Carey Sauer Newport Year: Junior Sport: Basketball Position: Guard

New-look Newport steams ahead with veteran Carey Sauer in a different role.

The Class 2A sixth-ranked Grizzlies are 13-3 as Sauer, always a top scorer at the guard position, has played more inside to take advantage of her 6-foot-1 frame.

The switch is necessary because Newport, 38-12 in Sauer’s previous two years, graduated four seniors last June who were 5-10 or taller. Sauer has picked up the rebounding pace, averaging 13.5 per game.

“There have been a lot of adjustments to make and I think everyone’s doing a good job of stepping up to fill the roles,” said Sauer, who is averaging a Great Northern League-best 21.9 points per game and has a career average of 19.3.

Sauer also carries a 4.0 grade-point average and serves as Newport’s junior class president. She joined the school’s Future Business Leaders of America this season.

“Her off-the-court attributes are as good as the on-the-court ones you see,” said Grizzlies coach Mike Frederick.

Sauer’s interest in math has her pondering an engineering career. She and one classmate in calculus hope to take a second year of the subject as seniors.

“I want to take it again and make sure I understand the concepts before I go to college,” said Sauer, whose younger sister Rose is expected to make the varsity team next year as a freshman. , DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: Photo