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Geauga County High School Basketball Preview
Geauga County Maple Leaf
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Geauga County High School Basketball Preview
Berkshire Badgers
Badgers Boys to Push Many Buttons on Court By Rich Kelly The Berkshire Badgers boys will present a different look on the hardwood this season. Head Coach Ryan Dickard lost one big piece, literally, to transfer when a post player moved south. As this year’s version of the Badgers unfolds, size might be a questionable commodity. At the same time, athleticism should come in to play, and if one key wounded part of the team — senior Jacob Brown, recovering from a shoulder injury suffered early in the successful Berkshire football season — comes back
Bergmeier 11/30 12/3 12/6 12/10 12/13 12/17 12/21 12/23 12/28 1/3 1/7 1/10 1/14 1/17 1/21 1/24 1/28 1/31 2/4 2/7 2/11 2/14
Heffern
@Jefferson 7 p.m. Fuchs Mizrachi 7:30 p.m. Wickliffe 7 p.m. @Cardinal 7:30 p.m. Cuyahoga Hts. 7 p.m. Kirtland 7 p.m. @Badger 7:30 p.m. @Chalker 7 p.m. Chardon 6:30 p.m. Hawken 7 p.m. @Fairport 7 p.m. Lutheran West 7 p.m. Grand Valley 7 p.m. @Brooklyn 7 p.m. @Wickliffe 7 p.m. Richmond Hts. 7 p.m. Cardinal 7 p.m. @Trinity 7 p.m. @Kirtland 7 p.m. Fairport 7 p.m. @Grand Valley 7 p.m. @Independence 7 p.m.
fairly soon, his presence could add some quality depth to help the situation. “The kids have been battling every night in practice and in scrimmages,” Dickard said. The coach learned one thing big time when his team scrimmaged Kent Roosevelt recently: a team with lots of size will pose problems for his team. “We have a good idea of what we want to do this season,” Dickard said. “At the moment, I only have about one and a half starters back from last year. Jacob (Brown) is coming around with his shoul-
Sinkenbring
Wolfe
der problem, but we are taking things very slowly with him. ” Dickard sees his potential starting lineup as featuring the only returning starter from last year who has proven scoring ability. That is senior forward Jake Sinkenbring, who at 6-2 is also going to be a big player on the boards. “I just want to help the younger kids to learn to push themselves and work hard all the time,” Sinkenbring said. “I know my role, but at the same time, I need to work hard to help set up other kids to be able to get things done in games. If I am double-teamed, they should be open and take advantage of it. That will help the team.” Sinkenbring will be a major cog in the lane at 6-2. Berkshire is not a team of peewees, but they also aren’t a band of giants. Junior Matt Heffern is expected to start in the middle or wing at 6-3. Other projected starters in the early part of the season are juniors Chase Crea at 6-0, J.T. Bergmeier at 5-10, and Jay Wolfe at 5-10, joining Heffern and Sinkenbring. “I got into some varsity games last year,” Wolfe said. “My role so far is to play some solid defense, push the ball up court when I get a chance, and to help get everybody into the flow of the game.” He could be a big player when Sinkenbring draws several
opponents nearby. “I’m hoping to build a rotation of seven or eight kids to use most of the time,” Dickard said. “One of our big problems will be rebounding, due to our lack of size, so boxing out and playing tight defense also is going to be what we build off of.” Brown, who is still rehabbing his shoulder, is about ready to begin drills for basketball. “I think we have a chance to be a pretty good team this year,” he said. “We don’t have lots of size, but we’re pretty good athletes. I just want to be part of it all as a junior, to build for my baseball season, physically, while helping the guys out in winning some games, too. If I can score some points, it should take a big load off of Jake’s shoulders, too.” Others on the opening day roster for Dickard are senior Lenny Barciskoski (5-11) and juniors Nate Iadamarco (5-8), Garrett Bosse (5-10) and Dakota O’Dell (6-1). Jack Keuhn and Isaac Potter are sophomores in the mix. If things start to fall into place as this young band of Berkshire Badgers settles in with Coach Dickard’s system, and if shots begin to drop for others outside of Sinkenbring, there’s no telling what kind of season they can have.
Geauga County Maple Leaf
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Berkshire Badgers
Badgers Hope Best Rotation Can Stay on Floor By Rich Kelly Early season questions and injuries made the pre-season difficult for the Badgers under head coach James Bosley. “It’s been a rough go in the first part of our start,” Bosley said. “At the same time, as unstable as a couple things might appear to be, we still have some young ladies who can get the job done.” Forward Mollie Chapman provides inside scoring punch and rebounding. “I think we’re going to be more than just OK,” Chapman said. “We’re working hard to build our confidence, and we all are talking about goals to win more games this year and to win the CVC division we’re in.” A new addition to the Badgers attack this year is Maddy Triskett. The freshman brings a superb skill set to the team, and a pedigree for all sports, due to her mother, former Pymatuning Valley and Grand Valley head coach and athlete Kim Triskett. “It’s really a blessing for me to have Kim offer to help out,” Bosley said. “It’s worked out that they feel comfortable with us, so she’s offered to help out when needed. You always should be glad and happy to
have the experience that family provides.” Maddy has a positive outlook for this young team. “I’m just looking to be a helpful part of building a solid program here,” the freshman guard said. “They already have a solid tradition here at Berkshire anyway, so bringing what I have learned to the program only can help.” A major player in the Bosley scheme of things is just finally getting through an early season injury. Alyssa Schafer has dealt with an ankle injury, but as a senior, she is about ready to get back in the full swing of things. “One of the things we need to fight to build is accountability to each other when we play,” Schafer said. “When we practice hard, we tend to also play very hard in games with success.” Lydia Kastor will provide some fine outside shooting to open things up in the paint for Berkshire. “Lydia is a good shooter,” Bosley said. “She’ll be a big part of our offense, and when she hits a hot streak outside, a lot of good things can happen, too.” Rounding out his normal rotation is going to be the biggest challenge for Bosley. He has Kylie Neumore and Courtney Czekaj in the group,
Boyk
Kastor
Neumore
11/22 12/7 12/11 12/14 12/18 12/23 12/27 1/4 1/11 1/15 1/18 1/25 1/29 2/1 2/5 2/8 2/12
but a key question mark existed in the pre-season in Lexi Boyk. After dominating on the soccer field in recent seasons, plus putting her best foot forward kicking for the football team, Boyk’s foot injury has been slow to come around, and she has not been able to get into any basketball flow to this point. “With her athleticism, quickness and lessons in effort every second of competition, her presence will force opponents to open other venues that can help the team effort, but we’re still not sure yet if she can give it a
Schafer
Chalker @Cuyahoga Hts. @Crestwood Independence @Kirtland @Bristol @Cardinal @Brooklyn Richmond Hts. Hawken Wickliffe Trinity Cardinal Kirtland @Fairport Grand Valley @Wickliffe
7 p.m. 2:30 p.m. 7 p.m. 2:30 p.m. 7 p.m. 7 p.m. 7:30 p.m. 2:30 p.m. 2:30 p.m. 7 p.m. 2:30 p.m. 7 p.m. 7 p.m. 2:30 p.m. 7 p.m. 2:30 p.m. 7 p.m.
go,” the coach said. Sierra Berman, Caroline Kuchling, Kaylee Polewchak and Georgia Lillibridge are on the bubble in building the rotation, so the cupboard is not bare. That pleases Bosley a great deal. “We’re kind of unstable at the moment, but as some of the younger girls see what’s in front of them and embrace the competition, we should be able to get better,” he said. “I think we can compete well with the better teams, so we’ll find out soon.”
