshmen Brittany Danel and Nicole Pelesky.
The remaining roster members are freshmen Julie Putman, Kelsey Rice and Amanda Schmidt.
Portage
Six returning letterwinners, including four starters, make up the nucleus for this year's Lady Mustangs squad.
"We will depend on the veteran leadership of senior guards Emily Golden and Krista Kerch and senior forward Sara Burda to lead our team this season," said third-year coach Lance Hudak. "I think our experience and leadership, along with work ethic and team chemistry will be our strengths."
The 5-foot-2 Golden is the leading returning scorer for the team. Joining Golden in the starting rotation will be 5-4 Kerch, 5-9 Burda and 6-0 senior forward Jenny Richardson. Other returning letterwinners are 5-6 senior guard Whitney Myers and 5-3 sophomore guard Christina Nolan.
Other team members are juniors Miranda Glass and Jessica Williams and sophomores Kelli Kerch, Abby McCabe, Becky Rocker, Maria Serenko and Sara Williams. The freshmen are Brittany Brunnet and Megan Walkovich.
The Lady Mustangs opened the season over the weekend with a 1-1 mark at the Art Burkett Tournament.
Windber
New Lady Ramblers coach Paul Danel, who also coached the team in 1981 and 1982, has just two returning letterwinners to start the rebuilding process from last year's District 5 Class AA championship squad.
"We have no seniors," Danel said. "So other than junior letterwinners Michelle George and Alecia Klonicke, we lack experience. There is some potential and the girls are working extremely hard to make themselves competitive."
Juniors on the team are Ashley Heinrich, Nicole Marisa, Stephanie Ott, Justine Risch, Marisa Tokarsky and Hannah Torquato.
The sophomores are Tasha Barbe, Nicole Berkebile, Kayla Elko, Joanna Geisel, Jocelyn Popp, Becky Richards and Erica Seese.
The Lady Ramblers opened the season with an 0-2 mark at the Windber Boosters Tournament.
Blacklick Valley did not respond to requests for information.
South Rockwood
The defending District 5 Class A champion Lady Rockets have six three-year letterwinners returning for coach Marya McCool.
"Our team goals are to win the WestPAC, repeat as the District 5 champions and go further into the state playoffs," McCool said.
Leading the way for Rockwood are senior forwards Kayla Cramer and Nicole Shultz, senior guard Sarah King and senior point guard Krystal Baker. Other returning letterwinners are junior forwards Joanna Nist and Courtney Pletcher and junior guard Nickee Baker.
Other members of the team are juniors Stephanie Stahl and Krystal Carlson, sophomores Andrea Weimer and Katherine Kerrigan and freshmen Caroline Sanner and Becca Foreman.
The Lady Rockets opened the season 1-1 over the weekend, losing in the championship game of the Bill Lamp Tournament.
Meyersdale
Second-year coach Bob Minnick has seven returning letterwinners on which to build this season's Lady Red Raider squad but no seniors.
"We hope to improve on last year's record and to make the district playoffs," Minnick said.
The returning letterwinners are junior guards Venessa Housel, Tessa Minnick and Nicole Grof, junior center Cassie Buterbaugh, junior forward Kelsey Long, sophomore forward Heather Schrader and sophomore guard Corinne Moser.
Other team members are junior Jess Bender, sophomores Brittany Wilson and freshmen Tory Minnick, Kara Yutzey, Becky Fiscus and Ashley Winner.
The Red Raiders opened the season with an 0-2 mark over the weekend at the Vance Coleman Tournament in Somerset.
Shade
Fifth-year coach Anita Gibbons has four returning letterwinners, all starters, but an injury will sideline senior Jen Sandusky for a while and, with just nine team members, depth could be a problem.
The other returnees are senior center Danielle Zubek, junior forward/guard Laura Sesack and junior guard Angie Lane. Other projected starters are sophomore forward Anna Sobieski and sophomore guard/forward Shanna Topka.
Other team members are junior Shannon Kaminsky and sophomores Stephanie Roman and Trista Corradini.
Berlin, Salisbury-Elk Lick, Shanksville-Stonycreek and Turkeyfoot Valley did not respond to requests for information.
(Unquote):
"THE CHOPS".
By CORY ISENBERG
THE TRIBUNE-DEMOCRAT
Quote:
Last year's battle for the right to play for the WestPAC girls crown came down to the waning days of the season.
In the title tilt, North representative Conemaugh Valley edged South winner Rockwood by a point to capture the championship.
This year's march should also feature numerous spirited confrontations.
North Conemaugh Valley
"The team is excited about defending their WestPAC championship and working hard toward taking things further this year," Blue Jays coach Teri Cruse said. "We are a very young team but return four starters and our top three scorers from last season."
Two-year letterwinner, junior guard/forward/center Samantha Pollino, is the team's leading scorer, eclipsing the 1,000-point scoring mark late last season.
The other returning letterwinners include, guard Samantha Gelles, the lone senior for Conemaugh Valley, junior guard Jilena Barnouski, sophomore guard/forward/center Kayla Brandle and sophomore guard Emily Coy.
The remaining team members are sophomores Carlie Frick and Ashley Williams and freshmen Leah Borow, Shantelle Brothers and Kirsten Garman.
"Our young girls are learning the system well and will need to step up and contribute early on," Cruse said.
Over the weekend, the Jays opened the season 0-2 at the Hilltopper Classic.
Conemaugh Township
Joe DiBartola will have at least one proven scorer as he takes over as girls basketball coach at Conemaugh Township.
Senior Holly Muir is closing in on the 1,000-point mark for her carrer. She starts the season with 890 points.
