My first game of the 2015-16 season had me over at Butler Center on the campus of St. Catherine's University to take in the season opener between host St. Kate's and visiting Crown out of the UMAC. While I wasn't expecting great things from either team in this tip-off game, I did want to see how much the Wildcats had progressed since I caught one of their opening practices back in October.
Both teams felt each other out in the opening minutes of the first period as the 'Cats and the Storm traded several one-point leads. Freshman guard Hannah Malone gave Crown a 2-1 lead at the 9:02 mark and the West Salem, Wisconsin native struck again at the 7:38 mark with a steal and lay-up the other way for a 4-3 Storm lead. Willowy junior forward Kennedy Jennings got the 'Cats back out in front 5-4 with her score in the paint at the 7:22 mark but St. Kate's Head Coach Sean Pinkerton shed his familiar sportcoat at the 6:45 mark as Crown was not willing to go away so quickly. Sophomore guard Jessica Klaustermeier connected with a lay-up ten seconds later and although scores from Jennings and senior guard Shauna Horsch had the Wildcats up by three at 9-6 at the 5:51 mark, the Storm tied things up at 9-all on a "3" from the right wing area by sophomore reserve guard Marissa Bacerra. But that would be the last "feel good" moment of the night for Crown as the 'Cats proceeded to go on a 16-1 run to wind up the first period. Flashy junior reserve guard LaShay Holt got the party started with a coast-to-coast lay-up with 4:44 left. Sophomore guard Audra Clark's lay-up with 4:20 left and a pretty drive and lay-up by Horsch with 3:31 left gave St. Kate's at 15-10 lead. Audra Clark again made her presence felt with 2:22 left when she snared a steal and dashed the other way for a lay-up - and got fouled in the process as well and the obligatory freebie pushed the lead to 18-10. Holt then put the finishing touches on the first period: a score in the paint with 1:46 left, a "3" from the top of the key with 1:22 left and a jumper from the left elbow with just :02 on the clock to make it a 25-10 ballgame and Crown was reeling when the buzzer sounded ending the first period.
The 'Cats were far from finished, however, once the second period got underway. Junior forward/post Mari Lee sunk two free throws at the 8:38 mark and then it was Holt with a long rebound and lay-up at the 7:57 mark. Audra Clark's lay-up in transition at the 7:36 mark expanded St. Kate's lead to 31-10 before the Storm finally stopped some of the bleeding at the 6:48 mark on junior reserve guard Charmaine Begay's jumper from the free throw line. But the Wildcats would get the lead back up to twenty-plus on Holt's offensive rebound and putback of her own miss at the 5:50 mark. A sweet move and drive and finish by Jennings that got her fouled in the process and allowed her to sink the obligatory freebie not only expanded the lead to 36-12 but also had St. Kate's in the bonus as well with 4:42 left; further complicating Crown's perilous situation. The Storm did get a bit of a break when sophomore reserve guard Marissa Becerra hit a long jumper from the left wing as the shot clock was expiring with 3:10 left but an aggressive St. Kate's defense never let the Storm get into any real offensive flow in the first half. Reserve junior guard/forward Alexis Garcia knocked down a jumper from the free throw line with 2:05 left and a three-point bomb from the left top area by junior reserve guard Annie Schoeben capped a big first half for the Wildcats as St. Kate's took a commanding 45-22 lead into the locker room at the half.
The Storm tried valiantly to make inroads on the huge deficit once the third period got underway. Free throws by junior post Sam Mauer at the 8:07 mark and Klaustermeier at the 7:42 mark along with a steal and lay-up the other way by diminutive sophomore guard Andrea Besa at the 7:29 mark kept a small flicker of hope alive as St. Kate's lead was slimmed down to 49-28. Klaustermeier was able to score off of an inbounds pass at the 6:49 mark but the Wildcats would soon extinguish that last flicker of hope that Crown was hanging on to. Lee snared an offensive rebound for a putback at the 6:35 mark and then a double dose from Jennings - a score in the paint at the 5:46 mark and another one after a steal that got her fouled in the process that allowed her to sink the obligatory freebie - upped the lead to 58-30. Audra Clark's lay-up in transition at the 5:25 mark gave St. Kate's a thirty-point cushion at 60-30 and a score in the paint by freshman reserve forward Alexis Christianson with 3:26 left had the 'Cats up 62-33. The Storm would make nicks and dents in St. Kate's big lead from the free throw line but could never find any burst that might give St. Kate's any reason to doubt. Schoeben connected with a jumper from the right elbow with 1:24 left and freshman reserve guard/forward Kelsey Olson finished off a dominating third period for the Wildcats with her two free throws for a 67-38 lead for the home team.