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Geauga County High School Basketball Preview
Cardinal Huskies
New Coach to Rebuild with Family Theme By Haley Adams Cardinal will have a new look team to start the 20192020 season. With first-year head coach James Heath and lone returning starter Casey Horner, the Huskies will be seeking a new method to their madness. Heath has spent the past two seasons as a girls assistant coach at NDCL. This will be the first season Heath serves as head coach. Longtime coach Jon Cummins stepped down
Detweiler
Granny
11/29 Chalker 7 p.m. 12/3 Pymatuning Valley 7 p.m. 12/6 Grand Valley 7:30 p.m. 12/10 Berskhire 7:30 p.m. 12/13 Independence 7:30 p.m. 12/17 @Wickliffe 7 p.m. 12/20 Cuyahoga Hts. Tourny TBA 12/21 Cuyahoga Hts. Tourny TBA 1/4 @Mathews 7 p.m. 1/7 @Kirtland 7 p.m. 1/10 Brooklyn 7:30 p.m. 1/14 Fairport 7:30 p.m. 1/17 Richmond Hts. 7 p.m. 1/21 @Grand Valley 7 p.m. 1/24 Trinity 7:30 p.m. 1/28 @Berkshire 7 p.m. 2/4 Wickliffe 7:30 p.m. 2/7 Kirtland 7:30 p.m. 2/11 @Fairport 7:30 p.m. 2/14 @Lutheran West 7 p.m. 2/18 Garfield 7 p.m. 2/21 @Cuyahoga Hts. 7 p.m.
in the offseason after 15 years with the program. Horner and Rob Granny, both seniors, will be the only two letter winners that return for Heath and the Huskies, despite the fact there are eight seniors on the team’s roster. Horner will return as the team’s point guard and QB on the court. He led the team in assists a season ago. Horner said being a starter is important when leading an inexperienced team. “We want to go out and com-
Horner
Schaeffer
pete in every game, and try to get a win. Stay positive, no matter the outcome, and fight through every game,” Horner said. “Horner is going to stir the drink for us both, offensively and defensively,” Heath said. Granny’s offensive numbers and touches will be increased this season. “Playing big in the post, man the key down low and being a leader to the underclassmen that are coming up,” said Granny when asked how his role is different this year. “Other teams are going to watch and say how things flow through him in various ways,” Heath said. Seniors Justin Detweiler and Hunter Schaeffer step into much bigger roles than they had a season ago. Detweiler spoke on the game speed and defensive adjustments he will have to make from JV to varsity. “The defensive presence will be a huge key this year,” Detweiler said. With a slower-paced offense, the team is looking to set up its plays and learn to take what the defense gives it. “We will be able to move the ball around more often, and understand what’s supposed to
happen offensively,” Schaeffer said. “We have Detweiler and Schaeffer, two guys that have waited. They’re hungry for their moment,” Heath said. “They have worked hard all summer. Sharp shooters, but they have really worked on their game over the summer. I couldn’t be more happy with how their game has grown quickly.” Heath is excited to find the missing piece to his starting five puzzle. With a strong core of seniors, there seems to be a sense of urgency from the younger players. “Everyone is close for playing time, and we have a strong starting five and six,” he said. Junior Joey Soltis will seek more minutes for the Huskies. “Adding Soltis to the mix, I feel comfortable with who I have,” Heath said. Rounding out the team’s varsity roster are seniors Evan Lewanski, Christian Noble and Ian Pierce, while Jacob Zirm and Sebastian Granito join Soltis as the team’s only juniors. The Huskies take on rival Berkshire Dec. 10 and Jan. 28, as the team embarks on another season in the Chagrin Valley Conference’s Valley Division.
Geauga County Maple Leaf
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Cardinal Huskies
New Head Coach Looking to Lead Young Team By Haley Adams After graduating his entire starting five, first-year head coach Joe DiMattia is looking for growth from his young team. The Huskies return two letter-winners, one being sophomore Haley Domen, who found her way in the starting lineup in the second half of the season. “Domen is going to be the workhorse for the team this year,” DiMattia said. “She is going to be on the court as much as she can, running the team. Teams are going to focus on her, as she is the only one with real experience from last year. She is going to have to learn to not take on everything on by herself and distribute the ball a little bit.” “Being the point guard this season, I have to make sure everyone is set offensively,” Domen said. “I am hoping to teach and guide the girls along the way, by playing my best on offense and defense.” Senior Taylor Soltis will see her minutes increase significantly for the season. “Being so young, we are looking to go .500 and improve our record in the new Chagrin Valley Conference,” Soltis said. “Taylor has done a great job showing leadership on and off the court, being the team’s lone
senior,” DiMattia said. If the Huskies can get the ball to juniors Brianna Doolittle, Lorena Fortenbury and Julianna Pollack, they should find a lot of success. “I’m hoping to get better at my outside shot. I focus a lot on my corner shots because I’m the baseline runner on our offense, and I play a big part, position-wise,” Doolittle said. “She’s a tough girl on the court. She can make a difference on the court, as she’s very smart, and she knows what to do. I can rely on her to keep things in order on the court,” DiMattia said. As for Fortenbury, her versatile size can help her and her team create some open shots offensively. “She can play inside or outside when her shot is on,” DiMattia said. “This will help us spread out the floor because she can hit some threes and can also clean up some rebounds down low.” “He (knows there is) a lot of potential for all of the girls on the team, including me, a quiet leader,” said Fortenbury. “Coach is looking for me to be a main leader on the court.” Pollack will also see her minutes increase from a season ago as well. A large number of freshmen could also find themselves play-
Go Huskies!
Domen
Doolittle
Fortenbury
Soltis
11/22 Pymatuning Valey 7 p.m. 11/25 @Windham 7 p.m. 12/4 Garfield 7 p.m. 12/11 @Trinity 6 p.m. 12/14 @Lutheran West 2:30 p.m. 12/18 Wickliffe 7 p.m. 12/21 @Brooklyn 2:30 p.m. 12/23 Independence 1 p.m. Game at Rocket Mortgage Field 12/27 Berkshire 7:30 p.m. 12/28 Cardinal Holiday Tourn. TBA 1/4 Richmond Hts. 2:30 p.m. 1/8 Kirtland 7 p.m. 1/11 Newbury 1 p.m. 1/15 @Lakeside 7 p.m. 1/18 Grand Valley 2:30 p.m. 1/22 @Fairport 7 p.m. 1/25 Cuyahoga Hts. 2:30 p.m. 1/29 @Berkshire 7 p.m. 2/1 @Wickliffe 2:30 p.m. 2/5 @Kirtland 7 p.m. 2/8 Fairport 2:30 p.m. 2/12 @Grand Valley 7 p.m.
ing varsity minutes this season. Freshman Hailey Keller, who serves as the team’s tallest girl, could find her name in a plethora of categories. “Hailey can block shots, steal, she can handle the ball a little bit, and if she can get going, could help the team out a ton,” said DiMattia. Cassie Nguyen and Madi Rosenberger are two freshmen who have strong cases for varsity experience. “Nguyen has really come on for our team,” DiMattia said. “She
is raw as a player, but she absorbs everything that the coaches says and she does it. She is going to get a lot of playing time as well.” Rosenberger is young and inexperienced, but she soaks everything in. If she comes along, she could be making a lot of contributions to the team. DiMattia is also excited to see some new opponents on the Huskies’ schedule with the help of their new conference. Cardinal will take on rival Berkshire Dec. 27 and Jan. 29 this season.
