Gsl Girls Capsules
In predicted order of finish:
Mead Panthers
1995-96 record: 15-1 GSL, 26-3 overall, state champions
Coach: Jeanne Helfer
Years coaching, record: 14, 248-111
Top returners: Holly Turner, 5-10, sr., g, first-team All-GSL; Jennifer Bennett, 6-3, sr., p, second-team All-GSL; Jamie Wakefield, 5-10, sr., f; Kellie Leaf, 5-5, sr., g; Danielle Zelinski, 5-4, jr., pg.
Newcomers: Allie Bailey, 6-0, jr., f; Stacy Schuerman, 5-9, jr., f; Morgan Bennett, 5-10, soph., g-f.
Bonus shot: The Panthers hope to keep a string of seven consecutive top-five finishes at state going in the last year before the school splits. Mead is 24-4 in Seattle with three firsts, a second, third, fourth and fifth.
Coach’s comment: “We’re looking for consistency and balance… . Potentially, we still have pretty good players and we hope we can rally the rest of the crew behind them.”
Outlook: The team to beat because of Bennett in the middle and Turner in the backcourt. Other teams have as much talent but not the same inside-out balance as those two Division I signees. The Panthers are much more vulnerable without Stacy Clinesmith’s on-court ability and Allison Beatty’s leadership but there are capable players waiting for their chance to shine.
Central Valley Bears
1995-96 record: 13-3, 20-6
Coach: Dale Poffenroth
Years coaching, record: 10, 194-68
Top returners: Crystal Lee, 5-10, sr., f, first team All-GSL; Rikki Jackson, 5-10, jr. g, second-team All-GSL; Ginger Clark, 5-10, jr. f; Andrea Kallas, 5-4, sr. g; Jenny Coyle, 5-9, jr., f; Lindsey Shoquist, 5-7, jr. g.
Newcomers: CV has four sophomores on the varsity. “I think they can play in this league, I don’t know how soon,” Poffenroth said.
Bonus shot: The Bears took a hit when forward Marcy Macphee, a starting forward, was injured during soccer. Her return is questionable. Clark is returning from a broken ankle.
Coach’s comment: “If we don’t get any injuries and one or two of the sophomores step up, we’ll be real solid. I think the five kids we have starting are as good as anybody. They all shoot well.”
Outlook: The Bears will score but without the size of Mead or Prep they could get hurt inside. The starters are going to have to want to play defense and rebound. If they do, Poffenroth said, then they’ll be really, really good, but “right now the floor is still really slanted.”
Gonzaga Prep Bullpups
1995-96 record: 7-9, 11-10
Coach: Mike Arte
Years coaching, record: 9, 75-80
Top returners: Theresa Palmer, 6-1, sr., p; Jennifer Williams, 6-1, sr., p, secondteam All-GSL; Kelle Kendrick, 5-9, jr., w; Paulette Jordan, 6-0, jr., w; Lisa Bradley, 5-10, sr., w; Caryn Nadeau, 5-7, sr., w; Meghanna Green, 5-11, jr., p.
Newcomers: Danielle Thorn, 5-6, sr., pg; Mary Machtolf, 5-9, jr., p.
Bonus shot: Thorn missed last season because of a knee injury suffered in soccer. The two senior posts both signed early with Division I colleges.
Coach’s comment: “With Dani coming back we’re so much stronger, it frees everybody up. Obviously we’ll look to run as much as we can.”
Outlook: The inside starters are terrific, as long as they can get the ball. If they do, Prep could make state for the second time in school history. The ‘83 team was sixth. The Bullpups have a lot of guards but only one true point.
Ferris Saxons
1995-96 record: 14-2, 24-6, third at state
Coach: Art Rojas
Years coaching, record: 5, first at Ferris
Top returners: Karie Pruett, 5-7, jr. g; Amy George, 5-8, jr. guard, second-team All-GSL; Janelle Morrisette, 5-11, jr., p-g.
Newcomers: Jenny Meeker, 5-11, sr., f; Brooke Blevens, 5-9, sr., g; Kristy Martin, 5-5, jr.; Jenny Lytle, 5-7 jr., g; Bridget Johnson, 5-11, jr., p; Kelly McCaffery, 5-10, soph.
Bonus shot: Rojas played high school and junior college ball in Walla Walla and was Big Nine Coach of the Year at Moses Lake. The three returning starters are the only experienced players.
Coach’s comment: “They’re very athletic, but we’re not going to try to play the same style as last year, we don’t have the size to walk it up the court. We’re going to throw a lot of bodies out there and see if we can’t wear teams down.”
Outlook: The good news is three returning starters, the bad news is the positions that need to be filled are post and point. Pruett inherits point guard and it will be post by committee.
Shadle Park Highlanders
1995-96 record: 8-8, 12-13
Co-coaches: Linda Sheridan and Tara Flugel
Years coaching, record: 20, 355-117 for Sheridan
Top returners: Vanessa Larkin, 5-7, sr., w; Brooke Olzendam, 5-8, jr. w; Harmony Nelson, 5-8, sr., w; Joy Potter, 5-8, sr., w; Sarah Harchuck, 5-8, jr., w; Rainie Drake, 5-8, sr., w.
Newcomers: Michelle Etter, 5-10, soph., p; Aubrie Caldwell, 5-5, soph., pg; Tara Buckey, 5-6, jr. w; Vanessa Hanks, 5-8, sr., w; Rachelle Stockman, 5-9, soph., w; Lisa Liddell, 5-8, soph., w.