Olson would get the first two points for the Wildcats in the opening moments of the fourth period with her offensive rebound and putback at the 9:24 mark before Crown attempted yet another futile comeback attempt. Klaustermeier knocked down two shots from the charity stripe at the 9:05 mark and then struck again at the 8:44 mark with a lay-up in transition and was fouled in the process and the ensuing free throw trimmed the St. Kate's lead down to 69-43. Malone connected with a lay-up at the 7:52 mark and then Besa got a lay-up after a steal at the 7:46 mark. Free throws by Malone at the 7:26 mark further cut into the lead that made it a 71-49 ballgame but the young reserves that Pinkerton now had in the game for the 'Cats would answer. Freshman reserve forward Makenzie Mace snared an offensive rebound for a putback at the 6:33 mark and then junior reserve forward Maria Davis got back-to-back scores: an offensive rebound for a putback at the 6:06 mark and a lay-up in transition at the 5:39 mark. Olson drained a "3" from the right wing area with 4:30 left and then it was a double dose from Schoeben - a lay-up with 3:23 left and a jumper from the right top area with 2:37 left that made it 84-55. Schoeben got one more feather in her cap for the night when she drilled a "3" from the left wing area with 1:41 left and freebies by Olson with :40.6 left gave St. Kate's a big win in their season opener by a count of 89-58.
Pinkerton was quick to admit afterward that there still remains a ton of work to do to help get this team better; particularly on the defensive side. Still, I think there were a lot of positives from this night for the team to move forward on and even more encouraging that the young reserves got some quality minutes and were able to contribute. Audra Clark led all scorers with her 17 points and both Jennings and Holt had 14 points a piece. The 'Cats dominated the glass on this one by a 46-29 margin although they were guilty of 23 turnovers - something that will have to be improved once MIAC play rolls around. Klaustermeier's 13 points led the way for Crown while Malone added 10.
Los Angeles Rams
Friday, November 20, 2015
Tuesday, November 10, 2015
MIAC Predictions For 2015-16 Season
All right. Time to dust off that old crystal ball I have laying around and make my picks on what should be another fun and wildly unpredictable season of MIAC women's hoops. Here goes nothing:
The Title Contenders
1. Bethel
2. UST
This simply is the year that Bethel HAS to win it all. They either have to win it this year or they'll never win it. I say that when I look at this Bethel roster. They have every starter back from last year's team that made it to the MIAC Championship Game and received an at-large berth in the NCAA Tournament. Where do I start? They easily have the best post player in the conference in senior Rachel Parupsky and an equally-seasoned backcourt duo of seniors Hannah Niewald and Sydney "Bam Bam" Schultz. But wait, there's more. Junior forward Kalli Zimmerman is only getting better and better and junior guard Shanni Moorse came on strong down the stretch. And now added to the mix is sophomore forward Molly O'Toole who transferred from SMU. And Head Coach Jon Herbrechtsmeyer has also brought in a very talented freshmen class as well. This is a squad that knows how to play defense. It's all there for them. I would be VERY disappointed if they did not manage to make noise beyond the MIAC Championship Game this time around.
That said, I cannot completely discount the chances of UST. While this is going to be a very, very different squad without the likes of Maggie Weiers, Anna Smith, Jen Dockter, Elaine Warner, Alyssa (nothing vanilla) Favilla, Hannah Hughes, et al, it would be a mistake to count this team out. Senior guard Katie Stone now assumes the role of the "go to" player on this squad and she certainly has the necessary leadership capabilities. With a host of new faces on this year's team, it will be interesting to see how they come along. Certainly they won't be invincible as they have been the last couple of seasons but Head Coach Ruth Sinn is a master at making the most of a not so great situation and this would be the one team I would not want to face if my season were at stake in February.
Solid Playoff Contenders
3. GAC
4. Concordia
5. Augsburg
The Gusties are looking to make amends on the disappointing way their season ended last year and, by looking at this year's roster, they are certainly capable of doing that and then some. Simply put, this year's team is loaded with a lot of young talent. More importantly, I think that this young group will mesh nicely with the returning veterans. I think that sophomore Mikayla Miller has the ability to become the best point guard in the conference and senior forward Lindsey Johnson is one of the most versatile players in the MIAC with her ability to score from the perimeter as well as get into the paint for the hard-earned points. I think Head Coach Laurie Kelly has her squad primed to make that move back into the elite echelon where GAC belongs, IMHO. Personally, I think the Gusties have an outside shot at winning the title this year IF they get some breaks along the way that they haven't had the last few seasons.
Concordia is a team that just always seems to be in the mix under Head Coach Jessica Rahman and I expect that trend to continue this season as well. The Cobbers will have to find someone to replace Erin Januschka down low although, presumably anyway, her younger sister Jenna Januschka will be ready and willing to step in as a seasoned junior. Another huge void will be at the point guard spot vacated by Alley Fisher who was one of the top point guards in the conference last season. Senior Hannah Jeske is back as is fellow senior Olivia Johnson who can clean the glass so those two will certainly assume the leadership roles on the team but who steps up as the "go to" person?
Augsburg figures to have something to say about this whole thing as well as they have an interesting mix of new and returning players. Ted Riverso, who had some great years at UST before serving on Pam Borton's staff at Minnesota, assumes the head coaching reigns sadly vacated by the passing of Bill McKee this last summer. While the Auggies did lose Abbey Luger to graduation, they do return senior Jenna Orth; one of the best defenders in the conference along with senior post Jessica Lillquist and senior guard Ashley Anfinson. But the new additions are eye-openers: senior guard Maria Loughlin who transferred in from UM-Crookston and senior guard Allison McKee who transferred in from Bemidji State. You could easily make the case for flip-flopping Augsburg and Concordia at the fourth and fifth spots and I know some who will.