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Geauga County High School Basketball Preview
Chagrin Falls Tigers
Tigers Hope to Get Out and Run the Floor Junior Class Highlights Strong Shooters By Brian Lavrich The past few years the Chagrin Falls boys basketball team has been led by large senior classes. This year’s team will be different after losing eight seniors to graduation. The Tigers have a large junior class with four junior starters this season. Chagrin Falls went 12-12 and 7-7 in the Chagrin Valley Conference under coach Dave Bargar last season.
Baraona
Bargar
12/3 @Twinsburg 7:30 p.m. 12/6 Aurora 7 p.m. 12/10 Beachwood 7 p.m. 12/13 @Perry 7:30 p.m. 12/17 @West Geauga 7 p.m. 12/20 Lakeside 7:30 p.m. 12/21 @Crestwood 6 p.m. 12/27 @Kirtland 7 p.m. 1/4 Chardon 6:30 p.m. 1/7 Orange 7 p.m. 1/10 @Geneva 7:30 p.m. 1/14 @Hawken 7 p.m. 1/17 Harvey 7:30 p.m. 1/21 @Streetsboro 7 p.m. 1/24 @Edgewood 7:30 p.m. 1/28 @Beachwood 7 p.m. 1/31 West Geauga 7 p.m. 2/4 @Orange 7 p.m. 2/7 Hawken 7 p.m. 2/11 Gilmour 7 p.m. 2/18 NDCL 7 p.m. 2/21 University 7 p.m.
The one spot that will be manned by seniors, however, is point guard. Seniors Cam Owen and Evan Bargar (Dave’s nephew) will share the point guard duties. Both played significant minutes last year and both can also play off the ball. Asked whether the Tigers can contend for the CVC title, Owen said: “I think we can. We return a lot of talent. The seniors are good leaders. We’re excited about the season.”
Owen
Thompson
Evan Bargar said the Tigers want to get out and run. “Fast break points will be big this year,” Evan Bargar said. “But we also have a lot of good shooters. The 3-pointer is going to be a big weapon this year.” The rest of Bargar’s starting lineup will be comprised of juniors. The top two returning scorers are shooting guard Xavier Perez and forward Josh Norton. Bargar said he’s looking for big things from both Perez and Norton. “Last year he got comfortable, and this year he’s had a terrific summer,” said Bargar of Perez. Bargar said Norton’s versatility will be a big help. “He does everything,” Bargar said. “He can score, rebound, defend and handle the ball.” At the other forward spot Bargar will start Tate Yonker, a junior who played junior varsity last season. Junior Jack McMullen will be the main post player for the Tigers. He also played some off the bench last season. “He’s a strong, physical kid,” Bargar said. Coming off the bench will be three seniors: Kyle Zaluski, Burke Thompson and Jacob
Baraona. Zaluski is a strong defender, and Thompson may be the Tigers’ best shooter. Thompson said he likes what he sees from the offense. “We have a lot of shooters and guys who are very athletic,” Thompson said. “And that will help with steals and transition. That’s going to be huge for us this year.” Baraona agreed with Thompson’s view of the offense. “Absolutely, with all of our practice and our chemistry, we share the ball,” Baraona said. Also coming off the bench are juniors Jack Stauffer and Ian Zitney. Stauffer will back up McMullen inside, and Zitney is a reserve wing player. “Early on, I’m very impressed with how we’ve run our offense,” Bargar said. “They seem to understand what we’re looking for. We have a big junior class. They really like to play together and share the basketball. We’d like to get out and run.” Bargar said the defense is coming along. “Defensively, I know we’ll put in a good effort,” Bargar said. “Rebounding, we’re going to have to work on. But I think we’ll be very good in man to man. We’ll be versatile, work in some zone. We are quick.”
Geauga County Maple Leaf
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Chagrin Falls Tigers
Unfinished Business for Tigers Who Return Starters Defense a Strength for Chagrin Falls Girls By Brian Lavrich The Chagrin Falls girls basketball team enjoyed a solid season last year but, with all five starters back, the Tigers are looking for even more success this season. Chagrin Falls coach Brittany Anderson led the Tigers to a 17-6 mark last year and a second place finish in the Chagrin Valley Conference Chagrin Division at 10-4 behind champion Perry. Challenging for a CVC title is high on the Tigers’ list. “That’s always a goal coming into a season,” Anderson said. “Orange and West G, our neighborhood rivals, will be tough. We emphasize one game at a time.” An all-upperclassmen starting lineup will be led at the point by Carolyn Bencko. The senior will be joined in the backcourt by fellow senior Bella Dalessandro. Bencko said team chemistry this season is great. “We’re all very excited to be here and to get going,” Bencko said. “We return a lot of people. We all know each other and we’re all really close.” Dalessandro agreed.
“We return all of our starters so we’re a lot more confident,” Dalessandro said. “That brings a lot to a team. “Things have definitely clicked from last year. The communication is up. Everyone’s talking on defense.” Anderson said it’s nice to have two seniors running the offense. “They can both handle the basketball,” Anderson said. “Bella started (at point guard) as a freshman, and last year Carolyn started. They’re interchangeable.” In the post will be senior Katie Kwasny (5-foot-11), a talented shot blocker. “Defense is one of our strong suits,” Kwasny said. “We want to keep teams under 40 (points).” Anderson is well known for her goal of aiming to hold opponents to 40 points or less per game. “That’s her role,” Anderson said. “Interior defense in the paint is huge. The guards know she’s behind them. That allows us to play better as a team.” Starting on the wings will be juniors Julia Santamaria and Lily Karyo. “A lot of us have played together for so long,” Karyo said.
Bencko
Dalessandro
Karyo
Kwasny
11/23 Mayfield 4 p.m. Played at North High 11/26 @Brush 6:30 p.m. 12/4 Beachwood 6 p.m. 12/7 Perry 2:30 p.m. 12/11 @Cuyahoga Hts. 7 p.m. 12/14 @Lakeside 2:30 p.m. 12/18 West Geauga 7 p.m. 12/21 Geneva 2:30 p.m. 12/27 Woodridge 6:30 p.m. 12/28 Streetsboro 6:30 p.m. 1/2 Kirtland 6:30 p.m. 1/4 Harvey 12:30 p.m. 1/8 @Orange 6 p.m. 1/15 NDCL 7 p.m. 1/18 Edgewood 2:30 p.m. 1/22 Hawken 7 p.m. 1/25 @Beachwood 11 a.m. 1/29 @West Geauga 7 p.m. 2/1 Orange 2:30 p.m. 2/5 @Hawken 7 p.m. 2/8 @Hudson 7 p.m. 2/12 @Lake Catholic 7 p.m.
“We have such good chemistry. We enjoy playing basketball when we play together. We have such good energy. “We basically have the same team (as last year), but more experienced. Experience leads to improvement overall.” As much as the Tigers focus on defense, Anderson said the offense is coming along as well. “We look pretty good,” Anderson said. “They played together all summer. They played all last season. They’ve done a great job of anticipating. They’re crisp. The offense has
been run well. “We can work the ball around pretty well with our inside, outside game. The challenge is to work on our transition offense.” Senior Molly Barr will come off the bench for depth in the backcourt. She has some varsity experience from last year. Junior Emma Livingston (5-11) will back up Kwasny in the post. Livingston played junior varsity last season. Sophomore Peyton Gellin will also come off the bench as one of the best pure athletes on the team.