Muir is just one of six letterwinners that return from an Indians squad that went 8-16 last year.
DiBartola is confident that Conemaugh Township will be more successful this season.
"The team is looking forward to a winning season," he said. "Staying healthy and injury free is necessary to our success."
Ferndale
The Lady Jackets have two returning letterwinners for third-year coach Mike Crisafulli, senior forward Samantha Eisenhuth and sophomore guard Sarah McAteer.
"We lost a lot to graduation and have a young team," Crisafulli said.
The other seniors for Ferndale are guard Emily Johnston and forward Katie Rhodes. Juniors are forward Emily Sarver and Carla Piro.
The other roster members are forward Nicole Folta and Kylee Taylor, both sophomores; and freshmen guards Ali Russell, Leah Tomechak and Kim Zahoran.
Last weekend, Ferndale opened the season 1-1, losing in the Windber Boosters Tournament championship to Bishop McCort.
North Star
The Lady Cougars have six returning letterwinners but only one, junior guard Kelly Miller, has any experience in the starting lineup.
"We lack varsity experience," said fifth-year coach Ed Danel. "We also lack height and have only 12 players on the roster."
The other returning letterwinners are senior forwards Katie Schmidt and April Trexel, junior guard Janelle Koontz and sophomores Cara Studer, a forward/center, and forward Kylee Walker.
North Star senior guard Bethany Putman is out for the season with a knee injury.
Probable starters include Miller, Trexel, Schmidt or Walker and Studer along with Koontz or sophomore Laurel Lichvar or freshmen Brittany Danel and Nicole Pelesky.
The remaining roster members are freshmen Julie Putman, Kelsey Rice and Amanda Schmidt.
Portage
Six returning letterwinners, including four starters, make up the nucleus for this year's Lady Mustangs squad.
"We will depend on the veteran leadership of senior guards Emily Golden and Krista Kerch and senior forward Sara Burda to lead our team this season," said third-year coach Lance Hudak. "I think our experience and leadership, along with work ethic and team chemistry will be our strengths."
The 5-foot-2 Golden is the leading returning scorer for the team. Joining Golden in the starting rotation will be 5-4 Kerch, 5-9 Burda and 6-0 senior forward Jenny Richardson. Other returning letterwinners are 5-6 senior guard Whitney Myers and 5-3 sophomore guard Christina Nolan.
Other team members are juniors Miranda Glass and Jessica Williams and sophomores Kelli Kerch, Abby McCabe, Becky Rocker, Maria Serenko and Sara Williams. The freshmen are Brittany Brunnet and Megan Walkovich.
The Lady Mustangs opened the season over the weekend with a 1-1 mark at the Art Burkett Tournament.
Windber
New Lady Ramblers coach Paul Danel, who also coached the team in 1981 and 1982, has just two returning letterwinners to start the rebuilding process from last year's District 5 Class AA championship squad.
"We have no seniors," Danel said. "So other than junior letterwinners Michelle George and Alecia Klonicke, we lack experience. There is some potential and the girls are working extremely hard to make themselves competitive."
Juniors on the team are Ashley Heinrich, Nicole Marisa, Stephanie Ott, Justine Risch, Marisa Tokarsky and Hannah Torquato.
The sophomores are Tasha Barbe, Nicole Berkebile, Kayla Elko, Joanna Geisel, Jocelyn Popp, Becky Richards and Erica Seese.
The Lady Ramblers opened the season with an 0-2 mark at the Windber Boosters Tournament.
Blacklick Valley did not respond to requests for information.
South Rockwood
The defending District 5 Class A champion Lady Rockets have six three-year letterwinners returning for coach Marya McCool.
"Our team goals are to win the WestPAC, repeat as the District 5 champions and go further into the state playoffs," McCool said.
Leading the way for Rockwood are senior forwards Kayla Cramer and Nicole Shultz, senior guard Sarah King and senior point guard Krystal Baker. Other returning letterwinners are junior forwards Joanna Nist and Courtney Pletcher and junior guard Nickee Baker.
Other members of the team are juniors Stephanie Stahl and Krystal Carlson, sophomores Andrea Weimer and Katherine Kerrigan and freshmen Caroline Sanner and Becca Foreman.
The Lady Rockets opened the season 1-1 over the weekend, losing in the championship game of the Bill Lamp Tournament.
Meyersdale
Second-year coach Bob Minnick has seven returning letterwinners on which to build this season's Lady Red Raider squad but no seniors.
"We hope to improve on last year's record and to make the district playoffs," Minnick said.
The returning letterwinners are junior guards Venessa Housel, Tessa Minnick and Nicole Grof, junior center Cassie Buterbaugh, junior forward Kelsey Long, sophomore forward Heather Schrader and sophomore guard Corinne Moser.
Other team members are junior Jess Bender, sophomores Brittany Wilson and freshmen Tory Minnick, Kara Yutzey, Becky Fiscus and Ashley Winner.
The Red Raiders opened the season with an 0-2 mark over the weekend at the Vance Coleman Tournament in Somerset.
Shade
Fifth-year coach Anita Gibbons has four returning letterwinners, all starters, but an injury will sideline senior Jen Sandusky for a while and, with just nine team members, depth could be a problem.
The other returnees are senior center Danielle Zubek, junior forward/guard Laura Sesack and junior guard Angie Lane. Other projected starters are sophomore forward Anna Sobieski and sophomore guard/forward Shanna Topka.
Other team members are junior Shannon Kaminsky and sophomores Stephanie Roman and Trista Corradini.
Berlin, Salisbury-Elk Lick, Shanksville-Stonycreek and Turkeyfoot Valley did not respond to requests for information.
(Unquote):
"THE CHOPS".