Fighting For That Sixth Spot
6. CSB
7. Carleton
8. St. Olaf
9. SMU
I give the nod to the Blazers this time around for snaring that coveted sixth spot. God only knows they have disappointed me before but I like the mix of the young and returning talent Head Coach Mike Durbin has this season. He certainly has some height this season in sophomore post Niki Fokken and fellow sophomore post Kate Banovetz. Junior guard Macy Kelly is now healthy and presumably should hit full stride once the season gets underway. Fellow junior guard Annie Dittberner is a player to keep your eye on as well. Still, a lot of question marks remain for this team. Can they be consistent? Can they avoid some of the scoring droughts they've suffered over the last few seasons? Who steps up as the leader of this team. When the refined product is revealed come January we should have answers to some of the questions.
Just by glancing at their roster, Carleton has to be the most intriguing team this year. Head Coach Cassie Kosiba certainly has the "numbers" but will those numbers lead to immediate results? That seems to be the big question surrounding the Knights this year anyway. While Carleton did lose Skylar Tsutsui to graduation, they do add sophomore Anne Hamilton who transferred in from Valparaiso University. Seniors Michele Arima and Gabbi Stienstra are back as well.
Crosstown rival St. Olaf features an interesting roster as well headlined by senior three-point specialist Afton Wolter and junior Betsey Daly. The big question for the Oles is who replaces departed Nikki Frogner at the post? Another nagging question for the Oles: Can they ever find a way to be consistent?
SMU looked to be sitting in a very good position at the end of last season before Mandy Pearson was lured to the Twin Ports by UM-Duluth. Replacing her is new Head Coach Brent Pollari who comes from Minnesota State-Mankato. Pollari certainly doesn't have a bare cupboard as senior guard Bridget Pethke returns fully healthy off of the nasty ACL injury she suffered last year and backing her up is equally capable junior Emma Schaefer who shined brightly in the MIAC Quarterfinal Playoff win over GAC. Newcomer freshman Brandi Blattner out of Dover-Eyota will be another young player to keep your eyes on. The big question here is how well and how quickly do the Cardinals adapt to a new system. This squad is not terribly big in size either and this could very well be another team that finds itself on the outside looking in once the regular season is done.
Bringing Up The Rear
10. St. Kate's
11. Hamline
12. Macalester
St. Kate's is just one of those teams you can never take for granted. True, they had that nine-game swoon after the first of the year last season but came on strong at the end. They have an exciting mix of talent in players such as junior LaShay Holt, senior sharpshooting guard Shauna Horsch, willowy junior forward Kennedy Jennings, and the twin sister duo of Audra and Meg Clark in the backcourt. Junior forward/post Mari Lee is developing into a very solid player as well. They took GAC to overtime in arguably one of the best games in the MIAC last year and gave eventual Elite Eight participant UST fits during their regular-season clashes and knocked off NCAA Tournament participant Bethel at home. For the 'Cats, it really all boils down to consistency and staying healthy. Don't be surprised if they pull off a shocker or two this year.
Hamline has the unenviable task of replacing all-world Jordan Sammons and it's likely going to be like starting all over again learning to play without her on the court. The Pipers do return junior guard Chloe Graves and fellow junior guard Chelsey Bonsante along with senior Emily Behrman. But it will almost certainly be an uphill battle for Head Coach Kerri Stockwell and her squad this season.
Macalester and Head Coach Kelly Roysland will be looking to improve on last year's 3-22 season and, despite their record, this is never a team you want to take lightly. They may not have the most dynamic roster in the conference but at the same time, this is a team that does not beat itself. Senior guards Erin Murray and Katelyn Kack handle the backcourt duties and junior forward Park Masterson can be a factor down low. Sometimes it's a matter of baby steps but the Scots have to take this thing one game at a time.
The Title Contenders
1. Bethel
2. UST
This simply is the year that Bethel HAS to win it all. They either have to win it this year or they'll never win it. I say that when I look at this Bethel roster. They have every starter back from last year's team that made it to the MIAC Championship Game and received an at-large berth in the NCAA Tournament. Where do I start? They easily have the best post player in the conference in senior Rachel Parupsky and an equally-seasoned backcourt duo of seniors Hannah Niewald and Sydney "Bam Bam" Schultz. But wait, there's more. Junior forward Kalli Zimmerman is only getting better and better and junior guard Shanni Moorse came on strong down the stretch. And now added to the mix is sophomore forward Molly O'Toole who transferred from SMU. And Head Coach Jon Herbrechtsmeyer has also brought in a very talented freshmen class as well. This is a squad that knows how to play defense. It's all there for them. I would be VERY disappointed if they did not manage to make noise beyond the MIAC Championship Game this time around.
That said, I cannot completely discount the chances of UST. While this is going to be a very, very different squad without the likes of Maggie Weiers, Anna Smith, Jen Dockter, Elaine Warner, Alyssa (nothing vanilla) Favilla, Hannah Hughes, et al, it would be a mistake to count this team out. Senior guard Katie Stone now assumes the role of the "go to" player on this squad and she certainly has the necessary leadership capabilities. With a host of new faces on this year's team, it will be interesting to see how they come along. Certainly they won't be invincible as they have been the last couple of seasons but Head Coach Ruth Sinn is a master at making the most of a not so great situation and this would be the one team I would not want to face if my season were at stake in February.