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Geauga County High School Basketball Preview
Chardon Hilltoppers
Hilltoppers Will Rely On Big 3 As Others Find Roles By Jamie Ward Editor’s Note: A complete edition of the Chardon Hilltoppers basketball preview could not be finished at press time due to the football team’s playoff run. For head coach Chad Murawski there was a silver lining to the late start for some of his Hilltoppers who played football. More players had a chance to step into larger roles early. “It’s a win-win situation in that way,” said Murawski, who is also an assistant football coach. “We need football to go as far as
Fetchik 11/29 12/6 12/10 12/13 12/14 12/20 12/23 12/28 1/3 1/4 1/10 1/14 1/17 1/21 1/24 1/28 1/31 2/4 2/7 2/8 2/11 2/14
Sulka West Geauga @South Kenston Madison @Lakeside @North @Geneva @Berkshire Riverside @Chagrin Falls @Mayfield @Shaw Brush Perry @Kenston South @Madison North @Riverside Kirtland Mayfield @Brush
we can, and even though we have some potential starters playing — because of that other guys are showcasing their skills and getting attention. We know what we are getting with the other guys.” Those other guys include three proven varsity players in Nathanael Sulka, Brady Toth and Drew Fetchik. Chardon hasn’t played without a Sulka on the floor for five seasons, and the sophomore version started every game as a freshmen. An elbow injury will force
Tyminski 7:30 p.m. 7:30 p.m. 7:30 p.m. 7:30 p.m. 7 p.m. 7:30 p.m. 7:30 p.m. 6:30 p.m. 7:30 p.m. 6:30 p.m. 7:30 p.m. 7:30 p.m. 7:30 p.m. 7:30 p.m. 7:30 p.m. 7:30 p.m. 7:30 p.m. 7:30 p.m. 7:30 p.m. 6 p.m. 7:30 p.m. 7:30 p.m.
Toth
Sulka to miss at least five games early on but when healthy he expects to be the focal point for the team on offense and defense as a 6-3 slasher. “When you have a Sulka you want to give them as many touches as you can,” Murawski said. Toth, a junior, at 6-4 is another weapon who should put points on the board and change the game. Fetchik will man the point guard position. The rest of the roster will battle for minutes and experience as the season moves on. “It’s a weakness that we have,” Murawski said. “We just don’t have a ton of experience, and we have zero depth right now. It’s going to be interesting early on.” The team has already begun rescheduling some of its early games. Elliot Tyminski has been impressive early at shooting guard. He and Shane Callahan have been carrying the offensive load early. “Neither is afraid to shoot the ball, which is what we need right now,” Murawski said. Cody Palovich is a post player with a nose for the basketball. Palovich was a dominant player at the JV level and the hope is it
will extend to varsity. “He has basketball I.Q. that you can’t coach and you can’t teach,” Murawski said. “Things are going good,” Palovich said. “We are working on getting the chemistry down with the guys and getting into basketball shape. I expect that we will have a really good team that will out-hustle everyone in the gym.” Palovich said he wants to fit in wherever he is needed. “Whether it’s rebounding or defensive effort or support for my teammates,” he said. Alex Henry is a freshman that will play significant minutes. “I have to keep reminding myself he’s extremely raw,” Murawski said. If Henry can produce even close to how Sulka did last season it will be a boon. Chardon wants to take better shots on offense and may not always want to push the tempo. “We’re going to call a lot more sets than we have had in the past,” Murawski said. “Try and slow the game down a little bit. There will be a lot of structure than there has been. “If we feel like we have mismatches inside we want to use those. If we feel like our guards are better, we’ll do that. We will adjust on a game to game basis.”
Geauga County Maple Leaf
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Chardon Hilltoppers
Hilltoppers Have a New Look But Expect Same Results By Jamie Ward The Hilltoppers graduated a strong senior class, so few return with considerable varsity experience. But talented underclassmen combined with hard-working seniors and veteran coach Cullen Harris, starting his sixth year, means Chardon expects a strong season like last year’s 15-9 campaign. The Hilltoppers were devastated when Halle Landies suffered another major knee injury in less than a year. She will miss her senior season. Kayla Noerr broke out last year as a shot-blocking post player, and the junior can use her raw 6-1 talent to get even better this season. “Kayla provides us with unmatched length, size and athleticism,” Harris said. “She can guard multiple positions, runs the floor well, and is working on being a better jump shooter to score over people.” Her sister, freshman Emily Noerr, has the potential to be one of the best players Harris has coached at Chardon. “Emily is dynamic with the ball,” Harris said. “She will have her growing pains making the jump from middle school to the varsity level, but she is coachable and works hard at her skills
to get better every day.” Jo Janda is hard-working junior guard who joins juniors Ashley Hoenigman and Sam Liechty in the backcourt. Janda is a pure ball-handler. Liechty played significant minutes last year, and is an explosive player who can get to the rim anytime she wants. “I drive a lot,” she said. “And I feel like other girls look up to me for that, and it’s fun to teach them. My free throws need a lot of work — quite a bit. “It’s different because last year we had a lot of girls to look up to, but all of a sudden they are just gone. But everyone is easy to get along with,” Liechty Hoenigman handles the ball, runs the offense and plays strong defense. “She plays within herself and focuses on doing her job and helping others do their jobs,” Harris said. Junior Lexi Paros-Gaser is a 6-foot post player who may have a chance to start. Fiona Slaymaker is 6-4 and will fight for time if she can improve her defense, Harris said. The trio of seniors — Caitlyn Goodrich, Clare Meyeroff and Marissa Organiscak — will have an opportunity to contribute. Meyeroff missed last year with an injury, and is eager to get back on the court.
Goodrich
Liechty
Meyeroff
Organiscak
11/23 Kirtland Played at North High 11/27 @Maple Hts. 12/4 @South 12/7 Kenston 12/11 Madison 12/18 @North 12/21 @Jefferson 12/28 @Stow 1/4 Riverside 1/6 Geneva 1/8 @Mayfield 1/11 @Mentor 1/13 Bedford 1/15 Brush 1/22 South 1/25 @Madison 1/29 North 2/1 @Riverside 2/5 Mayfield 2/8 @Brush 2/12 Harvey
“I still feel like players look to me,” Meyeroff said. “But I’ll be ready to play. I get antsy when I have to watch, but I’ve been shooting all the time, so my shot is so much better. “It’s a learning curve because a lot of girls don’t have experience, but we’re working really hard in practice everyday, and we’re definitely showing improvement in how well we work together.” Organiscak had yet to practice, but said her timetable was to return soon. “It’s fun,” she said of being a senior, trying to help her team-
12 p.m. 6:30 p.m. 7:30 p.m. 2 p.m. 7:30 p.m. 7:30 p.m. 2:30 p.m. 2:30 p.m. 2 p.m. 6 p.m. 7:30 p.m. 2:30 p.m. 7:30 p.m. 7:30 p.m. 7:30 p.m. 7:30 p.m. 7:30 p.m. 2 p.m. 7:30 p.m. 2 p.m. 7:30 p.m.
mates on and off the court. “The way that we work together, and we’ve all played with each other for a long time.” Riley Zimmerer, a sophomore and one of the best shooters in the program, will play minutes off the bench. Harris expects another strong season but thinks there will likely be bumps early on that can build to a strong January and February as the team prepares for the tournament. The Western Reserve Conference is always a challenge. Chardon last won their conference, the PAC at the time, in 2015.