Bonus shot: Flugel is in her second year as co-coach. She replaced Sheridan last year for several games when Sheridan was ill. Emily Christensen, one of last year’s top scorers, moved out of state.
Coach’s comment: Says Sheridan, “We really just have to execute. We have no size and not a great deal of quickness, so we’re going to have to do the little things.”
Outlook: A couple years ago Sheridan wanted to get her team into the postseason and see what happened. What happened was the Highlanders, 14-16, lost a double-OT game at state that kept them out of the trophies. They used that experience for a go-to-state, 20-win season the next year. Sheridan is singing the same song this year.
Rogers Pirates
1995-96 record: 5-11, 6-14
Coach: Drew Vanderpool
Years coaching, record: 14, 2nd at Rogers, 160-87 in high school, 16-36 in college
Top returners: Jaime Christensen, 5-4, sr., pg; Lemandy Tannehill, 5-9, sr., f; Anna Mullerleile, 5-9, sr., f; Angel Fairbanks, 5-9, jr., f; Monica Abrahamson, 5-10, jr., f-c; Christina Delger, 5-8, jr., g.
Newcomers: Terra Callaghan, 5-2, jr., g; Katie Logue, 5-7, soph., g; Jill Hatch, 5-8, jr., g; Malia Wright, 5-8, jr., g.
Bonus shot: The Pirates had their most wins since 1988-89, earning Vanderpool, Coach of the Year in his first season. Christensen averaged 10.1 points in league games, only of only nine GSL players in double figures last year.
Coach’s comment: “What’s nice for us is we have experience. I’m not a new coach this year. We’re not teaching new things, we can learn more basketball advanced skills.”
Outlook: Vanderpool points out the league is so strong, a better team might not mean a better record but with three full-time and two part-time starters back, the Pirates should make the district tournament for the first time since ‘89.
Lewis and Clark Tigers
1995-96 record: 3-13, 7-13
Coach: Jim Redmon
Years coaching, record: 1, 0-0
Top returners: Becki Huddle, 5-7, sr., pg; Daniell Davey, 5-7, sr., w; Sara Giebel, 5-7, jr., w; Katie Marquess, 5-8, soph., w; Cassie Weiler, 5-10, sr., p; Janelle Wendle, 5-7, soph., pg; Mary Thompson, 6-0, jr., p; Carlin Oeljen, 6-0, jr., p.
Newcomers: Deonna Ford, 5-11, jr., p; Joanna Storey, 5-9, jr., p; Candice Hansen, 5-11, jr., w.
Bonus shot: Redmon, a businessman, is a long-time coach for the Spokane Stars AAU program. Jeff Norton, a boys assistant, took the program last year when an opening developed just before the season.
Coach’s comment: “My whole concept is going to be pressure, running the floor. We’re going to be end-to-end, try to be more aggressive than anyone we play.”
Outlook: Huddle, Davey and Giebel give Redmon three returning starters but the rest of the letter-winners don’t have much experience. The Tigers could surprise is the players take to Redmon’s enthusiasm.
University Titans
1995-96 record: 7-9, 9-11
Coach: Bob Finn
Years coaching, record: 4, 34-32 Top returners: Crystal Conant, 5-6, sr., g; Katie Oglesbee, 6-0, jr., p; Jolene Whitney, 5-7, jr., g.
Newcomers: Julie Schroeder, 5-8, soph., f; Allison Fryer, 5-8, soph., f; Sara Nelson, 5-5, soph., g; Rehnna Arnold, 5-10, soph., p; Jame Frost, 5-11, jr., f; Shanna Gozaway, 5-5, sr., g.
Bonus shot: Finn is only carrying nine on varsity, which makes injuries U-Hi’s main foe.
Coach’s comment: “This is a growing year. I tell them to stay positive. We’re going to make mistakes but we’ve got to learn quick from them. I think they’ll do that.”
Outlook: Conant is the only returning starter. Three sophomores will also start and in the GSL, that could mean trouble.
North Central Indians
1995-96 record: 0-16, 0-20
Coach: John Reid
Years coaching, record: 2 at NC
Top returners: Lisa Hammond, 5-7, sr., g; Reana Emery-Cloy, 5-6, sr., g.
Newcomers: Simone Hays, 5-8, sr., g; Cecy Bowers, 5-7, jr., g; Beth White, 5-7, jr., f; Alice Stearns, 5-11, soph., p; Mandy Nelson, 5-8, sr., g.
Bonus shot: The Indians have lost 37 games in a row, 43 consecutive league games.
Coach’s comment: “They’re going through the wall for me and I appreciate that. They’re doing a good job of executing, we just don’t have the kids finishing it out.”
Outlook: There are some good young kids on the horizon but until they arrive, NC will continue taking its lumps.
, DataTimes MEMO: This sidebar appeared with the story: Players to watch 1. Dani Thorn, 5-6, jr., point guard, Gonzaga Prep. Holds the key to unlocking Bullpups’ inside strength after missing last season with injury. 2. Ginger Clark, 5-10, sr., forward, Central Valley. The Bears need all the inside help they can get and Clark is coming off an injury. 3. Jamie Wakefield, 5-10, sr., forward, Mead. The Panthers need to find a spiritual leader and Wakefield, a blue-collar type, seems likely. 4. Janelle Morrisette, 5-11, jr., post-guard, Ferris. New coach plans to use his post as a guard on occasion. 5. Becki Huddle, 5-7, sr., guard, Lewis and Clark. Three coaches in four years, she deserves to go out with recognition as she nears top 10 in scoring.