Solid Playoff Contenders
3. GAC
4. Concordia
5. Augsburg
The Gusties are looking to make amends on the disappointing way their season ended last year and, by looking at this year's roster, they are certainly capable of doing that and then some. Simply put, this year's team is loaded with a lot of young talent. More importantly, I think that this young group will mesh nicely with the returning veterans. I think that sophomore Mikayla Miller has the ability to become the best point guard in the conference and senior forward Lindsey Johnson is one of the most versatile players in the MIAC with her ability to score from the perimeter as well as get into the paint for the hard-earned points. I think Head Coach Laurie Kelly has her squad primed to make that move back into the elite echelon where GAC belongs, IMHO. Personally, I think the Gusties have an outside shot at winning the title this year IF they get some breaks along the way that they haven't had the last few seasons.
Concordia is a team that just always seems to be in the mix under Head Coach Jessica Rahman and I expect that trend to continue this season as well. The Cobbers will have to find someone to replace Erin Januschka down low although, presumably anyway, her younger sister Jenna Januschka will be ready and willing to step in as a seasoned junior. Another huge void will be at the point guard spot vacated by Alley Fisher who was one of the top point guards in the conference last season. Senior Hannah Jeske is back as is fellow senior Olivia Johnson who can clean the glass so those two will certainly assume the leadership roles on the team but who steps up as the "go to" person?
Augsburg figures to have something to say about this whole thing as well as they have an interesting mix of new and returning players. Ted Riverso, who had some great years at UST before serving on Pam Borton's staff at Minnesota, assumes the head coaching reigns sadly vacated by the passing of Bill McKee this last summer. While the Auggies did lose Abbey Luger to graduation, they do return senior Jenna Orth; one of the best defenders in the conference along with senior post Jessica Lillquist and senior guard Ashley Anfinson. But the new additions are eye-openers: senior guard Maria Loughlin who transferred in from UM-Crookston and senior guard Allison McKee who transferred in from Bemidji State. You could easily make the case for flip-flopping Augsburg and Concordia at the fourth and fifth spots and I know some who will.
Fighting For That Sixth Spot
6. CSB
7. Carleton
8. St. Olaf
9. SMU
I give the nod to the Blazers this time around for snaring that coveted sixth spot. God only knows they have disappointed me before but I like the mix of the young and returning talent Head Coach Mike Durbin has this season. He certainly has some height this season in sophomore post Niki Fokken and fellow sophomore post Kate Banovetz. Junior guard Macy Kelly is now healthy and presumably should hit full stride once the season gets underway. Fellow junior guard Annie Dittberner is a player to keep your eye on as well. Still, a lot of question marks remain for this team. Can they be consistent? Can they avoid some of the scoring droughts they've suffered over the last few seasons? Who steps up as the leader of this team. When the refined product is revealed come January we should have answers to some of the questions.
Just by glancing at their roster, Carleton has to be the most intriguing team this year. Head Coach Cassie Kosiba certainly has the "numbers" but will those numbers lead to immediate results? That seems to be the big question surrounding the Knights this year anyway. While Carleton did lose Skylar Tsutsui to graduation, they do add sophomore Anne Hamilton who transferred in from Valparaiso University. Seniors Michele Arima and Gabbi Stienstra are back as well.
Crosstown rival St. Olaf features an interesting roster as well headlined by senior three-point specialist Afton Wolter and junior Betsey Daly. The big question for the Oles is who replaces departed Nikki Frogner at the post? Another nagging question for the Oles: Can they ever find a way to be consistent?
SMU looked to be sitting in a very good position at the end of last season before Mandy Pearson was lured to the Twin Ports by UM-Duluth. Replacing her is new Head Coach Brent Pollari who comes from Minnesota State-Mankato. Pollari certainly doesn't have a bare cupboard as senior guard Bridget Pethke returns fully healthy off of the nasty ACL injury she suffered last year and backing her up is equally capable junior Emma Schaefer who shined brightly in the MIAC Quarterfinal Playoff win over GAC. Newcomer freshman Brandi Blattner out of Dover-Eyota will be another young player to keep your eyes on. The big question here is how well and how quickly do the Cardinals adapt to a new system. This squad is not terribly big in size either and this could very well be another team that finds itself on the outside looking in once the regular season is done.
Bringing Up The Rear
10. St. Kate's
11. Hamline
12. Macalester
St. Kate's is just one of those teams you can never take for granted. True, they had that nine-game swoon after the first of the year last season but came on strong at the end. They have an exciting mix of talent in players such as junior LaShay Holt, senior sharpshooting guard Shauna Horsch, willowy junior forward Kennedy Jennings, and the twin sister duo of Audra and Meg Clark in the backcourt. Junior forward/post Mari Lee is developing into a very solid player as well. They took GAC to overtime in arguably one of the best games in the MIAC last year and gave eventual Elite Eight participant UST fits during their regular-season clashes and knocked off NCAA Tournament participant Bethel at home. For the 'Cats, it really all boils down to consistency and staying healthy. Don't be surprised if they pull off a shocker or two this year.
Hamline has the unenviable task of replacing all-world Jordan Sammons and it's likely going to be like starting all over again learning to play without her on the court. The Pipers do return junior guard Chloe Graves and fellow junior guard Chelsey Bonsante along with senior Emily Behrman. But it will almost certainly be an uphill battle for Head Coach Kerri Stockwell and her squad this season.