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Geauga County High School Basketball Preview
Kenston Bombers
New Bombers Have Big Kenston Shoes to Fill By Brian Lavrich There will be a lot of change on the Kenston boys basketball team as the Bombers lost eight seniors to graduation. Therefore, the Bombers will have a lot of new faces on the court as they look to improve on last season’s mark of 9-14 under second-year coach Derrick DeJarnette. The Bombers lost in a Division I sectional semifinal last season to Maple Heights. Kenston has two returning starters in sophomore Andy Kooser and senior Ja’Von Mid-
Kooser
Middleton
12/3 Solon 7:30 p.m. 12/6 @Madison 7:30 p.m. 12/10 @Chardon 7:30 p.m. 12/17 Cornerstone Christ. 7:30 p.m. 12/20 Mayfield 7:30 p.m. 1/3 @North 7:30 p.m. 1/7 @Benedictine 7:30 p.m. 1/10 @Brush 7:30 p.m. 1/14 Aurora 7:30 p.m. 1/17 South 7:30 p.m. 1/21 @Bedford 7:30 p.m. 1/24 Chardon 7:30 p.m. 1/28 Madison 7:30 p.m. 2/1 @Riverside 7:30 p.m. 2/4 @Mayfield 7:30 p.m. 2/7 North 7:30 p.m. 2/11 Brush 7:30 p.m. 2/14 @South 7 p.m. 2/18 @Western Reserve 6:30 p.m. 2/21 Andrew Osborne 7:30 p.m.
dleton. The two guards make a formidable backcourt duo. DeJarnette said Kooser can play any backcourt position or out on the wing. “He’ll be one of our main scorers,” DeJarnette said. “He can do everything. He’s a great shooter and a great all-around player.” Middleton might be the quickest player on the team. “I expect him to get a lot of assists this year,” DeJarnette said. “He’s a great defender and ball handler.”
Quinlan
Thorne
Middleton will be relied upon to run the point most of the time. “We have a lot of good guards so we are going to push the ball,” Middleton said. “But defense will be the main thing for us this year. I feel we have lock-down defenders and we’re going to press full court. We want to force turnovers, get to the basket and draw fouls. “The WRC is tough. There are going to be a lot of tough games.” DeJarnette talked about competing in the Western Reserve Conference. “I’m pretty sure we can if we stay confident and do what we need to do,” DeJarnette said. “We have to stay disciplined. It’s a strong conference. We have to take every game seriously.” Junior Kyle Quinlan will be another starting guard. DeJarnette said he has a similar game to Kooser. “We want to run, obviously, because we’re undersized,” Quinlan said. “We’ve been working on our fast break offense. “We have to go game by game and not look down the road. We’re working our butts off. We want to out hustle everyone.” Senior Alan Wood will be in the starting five after coming off
the bench some last season. “He’s a shooter,” DeJarnette said. “He has deep range. He can shoot from anywhere.” Rounding out the top five will be guard Ethan Thorne, a junior. Thorne was a reserve last season. “We’re small, but we’re going to have a lot of on-the-ball pressure,” Thorne said. “We’re definitely running a lot in practice.” The Bombers will have to use their speed as they essentially have an all-guard starting lineup. Coming off the bench for the Bombers will be senior guard Donny Maynard and sophomore point guard Nick Cowoski. “We might have to go to zone a lot because of our size,” DeJarnette said. “We’ll switch things up, but we’ll also play man to man.” Offensively, DeJarnette said he’s most confident in the Bombers’shooting. “And we have a lot of quickness,” DeJarnette said. “We’re going to be up tempo, definitely.” However, rebounding will be a challenge. “We have to stay fundamentally sound and box out,” DeJarnette said. “We have to secure the ball. It’s a total team effort.”
Geauga County Maple Leaf
Page 13
Kenston Bombers
Bombers Returning Starters Tired of 2nd Place By Brian Lavrich The Kenston girls basketball team has finished second in the Western Reserve Conference each of the past two seasons. This year’s squad hopes to break through to become WRC champions. Last season the Bombers went 15-8 and 11-3 in the WRC as they finished second to Eastlake North. Then the Bombers lost to Canfield in a Division I sectional final. The Bombers lost six seniors to graduation, but return three starters, so expectations remain high. Kenston coach John Misenko has five seniors and three juniors to lead the team. “We have the potential to be pretty good,” Misenko said. “We’re long and athletic, but not big.” The top two returning scorers for the Bombers are sophomore point guard Catara DeJarnette and senior Rachel Apshago. Both averaged about 11 points per game last season. The Bombers don’t have much height, so Misenko said Apshago may play some in the post this season as opposed to her natural position on the wing. “We’ll have to be creative,”
Misenko said. “She’s a phenomenal athlete. She can shoot. She can drive. We’re going to play her all over the place.” Apshago said rebounding will have to be a team effort for the Bombers. “I’ll be working more in the post,” Apshago said. “I’ll use my speed against the bigger girls. “We just need to box out and work hard.” Misenko said he’s looking forward to seeing the growth of DeJarnette from her freshman season to her sophomore campaign. “I expect a big jump,” Misenko said. “She plays really hard. She can score and handle the ball. She’s hungry. Last year, she got her feet wet. The sky is the limit.” DeJarnette said she feels she improved from last season, and the whole team has as well. “I think my basketball IQ has definitely grown,” DeJarnette said. “I’ve definitely gotten better. “I feel our defense will also be better. We have a lot of girls who can play defense on or off the ball.” Joining DeJarnette and Apshago in the starting five will be senior shooting guard Eden Kesler. She played some varsity off the bench last season.
Apshago
DeJarnette
Oglesbee
Skala
11/23 Bulldog Battle TBA Played at Canton Fieldhouse 11/26 NDCL 7:30 p.m. 12/4 Madison 7:30 p.m. 12/7 @Chardon 2 p.m. 12/9 @Maple Hts. 7 p.m. 12/11 @Riverside 7:30 p.m. 12/14 @Howland 1 p.m. 12/18 Mayfield 7:30 p.m. 12/21 Streetsboro 6 p.m. 12/29 Holiday Classic TBA Played at Glen Oak High 1/4 @North 2 p.m. 1/8 @Brush 7:30 p.m. 1/11 @SVSM 2:30 p.m. 1/15 South 7:30 p.m. 1/22 @Madison 7:30 p.m. 1/27 Hudson 7:30 p.m. 1/29 @Mayfield 7:30 p.m. 2/1 North 2 p.m. 2/5 Brush 7:30 p.m. 2/8 @South
Misenko said Kesler might be the Bombers’ best shooter. Senior wing Marcie Oglesbee returns to the starting lineup after missing all of last season due to an injury. She started as a sophomore. “I am really excited because it was really frustrating,” said Oglesbee of missing last year with an injury. “I’ve been working on driving and not settling for an outside shot.” Rounding out the top five will be Graci Skala, a senior forward who is the Bombers’ third returning starter.
“I feel like we can (win the WRC) if we all work as a team,” Skala said. “I think we can be better. Winning the WRC is always one of our goals, but it’s going to take hard work.” Junior Kathryn Haynes will contribute off the bench as her versatility will be key for the Bombers. Senior Chloe Thomas will be another major contributor off the bench as a wing player. Sophomore Madeleine Blazey, junior Molly Hubert and junior Micayla Paglia will also provide depth for the Bombers.
