Hard Work, Good Health Key To Staying On Top
Girls basketball
The Lakeside and Riverside girls basketball teams enjoyed fine seasons last year.
Lakeside finished with school best 24-2 record. The Eagles won league and district, and made their third straight appearance in the State A tournament, where they finished third.
Riverside, in its inaugural Frontier League season, finished second in league and lost two district playoffs games by a total of three points.
Twelve of the team’s 14 games against Frontier foes were decided by five points or less.
The two schools and Deer Park, which last year finished fourth in the NEA, anticipate another playoff run this season.
Continuity the key for Lakeside
Losing electricity at school and in area homes set Eagle practices back four days.
“The thing we’re fighting now is continuity,” said coach Lisa Schultz. “I think we’ll be OK.”
Replacing all-purpose player Lora Jolley, lost to graduation, is her biggest concern.
Third-year point guard Carrie Waddell will be asked to score more. Sophomore Nikki Petticrew will provide the defense.
Junior Brianne Jolley, another third-year player, is imposing inside. Jessica Hatch, a 5-foot-11 senior, returning juniors Linsey Heebink, Janel Long and senior 6-footer Kim Wilkins will see more playing time.
Newcomers are seniors Lindsey McElroy, Amber Reardan and Felicia Lewis.
“I think this will be our most difficult year,” said Schultz, pointing to league strength and loss of a state berth. “We have to work much harder and have to stay healthy. It’s truly a three-team race and I can’t see anyone come through unscathed.”
Riverside profits from experience
With five third-year varsity players in the starting lineup, the Rams should profit from experience.
“I think with age comes maturity and confidence,” said coach Chris Wren. “Hopefully that will help us hold leads in games we couldn’t last year.”
Junior Bernice Stime carried much of the offensive load. He wants it spread around among senior returnees Nicki Snyder, Abbey Wood, Tiffany McMurphy and junior Keshia Shorts.
Returning players are seniors Nicole Lamarche, Jessica Olson and sophomore Tracy Koesel.
New to the team are freshmen Jamie Rizzuto, Haley Wood, Abbey’s sister, juniors Colleen Lorenz and Brooke Snyder.
Wren approached the move to the Frontier League optimistically but even he was surprised by Riverside’s second-place finish.
“Last year the league was so even that literally anybody had a chance to be in it,” he said.
The veteran team could contend again.
“Basketball is very much a chemistry sport,” said Wren. “We can win if we play well together.”
Deer Park in playoff picture
Lakeside, Newport and Colfax are league favorites. The Stags should make the playoffs.
“If we don’t have injuries and play up to our capabilities, we’ll be in the top four,” said coach Doug Watson.
Five players return from last year’s fourth-place team, including second-team all-league player Jamie Stone.
Also back is 6-foot-3 junior post Jennifer O’Brien, point guard Tami Michaels, starter Heather Sims, Erica Ostrom andAmanda Davis.
Sophomore Amanda Oswalt came up for the final six games when Michaels broke her wrist near season’s end.
New players are sophomore Gina Bendowsky, freshman Kerry Ann Hardie, sophomore transfer Amanda Plummer, sophomore Jessica Fielder, juniors Rayna Scott and Abby Langbehn.
“We won’t be in shape until mid-January,” said Watson. “With the days we missed (because of the weather), I don’t expect to catch up until then.”
, DataTimes