Macalester and Head Coach Kelly Roysland will be looking to improve on last year's 3-22 season and, despite their record, this is never a team you want to take lightly. They may not have the most dynamic roster in the conference but at the same time, this is a team that does not beat itself. Senior guards Erin Murray and Katelyn Kack handle the backcourt duties and junior forward Park Masterson can be a factor down low. Sometimes it's a matter of baby steps but the Scots have to take this thing one game at a time.
Monday, November 9, 2015
CSB vs Northwestern Scrimmage 11-6-15
Made my way on I-694 over to Roseville and the University of Northwestern campus to take in this intriguing Friday night scrimmage pitting visiting CSB against host Northwestern. This would be my first look at the Blazers in this brand new season who are looking for big things after enduring two straight disappointing 12-13 seasons. While I got a close-up view of the Eagles last week Friday at their practice, I was also anxious to see them in an actual game situation to see how all the moving parts worked.
In the first ten-minute scrimmage, Northwestern showed off its 2-3 match-up zone that Head Coach Aaron Kahl steadfastly believes in from the get-go but that didn't seem to faze the Blazers in the opening act. With 9:05 left, junior guard Annie Dittberner drilled a "3" from the right corner for a 3-0 CSB lead. The Eagles were able to reduce the deficit down to one in the early going when sophomore guard Amy Berglund; who sat out last year with an injury, connected with a lay-up in transition with 8:30 left. But CSB was able to go right back to work. Sophomore forward/post Chelsey Guetter got fouled down low with 7:52 left and was able to sink one of two freebies. With 7:41 left, Guetter again was in the paint trying to score where she was fouled again. She was able to sink the first free throw for a 5-2 Blazer advantage but the second one rimmed out. But there to rebound for CSB was sophomore post Kate Banovetz who was able to make the most of the situation and got a putback with 7:35 left for a 7-2 Blazer lead. To their credit, however, Northwestern was able to battle right back and make things tight the rest of the way. Senior forward/post Regan Cooper got into the paint for a score with 7:20 left and then junior sharpshooting guard Tiffany Stubbs drained a "3" from the top of the key with 6:35 left that suddenly knotted things at seven a piece. The Eagles grabbed their first lead of the evening shortly thereafter when Berglund connected with a jumper along the left baseline with 5:55 left. Northwestern was able to increase the lead to three points at 14-11 when Stubbs hit another "3" with 1:57 left but CSB soon responded. Sophomore guard Morgan Merritt knocked down a "3" of her own from the left wing area that tied the game at 14-all. The Eagles took one last lead in this one at 16-14 on a score with 1:30 left but Dittberner found the range again from behind the arc in that right corner area with just :10 left and the final tally I had for this first scrimmage was 17-16 CSB.
In the second ten-minute scrimmage, the Eagles were able to turn the table and get the best of the Blazers as they bolted out to an 11-2 advantage. Stubbs' jumper along the left baseline with 9:45 left and Berglund's jumper from the right corner with 8:15 left made it 4-0 Northwestern and then it was Stubbs' "3" from the left top area with 7:29 left that made it 7-2 Eagles. Cooper's score in the paint with 5:29 left and then junior Emily VanLith snared an offensive rebound for a putback with 4:43 left for that 11-2 lead. CSB stopped the bleeding momentarily on a steal and lay-up the other way by freshman Grace Wolhowe but junior Rachel Hart's jumper along the left baseline with 2:54 left and Berglund's jumper from the top of the key just inside the arc with 2:32 left along with two more Cooper scores - a short jumper in the lane with 2:02 left and an offensive rebound and putback of a miss with 1:05 left - stretched the lead to 19-4. Guetter was able to connect on a drive and finish with :24 left but Northwestern won this second scrimmage handily by a 19-6 count.
Northwestern Head Coach threw a bit of a wrinkle in the third scrimmage as he had his team divert from its normal 2-3 match-up zone into a rare man-to-man showing. CSB did jump out to an early 4-0 lead on two scores by lanky 6'3" sophomore post Niki Fokken - a score in the paint with 9:24 left and a jumper along the left baseline with 8:01 left. The Eagles would soon right the ship, however, as a score in the paint by by sophomore post Jesse Rademacher and a Berglund lay-up knotted things up at 4-all. One Rademacher freebie with 5:11 left and a Stubbs "3" from the left wing with 4:35 left made it 8-4 Northwestern and the Eagles completed the 10-0 run on a Cooper lay-up with 3:29 left. Fokken got the Blazers on the board again with her score in the paint with 3:09 left but then Northwestern went on an 8-0 burst. VanLith connected with a jumper from the right wing with 2:13 left and then the Eagles did more damage from three-point land. Stubbs drained yet another one from the left wing with 1:44 left and then sophomore guard Andrea Zimpel drilled one from the right wing area with 1:01 left that sealed the deal for an 18-6 advantage. Wolhowe did get a "3" to go down with :31 left that cut the deficit back into single-digit range for the Blazers and Banovetz' score in the paint with :14 left drew CSB closer but a pair of free throws by senior guard Kim Campbell made the final count in this one 20-11 in favor of Northwestern.