Page 14
Geauga County High School Basketball Preview
Newbury Black Knights
Black Knights Set Out For Memories on Hardwood By Jamie Ward Dave Orms and Fred Arnold and Steve Grubbs won’t spend a lot of time on scouting or watching film. They won’t have a freshmen or junior varsity team to worry about. In their first year as varsity coaches in their varsity team’s last season, Orms and Arnold and Grubbs will focus on the players and their daily experience in making memories and having fun. There are 11 players total on the roster. But Newbury has dealt with low numbers across
Arnold 12/3 12/6 12/10 12/13 12/14 12/17 12/20 12/27 1/3 1/7 1/10 1/15 1/17 1/21 1/24 1/28 1/31 2/4 2/7 2/11 2/18 2/21
Grubbs Fairport 6 p.m. @Medina Christian 7:30 p.m. @Pymatuning Valley 6 p.m. @Vienna Mathews 6 p.m. @Fuchs Mizrachi 7:30 p.m. Windham 6 p.m. Bloomfield 6 p.m. St. John 6 p.m. @Badger 6 p.m. @Chalker 6 p.m. @Bristol 6 p.m. Badger 12:15 p.m. @Maplewood 6 p.m. Lordstown 6 p.m. Maplewood 6 p.m. Pymatuning Valley 6 p.m. Vienna Mathews 6 p.m. @Windham 6 p.m. @Bloomfield 6 p.m. Chalker 6 p.m. @Lordstown 6 p.m. Bristol 6 p.m.
all sports for years, making this season nothing new. Junior John Tropf is the only returning starter and has played varsity minutes since his freshman year. Orms, who is the head coach, says he is the “most coachable kid” out there. “I’m just showing everyone what to do, and keeping the energy up, and the intensity,” Tropf said. If defenses pay too much attention to Tropf, he looks forward to getting his teammates involved. A trio of seniors are expected to start for Newbury in Kaleb
Orms
Tropf
Grubbs and the coaches’ sons Jacob Orms and Noah Arnold. Noah’s brother Evan, a junior, expects to be the fifth starter. Noah will be a large contributor and is used to carrying the load for the football team. “Being a senior on this team, honestly it’s not that big of a deal,” Arnold said. “Everyone here, it’s their last year playing basketball at Newbury. So we’re all like seniors.” He added: “We’re all in this together.” He said the football season was memorable. Everyone had a great time. And he thinks the basketball team will do that, too. “We’re all here because we’re friends, and we love to play basketball.” Grubbs feels like practice has gone well. “I’m sad because I liked my experience at Newbury and now nobody’s going to really get to experience it,” Grubbs said. “But everyone has been really supportive.” Grubbs views his role as a vocal leader on the floor on both sides of the ball. “Hard work and dedication, that’s what it takes,” he said. “The big thing that we are worried about is our depth — obviously,” Orms said. “We just don’t have a lot of guys. There are some guys that it’s their first year playing. But
. o C e r i T Newbur y DS JOR BRAN A M L L A L WE SEL
the guys are hungry. I asked them what their goals are, and they want to win the conference.” Orms said that will force the team to run a lot of strict plays, but he trusts in his Black Knights to just play basketball and find open space. “They know how to play basketball, so go out there and play your game,” Orms said. Jacob returns to the team after taking last year off to work. Jacob brings toughness and leadership to the team. His dad hopes he gets the younger players involved. “We butt heads more,” Jacob said of his relationship with his coach. “But I feel like he pushes everybody to be the best they possibly can. We have a strong starting five, so our roles are to get the rest of our bench to be ready to play.” The bench is made up of junior Matt Quinn, sophomore Kyle Cichon and freshmen Jack Flanigan, Calvin Eggleston and Ben Terrill. Monte Myers, a senior, signed up just before the season started. “We’re going to play to win … because these five guys want that,” Orms said, breaking up. “The closing is part of it. They’ve been through a lot. I think these guys are going to miss it a lot. Especially these guys that don’t get a senior year … at their school.”
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Geauga County Maple Leaf
Page 15
Newbury Black Knights
Newbury Hopes For Last Season to Remember By Jamie Ward When Kevin and Carrie Hinkle coached together at Kenston, it was high stakes girls basketball filled with conference championships and playoff wins. But the husband and wife moved on with life. Until a job opened up that seemed meant to be. “We were eager for a break,” said Kevin, the Black Knights head coach. Carrie is a teacher at Newbury, and so she heard about the opening first. “It just made us think,” he said. “These kids are going through something difficult; if there’s something we can do to help them, we felt like we could provide some leadership. “We wanted them to have a good year.” There are 10 girls on the final varsity girls basketball roster. No other girls basketball team exists at any level at Newbury. These are the final 10 to wear the black and orange. “The girls have been tremendous,” Kevin said. “And they want to be here,” Carrie added. “We won’t lower our expectations in any way,” Kevin said. “Every team expects to win, but we’re now prepared to win.” Three players return with sig-
nificant varsity experience from last year’s team that went 11-12. Malarie Eggleston and HannaRose Brastoff are seniors, and Holly Hamilton is a sophomore. “Things are better than expected,” Brastoff said. “I think we’re more prepared than last year. We’re definitely more aggressive and in shape.” Brastoff actually played on the football team during the fall, but she said basketball is her favorite sport. “The seniors help us, but we’re also like a family,” Hamilton said. She is a guard who will handle the basketball on a team that could be pressured a lot by opposing defenses. “Practice is really more intense than the last couple of years,” Eggleston said. “And he’s working on our fundamentals, which helps with the players that are newer to the game.” “Those three have led by example,” Kevin said. “And vocally as well. They know what to expect from a varsity season.” Sage Neidbalson and Ellie Clark return after taking the past few seasons off, trying to make the most of their senior year. “They have given us athletic bodies who can play inside,” Kevin said. Grace Laster is a freshman who is another athlete learning quickly
Brastoff
Eggleston 11/22 12/2 12/5 12/9 12/12 12/16 12/19 12/28 1/2 1/6 1/9 1/11 1/13 1/15 1/16 1/23 1/27 1/30 2/3 2/6 2/10 2/13
each practice and scrimmage. “We have a lot of expectations for Grace,” her coach said. Sydney Louden and Bre Thigpen played varsity last year and will have larger roles this season. Olivia Snyder-Mullett and Mar Clarke are new faces and will be needed to provide depth. There are plenty of minutes for all of the Black Knights. Coach Hinkle expects the scoring to be spread out throughout the roster with certain players stepping in any given night. “We need to have that team philosophy and team chemistry,” he said.
Hamilton Mentor Christian 6 p.m. @Maplewood 6 p.m. Pymatuning Valley 7 p.m. @Vienna Mathews 6 p.m. Windham 6 p.m. Fuchs Mizrachi 6 p.m. NE Ohio Prep 6 p.m. @Fairport 1 p.m. @Chalker 6 p.m. @Bristol 6 p.m. Lordstown 6 p.m. @Cardinal 1 p.m. Maplewood 6 p.m. Badger 10:15 a.m. @Pymatuning Valley 6 p.m. Vienna Mathews 6 p.m. @Windham 6 p.m. @St. John 6 p.m. @Badger 6 p.m. Chalker 6 p.m. Bristol 6 p.m. @Lordstown 6 p.m.
As a teacher and coach at Newbury for years at different levels, Carrie has experience with nearly every player on the roster. “We’re a family,” she said. Basketball was on the minds of the players early in practice. But those other thoughts will creep in as the season draws to a close. Especially for the leaders. “It’s already my last season,” Eggleston said. “It’s hard to think about because I want to go out with a bang,” Brastoff said. “I want to do a good thing for the school. It’s sad. It’s hard, but it brings us together even more.”
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Geauga County High School Basketball Preview
Notre Dame-Cathedral Latin Lions
New Coach But Familiar Face for NDCL Seniors By Jamie Ward Experience is a key word for head coach Nate Vander Sluis despite the fact that he’s never been a varsity coach. As a former NDCL coach of the freshmen and junior varsity teams, he is very familiar with this nine-player senior class. “It’s cathartic to a certain extent that we get to finish their basketball experience together,” Vander Sluis said. “And I’m really excited for that.” The Lions want to key on being an up-tempo defense that pressures opponents from
Berschig
Gatto
baseline to baseline. Ideally, that leads to easy transition baskets, but Vander Sluis, unlike his mentor former NDCL coach Chris Poulos, will focus on being more patient on offense. “Whether it’s 10 seconds or a minute, we want to make sure we are taking the best shot,” Vander Sluis said. Keying this transition will be a handful of seniors who have varsity experience from last season in Frank Martin, Donny Gatto and Dane Berschig. Martin is the team’s floor leader on offense as point guard
Martin
11/30 @Elyria Catholic 7:30 p.m. 12/3 @West Geauga 7 p.m. 12/6 Holy Name 7:30 p.m. 12/10 @CVCA 7:30 p.m. 12/13 @University 7 p.m. 12/20 Padua 7 p.m. 12/30 Cardinal 7 p.m. 1/3 @Gilmour 7 p.m. 1/7 Riverside 7 p.m. 1/11 Hawken 7 p.m. 1/14 @Andrews 7 p.m. 1/17 Walsh 7 p.m. 1/21 @Western Reserve 6:30 p.m. 1/25 Grand River 7 p.m. 1/28 @Lake Catholic 7 p.m. 1/31 @Padua 7 p.m. 2/4 Warren JFK 7 p.m. 2/7 Gilmour 7 p.m. 2/11 Lake Catholic 7 p.m. 2/13 Cornerstone Christ. 7 p.m. 2/18 @Chagrin Falls 7 p.m. 2/21 @Walsh 7 p.m.
Coach Vander Sluis
who will be relied upon to hit the outside 3-pointer. Martin is a tenacious defender, his coach said. “So far so good,” Martin said. “Coach brings that out of us.” He said the seniors’ chemistry is crucial to the team. “Hard work everyday, every game, every second of every game,” Martin said. Gatto, at 6-2, has great length, and Vander Sluis thinks he has improved his physicality by playing football in the fall. “He’s another guy that really defends and rebounds and then gets out in transition and is a leader for this team,” Vander Sluis said. Berschig is one of the hardest working players that Vander Sluis has had as a coach. “And he loves the game,” his coach said. “He’s a great program kid. He wants to see this program be successful as much as I do. He’s always positive, works his butt off.” “We have a lot of energy so far,” Berschig said. “It’s nice because we all know each other. We know what (Coach) expects from us.” Martin said his focus will be on defense and being vocal on the floor. “We won’t let them relax,” he said. Andrew Batista, Sam Urbanski and Ben Szabo are three
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other seniors who will start or be the first off the bench in the Lions’ rotation. Urbanski did not play last year, but did as a freshman under Vander Sluis. “He’s naturally talented,” the coach said. The Lions do not have a lot of size or traditional post players, but Batista will be one of those stretch-4 hybrids on the wing. “We don’t have anybody that looks like me,” smiled Vander Sluis, standing 6 feet 10 inches. “We have to be able to handle the ball, pass, attack the basket, dribble,” he said. “Those are one of the things we work on everyday: skill development.” Noah Coyne is a junior who is 6-4 who is multi-talented; he can push the floor and shoot. Jack Szmania is another great shooter with great energy and is a leader on the floor. Luke Kruschke is a left-handed shooter who was impressive early on in scrimmages. Depth will be a strength for NDCL. Elliot Martin, Owen Redmond, Ryan Hanzak, Parker Kajfasz and Jaiden Mangelluzi round out the varsity roster. “It’s going great,” Vander Sluis said. “At this point we’re doing really good. We’re starting to understand how we want to play and the things we want to do.”
Geauga County Maple Leaf
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Notre Dame-Cathedral Latin Lions
Core Lions Hope for Quick Turnaround on Court By Jamie Ward Brian Arth returns to coaching after three years off, and Arth hopes to continue the success he had over 20 years as a girls basketball coach, amassing more than 200 wins at multiple high schools. The time off and his two young children have given him new perspective on coaching, and has him eager to turn the NDCL girls basketball program into a winner. “I love to coach,” Arth said. “I’ve become more lenient because of my outlook. I’m realizing that basketball is not the most important thing. But now I’m more understanding with the kids.” Seniors Annie Carney, Emma Liberatore and Sarah Uhran provide leadership and experience from last season. “They all work hard, so they show leadership by example,” Arth said. Liberatore was the offensive player of the year in 2018 in the North Coast League. “She’s just a great athlete, and the offense will go through her,” Arth said. “She’s one of the go-to players, but we have a lot of young girls, too, who are playing really well.” “I think everything is going great, and we’re going to be
really good, and we’re a really fast team,” Liberatore said. “My goal is to push everyone else and build confidence.” Uhran is 5-8, one of the tallest Lions on the roster. “We’re going to build on what we did at the end of last year,” Uhran said. “Everybody kind of knows their role now.” She considers herself a leader and wants to keep the team’s energy up at all times, even when she’s on the bench. Carney is the last in line after her sister, M.K., and brother, Brian, both played basketball at NDCL. “I’m really excited, and it’s cool to have that generational thing,” she said. “I have to live up to the Carney name.” “We have a new coach,” she added, “but the new perspective is really good.” All nine varsity players expect to have a role and expect to play a lot, Arth said. Melissa Brownlee is a freshman who can score and defend. If Brownlee doesn’t find her way into the starting lineup, she will be one of the first off the bench. Raegann Leininger, a sophomore, is a projected starter who can rebound at 5-9. The Lions do not have much height on their roster. “She’s doing everything well,
Carney
Frank
Liberatore 11/26 12/7 12/9 12/11 12/14 12/21 12/23 12/28 12/30 1/4 1/8 1/11 1/15 1/22 1/25 1/27 1/29 2/1 2/5 2/8 2/12 2/15
and is playing very physical,” Arth said. “She’s long, so she can defend a lot of positions.” But Arth thinks the team is going to be quick. And he has emphasized full-court pressure, halfcourt traps and shot selection. “In order to beat good teams, you have to be able to execute half-court offense and half-court defense,” Arth said. “We are working on it, but we still have a long way to go.” Audrey Joyce is a junior who is the team’s vocal leader on the floor and can shoot. Lauren Frank and Meghan Hren are the first guards off the
Uhran
@Kenston @Walsh Lutheran East @Beaumont Padua @Hoban Clev. Cent. Cath. West Geauga @VASJ Gilmour Lake Catholic St. Joseph @Chagrin Falls Walsh @Padua @Riverside Andrews Hoban @Lake Catholic @Gilmour @St. Joseph Kirtland
7:30 p.m. 2:30 p.m. 7 p.m. 7 p.m. 2:30 p.m. 2:30 p.m. 6:30 p.m. 2:30 p.m. 7 p.m. 2:30 p.m. 7 p.m. 2:30 p.m. 7 p.m. 7 p.m. 7 p.m. 7:30 p.m. 7:30 p.m. 2:30 p.m. 7 p.m. 2:30 p.m. 7 p.m. 2:30 p.m.
bench. “They bring in a lot of energy and they can both shoot,” their coach said. “And they defend well.” Frank thinks practice has been good for the team so far. Erica Leinweber is an athletic guard who is dealing with an injury in the preseason but figures to start once the season gets going. Arth said Leinweber is the fastest girl he has ever coached, which says a lot. With depth being a strength and so many interchangeable players on the roster, NDCL is poised to be an exciting team to watch.