In the fourth scrimmage, Campbell, who had been relatively quiet in the first three scrimmages, made her presence felt early on as the former Bloomington Kennedy standout connected with a lay-up in transition with 9:09 left and then connected with another lay-up with 8:07 left as the shot clock was expiring for a 4-0 Eagle lead. Dittberner got CSB on the board with her "3" from the left wing with 7:21 left but then Stubbs was able to answer for Northwestern with her three-point bomb from the right wing with 7:04 left. The three-point fest continued as willowy Blazer junior guard Alison Newton found the range from the left top area that cut the Eagle lead down to 7-6 with 6:24 left. Dittberner gave CSB an 8-7 lead with her lay-up after a Northwestern turnover with 4:21 left but a Campbell "3" from the right wing with 3:43 gave the Eagles the lead back at 10-8 and a score in the paint by sophomore guard Jessica Cole upped the advantage to 12-8. A Merritt "3" from the right top area with 1:28 left got the Blazers close again trailing 12-11 but an offensive rebound and putback by Rademacher with :34 left provided insurance as Northwestern won the fourth scrimmage by a 14-11 count.
After the Blazers and Eagles did a couple of one-minute scrimmages simulating last-second scenarios, both teams did one more ten-minute scrimmage with the newbies taking center stage that featured running time as well to speed things along. Scoring in this one came at a premium early on as gaffes and numerous turnovers were the order of the evening in the nightcap. Freshman guard Courtney Nelson got CSB a 3-0 lead on her trey from the right wing with 6:48 left and, after a short shot by freshman forward Megan Schroeder with 4:54 left, Nelson found the range again from the left corner with 4:31 left for an 8-0 Blazer advantage. The lead would increase to 13-0 on a lay-up in transition by freshman forward Breanna Gates with 4:11 left and a score in the paint by Banovetz with 3:27 left along with one Banovetz freebie with 2:04 left. Freshman guard Sarah Thilenius' score in the paint with :29 left along with an offensive rebound and putback by Gates with just :00.4 left gave CSB a 17-1 win in this one.
Afterward, CSB Head Coach Mike Durbin didn't hesitate to point out his team's shortcomings on this evening. He quickly pointed out that the squad didn't rotate well enough on defense which led to several easy scoring opportunities for the Eagles. But I got the feeling from talking with him that his squad is slowly coming along and that he has the tools to compete for a playoff spot in the ultra-tough MIAC. I personally think that they do as well but they've got to avoid some of the scoring droughts that have plagued them at times over the last couple of seasons.
In the first ten-minute scrimmage, Northwestern showed off its 2-3 match-up zone that Head Coach Aaron Kahl steadfastly believes in from the get-go but that didn't seem to faze the Blazers in the opening act. With 9:05 left, junior guard Annie Dittberner drilled a "3" from the right corner for a 3-0 CSB lead. The Eagles were able to reduce the deficit down to one in the early going when sophomore guard Amy Berglund; who sat out last year with an injury, connected with a lay-up in transition with 8:30 left. But CSB was able to go right back to work. Sophomore forward/post Chelsey Guetter got fouled down low with 7:52 left and was able to sink one of two freebies. With 7:41 left, Guetter again was in the paint trying to score where she was fouled again. She was able to sink the first free throw for a 5-2 Blazer advantage but the second one rimmed out. But there to rebound for CSB was sophomore post Kate Banovetz who was able to make the most of the situation and got a putback with 7:35 left for a 7-2 Blazer lead. To their credit, however, Northwestern was able to battle right back and make things tight the rest of the way. Senior forward/post Regan Cooper got into the paint for a score with 7:20 left and then junior sharpshooting guard Tiffany Stubbs drained a "3" from the top of the key with 6:35 left that suddenly knotted things at seven a piece. The Eagles grabbed their first lead of the evening shortly thereafter when Berglund connected with a jumper along the left baseline with 5:55 left. Northwestern was able to increase the lead to three points at 14-11 when Stubbs hit another "3" with 1:57 left but CSB soon responded. Sophomore guard Morgan Merritt knocked down a "3" of her own from the left wing area that tied the game at 14-all. The Eagles took one last lead in this one at 16-14 on a score with 1:30 left but Dittberner found the range again from behind the arc in that right corner area with just :10 left and the final tally I had for this first scrimmage was 17-16 CSB.
In the second ten-minute scrimmage, the Eagles were able to turn the table and get the best of the Blazers as they bolted out to an 11-2 advantage. Stubbs' jumper along the left baseline with 9:45 left and Berglund's jumper from the right corner with 8:15 left made it 4-0 Northwestern and then it was Stubbs' "3" from the left top area with 7:29 left that made it 7-2 Eagles. Cooper's score in the paint with 5:29 left and then junior Emily VanLith snared an offensive rebound for a putback with 4:43 left for that 11-2 lead. CSB stopped the bleeding momentarily on a steal and lay-up the other way by freshman Grace Wolhowe but junior Rachel Hart's jumper along the left baseline with 2:54 left and Berglund's jumper from the top of the key just inside the arc with 2:32 left along with two more Cooper scores - a short jumper in the lane with 2:02 left and an offensive rebound and putback of a miss with 1:05 left - stretched the lead to 19-4. Guetter was able to connect on a drive and finish with :24 left but Northwestern won this second scrimmage handily by a 19-6 count.