Page 18
Geauga County High School Basketball Preview
West Geauga Wolverines
Wolverines Look to Be Right In Opponents’ Faces Health Early Will be Key for West Geauga By Rich Kelly This year’s version of the West Geauga Wolverine boys basketball team has a nice blend of everything. In looking to improve on last year’s 13-11 mark, they aleady are counting on togetherness. As powerhouse junior Josh Irwin has grown in skills and confidence; he’s more than willing to share his good feelings about this team, and if the Wolverines stay healthy and fo-
P. Bissler
Irwin
12/3 NDCL 7 p.m. 12/6 @Orange 7 p.m. 12/10 Hawken 7 p.m. 12/13 @Geneva 7:30 p.m. 12/17 Chagrin Falls 7:30 p.m. 12/20 Harvey 7:30 p.m. 12/27 @South 8:15 p.m. Played at Garfield Hts. 1/3 University 7 p.m. 1/7 @Beachwood 7 p.m. 1/10 @Edgewood 7 p.m. 1/17 Perry 7 p.m. 1/21 Orange 7 p.m. 1/24 @Lakeside 1/25 @Chardon 6 p.m. 1/28 @Hawken 7 p.m. 1/31 @Chagrin Falls 2/4 Beachwood 7 p.m. 2/7 Padua 7 p.m. 2/11 @Aurora 7:30 p.m. 2/14 @Kirtland 7 p.m. 2/18 Andrews Osborne 7 p.m. 2/21 Trinity 7 p.m.
cused, much better things can be expected on the hardwoods this year. “We are looking to compete well every time we go out on the floor this year,” the now 6-7 junior wing said. “I feel we have the talent to compete with anybody. If we just do that, we can play with anybody.” Coach Jeff Javorek sees good things for his team as well. “We’re pretty strong in both experience and in height
Pitcock
Rogal
this year,” he said. “All of the kids played some good varsity time last year, and with a trio of juniors also stepping up to this year’s team, as long as they play into their roles on the floor, we can do some good things.” Javorek said Cam Rogal has stepped up this year and could be key. Also, Josh and Peyton Bissler are players who can do a lot on the floor. Peyton, a senior, sees nothing but good things ahead. “I think we have a lot of potential as a team this year,” he said. “Even with three guys hurt right now like we do, I think we’re in the best spot to finish our season at the top of the CVC.” Senior point guard Aidan Pitcock is very positive about this season. “I definitely think we’re already a pretty good team,” Pitcock said. “We’ve got good chemistry with each other, we’re all friends, and very importantly, too, we try to play good team defense all of the time. That will get the offense going, and our overall work is what we think will pay off for us.” Junior forward Rogal will be key as well. “I think we have the talent to beat just about anybody
we play,” Rogal said. “We just have to play smart, aggressive basketball. Our goal, first, is to win the CVC. One thing we have done is to play together all summer this year, and we think we can continue playing like that as a team now. As long as we play together, I think we’ll be just fine.” Juniors Keegan Barnhart and Harrison Wolfhope are among the walking wounded at the moment as the team gets ready to begin regular games. Javorek sees them back soon, and at full strength in the team concept, this should give him the depth for regular rotations, keeping players fresh while still competing at a top level. “It’s going to be fun for us this year,” he said. “These kids want to play together, they have good skill sets, and it would be something special for me if I can go down the roster with rotations to keep fresh players on the floor for whole games. “Few coaches have that luxury, but I think these kids can do it well.” Should opposing players even blink for a moment, they might find themselves with two Wolverines picking their pockets and going to the hoop at any moment.
Geauga County Maple Leaf
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West Geauga Wolverines
Wolverines Pack Talent and Teamwork on Hardwood By Rich Kelly The West Geauga Wolverines girls basketball team had gone through a few lean times with changes in the logistical side of the community. Last season, second-year coach Bob Beutel embarked on a different approach to bring positive changes to the West G campus. “I’ve always tried to play with a two point guard system,” Beutel said. “It gives more flexibility for rotations and keeping the kids fresh and focused. I see this as being a very fun year for everybody.” Beutel believes Nikki Ehrbar is one of the best players in Ohio. “We have a group of super athletes; we have overall good balance, size, and athleticism that gives us a good edge on the floor all of the time,” the coach said. “There’s no telling how deep I’ll be able to go with our rotations, and that’s a luxury most coaches don’t get.” Beutel has Ehrbar as his ace to begin with, and now a junior, she is looking for good things. “If I had to claim my favorite sport, I’d have to admit it is soccer,” Ehrbar said. “I’m blessed, though, to just be having a lot of fun playing everything. For our
team this season, winning the CVC is our first goal. It’s one super tough league for competition, and it’s tough, but so much fun.” The new girl from California that Beutel referred to is senior M. J. Thomsen. Her outlook is nothing but cheerfulness at the opportunity to be part of a growing program, which she sees as a chance to leave her own legacy, even if it is for only one season. “Being a senior on such a young team means I have to work my hardest all the time to be a leader,” Thomsen said. “It’s important for me to just be a leader to help build the program for the younger girls in the future,” she said. “God has blessed me with abilities, so I have to put them to work. I definitely want to be part of a team that wins the CVC.” Beutel sees his starting five rounding out with youth and big-time ability as part of the equation. Junior Athena Hocevar and freshman Alexa Hocevar provide length in many ways together. Athena sees things growing as the team moves closer to opening the season. “Team chemistry is going to be a big thing for us this year,” Athena said. “Of course, our first goal is to win the CVC,
Alexa Hocevar
Athena Hocevar
then to make a good postseason run as well. We’ve got a great bunch of athletes who are having fun right now just getting ready. The harder we work, the better the memories we will be making for our teammates and ourselves for the future.” Freshman Alexa appreciates the time she and Athena put in together off the court, with the results showing up on the court. “Off the court, we want to be a positive influence for each other,” Alexa said. “Once we get into games, with all we have learned from coach Beutel and his staff, if we play and work together, knowing what we are
Ehrbar 11/22 11/27 12/4 12/7 12/11 12/14 12/18 12/21 12/22 12/28 1/8 1/11 1/15 1/18 1/22 1/25 1/29 2/1 2/8 2/12
Thomsen @Hudson 7 p.m. @Riverside 7:30 p.m. @Hawken 7 p.m. Geneva 2:30 p.m. VASJ 7 p.m. @Harvey 2:30 p.m. @Chagrin Falls 7 p.m. @Edgewood 2:30 p.m. @Bay 10:15 a.m. @NDCL 2:30 p.m. Beachwood 7 p.m. @Orange 12:30 p.m. @Perry 7 p.m. Lakeside 2:30 p.m. Shaw 7 p.m. Hawken 2:30 p.m. Chagrin Falls 7 p.m. @Beachwood 2:30 p.m. Orange 2:30 p.m. Mentor 7 p.m.
going to do together can only be a good thing for us. “ As the team gradually becomes a unit here in the preseason, Beutel’s fifth starter seems to be sophomore Grace Wolfe. Adding junior Lauren Munko and sophomore Meghan Zebrowski as the first players off of the bench gives Beutel a rotation he looks forward to building. “It’s just amazing,” he commented, “at all of the overall athleticism I have to work with. I think I may be able to work other girls into the mix as well, as situations call for, and these girls have such a great, positive attitude.”
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Geauga County High School Basketball Preview