Northwestern Head Coach threw a bit of a wrinkle in the third scrimmage as he had his team divert from its normal 2-3 match-up zone into a rare man-to-man showing. CSB did jump out to an early 4-0 lead on two scores by lanky 6'3" sophomore post Niki Fokken - a score in the paint with 9:24 left and a jumper along the left baseline with 8:01 left. The Eagles would soon right the ship, however, as a score in the paint by by sophomore post Jesse Rademacher and a Berglund lay-up knotted things up at 4-all. One Rademacher freebie with 5:11 left and a Stubbs "3" from the left wing with 4:35 left made it 8-4 Northwestern and the Eagles completed the 10-0 run on a Cooper lay-up with 3:29 left. Fokken got the Blazers on the board again with her score in the paint with 3:09 left but then Northwestern went on an 8-0 burst. VanLith connected with a jumper from the right wing with 2:13 left and then the Eagles did more damage from three-point land. Stubbs drained yet another one from the left wing with 1:44 left and then sophomore guard Andrea Zimpel drilled one from the right wing area with 1:01 left that sealed the deal for an 18-6 advantage. Wolhowe did get a "3" to go down with :31 left that cut the deficit back into single-digit range for the Blazers and Banovetz' score in the paint with :14 left drew CSB closer but a pair of free throws by senior guard Kim Campbell made the final count in this one 20-11 in favor of Northwestern.
In the fourth scrimmage, Campbell, who had been relatively quiet in the first three scrimmages, made her presence felt early on as the former Bloomington Kennedy standout connected with a lay-up in transition with 9:09 left and then connected with another lay-up with 8:07 left as the shot clock was expiring for a 4-0 Eagle lead. Dittberner got CSB on the board with her "3" from the left wing with 7:21 left but then Stubbs was able to answer for Northwestern with her three-point bomb from the right wing with 7:04 left. The three-point fest continued as willowy Blazer junior guard Alison Newton found the range from the left top area that cut the Eagle lead down to 7-6 with 6:24 left. Dittberner gave CSB an 8-7 lead with her lay-up after a Northwestern turnover with 4:21 left but a Campbell "3" from the right wing with 3:43 gave the Eagles the lead back at 10-8 and a score in the paint by sophomore guard Jessica Cole upped the advantage to 12-8. A Merritt "3" from the right top area with 1:28 left got the Blazers close again trailing 12-11 but an offensive rebound and putback by Rademacher with :34 left provided insurance as Northwestern won the fourth scrimmage by a 14-11 count.
After the Blazers and Eagles did a couple of one-minute scrimmages simulating last-second scenarios, both teams did one more ten-minute scrimmage with the newbies taking center stage that featured running time as well to speed things along. Scoring in this one came at a premium early on as gaffes and numerous turnovers were the order of the evening in the nightcap. Freshman guard Courtney Nelson got CSB a 3-0 lead on her trey from the right wing with 6:48 left and, after a short shot by freshman forward Megan Schroeder with 4:54 left, Nelson found the range again from the left corner with 4:31 left for an 8-0 Blazer advantage. The lead would increase to 13-0 on a lay-up in transition by freshman forward Breanna Gates with 4:11 left and a score in the paint by Banovetz with 3:27 left along with one Banovetz freebie with 2:04 left. Freshman guard Sarah Thilenius' score in the paint with :29 left along with an offensive rebound and putback by Gates with just :00.4 left gave CSB a 17-1 win in this one.
Afterward, CSB Head Coach Mike Durbin didn't hesitate to point out his team's shortcomings on this evening. He quickly pointed out that the squad didn't rotate well enough on defense which led to several easy scoring opportunities for the Eagles. But I got the feeling from talking with him that his squad is slowly coming along and that he has the tools to compete for a playoff spot in the ultra-tough MIAC. I personally think that they do as well but they've got to avoid some of the scoring droughts that have plagued them at times over the last couple of seasons.
Thursday, November 5, 2015
Bethany Lutheran vs Augsburg Scrimmage 11-4-15
Made the trek over to Augsburg's Si Melby Hall on this Wednesday night to get another look at the Auggies after last week's scrimmage with Anoka-Ramsey. On this night Augsburg would be taking on another relatively unfamiliar opponent - Bethany Lutheran out of the UMAC. The Vikings are coming into this season with a lot to prove given the fact that they have been picked to finish sixth in their conference in the preseason coaches poll. Unfortunately on this night, the Bethany Lutheran team was not wearing any numerals on their practice jerseys so despite having a 2015-16 roster I was left kind of helpless not knowing the team very well.
In the first ten-minute scrimmage, both teams opened up in man-to-man defense but it would be Augsburg who would make the necessary adjustments to get off to a great start. Senior guard Ashley Anfinson's "3" from the right corner with 8:59 left and a jumper by senior guard Maria Loughlin had the Auggies up 5-0 with 7:50 left. Bethany Lutheran looked out of sorts early in this one as mistakes and turnovers helped fuel the Auggie fire. Anfinson connected with another "3" from the right wing with 7:27 left and a lay-up in transition after a Viking turnover by freshman guard Alaina Quaranta made it a 10-0 game and Bethany Lutheran Head Coach Lyle Jones had seen enough to know that a timeout was warranted. But Augsburg was able to push the lead to as much as 15-2 on a score in the paint by freshman forward Megan Quam with 4:36 left and a pretty jumper along the left baseline by Loughlin with 3:27 left before the Vikings finally got untracked. A steal and lay-up in transition with 2:46 left and a "3" from the left top area with 1:27 left helped trim the Auggie lead down to 15-8. Augsburg would get the lead to 17-8 on a lay-up in transition by junior guard Erin Bolden with 1:07 left before the Vikings got their last points of this first scrimmage with :18 left that left the finally tally at 17-10 Augsburg.
If the first scrimmage was bad for Bethany Lutheran, the second one was even worse. An offensive rebound and putback by freshman forward/post Carlee Kobow with 9:08 left and a Loughlin "3" from the top of the key with 8:23 left gave the Auggies a quick 5-0 advantage and Jones; sensing doom for his squad again, called a quick timeout to try and halt the tide. But the Auggies were far from finished with this onslaught. Loughline made the cotton sing yet another pretty tune with her "3" from the right top area with 7:09 left and Anfinson connected with her third trey of the night - a bomb from the left wing area with 6:42 left for an 11-0 Augsburg lead. Sophomore forward Hannah Steinhaus got a lay-up in transition with 5:07 left and still another Loughlin "3" - this one from the left top area with 4:27 left - made it a 16-0 game. Senior post Bridget Kopp got into the act as well: a one-handed shot off the glass with 3:35 left and a score in the paint with 2:11 left bloated the score to 20-0 before the Vikings finally found some signs of life late. A short jumper with 1:50 left and an offensive rebound and putback made it 21-4 and a "3" from the left top area with :28.3 left left the final tally at Augsburg 21 Bethany Lutheran 7.
As much as the Auggies dominated the first two scrimmage sessions, the third scrimmage was a 180-degree turnaround as Bethany Lutheran was able to establish a 9-0 lead with 4:53 left thanks to a handful of errors and turnovers by Augsburg that led to at least four transition opportunities for the Vikings. A Bolden "3" from the right top area with 4:39 left momentarily stopped the bleeding but the Auggies seemed strangely out of sorts and the errors and turnovers started piling up as the Vikings reeled off three straight easy lay-ups in transition that had to have Augsburg Head Coach Ted Riverso fuming. Two late Bethany Lutheran freebies had me tallying the final count at 17-3 in favor of the Vikings.
In the fourth scrimmage, the Auggies were able to right the ship and do an encore of the first and second scrimmage session. Two Quam free throws with 9:17 left along with two Bolden scores - a "3" from the right top area with 8:46 left and a short jumper from the left side had Augsburg up 7-0. Kopp was able to knock down a jumper from the right elbow with 7:11 left and then Quam slithered inside for a score with 5:16 left for an 11-0 game. Bethany Lutheran, as they had in the first two scrimmage sessions, was having numerous problems trying to work the ball inside which often led to costly turnovers. One turnover forced by Quaranta led to an easy lay-up the other way by the Eau Claire, Wisconsin native with 5:02 left and with 4:15 left, Kobow used her long frame to get a score in the paint for a 15-0 Auggie advantage before Bethany Lutheran finally settled down. A short jumper from the left wing area with 3:25 left along with a lay-up in transition made it 15-4 and a score in the paint with 2:08 left got the Vikings back to within single digits trailing 15-6. But another Kobow score down low with 1:52 left along with another one by Quam with 1:18 left had Augsburg winning the nightcap by a count of 19-8.
For the most part, I thought the Auggies looked much sharper on offense than they did a week ago despite the fact that they still don't have everybody back yet. Senior guard Jenna Orth is still in the process of recovering from concussion-like symptoms and senior guard Marie Fitzgerald will finally be returning after helping the Augsburg women's soccer team with a very successful season. Senior forward/post Jessica Lillquist will certainly bolster the Auggie front court when she is back in action as well. Riverso, not wanting to give away the candy store, grudgingly admitted that his team looked better although he himself knows there is still room for significant improvement.
In the first ten-minute scrimmage, both teams opened up in man-to-man defense but it would be Augsburg who would make the necessary adjustments to get off to a great start. Senior guard Ashley Anfinson's "3" from the right corner with 8:59 left and a jumper by senior guard Maria Loughlin had the Auggies up 5-0 with 7:50 left. Bethany Lutheran looked out of sorts early in this one as mistakes and turnovers helped fuel the Auggie fire. Anfinson connected with another "3" from the right wing with 7:27 left and a lay-up in transition after a Viking turnover by freshman guard Alaina Quaranta made it a 10-0 game and Bethany Lutheran Head Coach Lyle Jones had seen enough to know that a timeout was warranted. But Augsburg was able to push the lead to as much as 15-2 on a score in the paint by freshman forward Megan Quam with 4:36 left and a pretty jumper along the left baseline by Loughlin with 3:27 left before the Vikings finally got untracked. A steal and lay-up in transition with 2:46 left and a "3" from the left top area with 1:27 left helped trim the Auggie lead down to 15-8. Augsburg would get the lead to 17-8 on a lay-up in transition by junior guard Erin Bolden with 1:07 left before the Vikings got their last points of this first scrimmage with :18 left that left the finally tally at 17-10 Augsburg.
If the first scrimmage was bad for Bethany Lutheran, the second one was even worse. An offensive rebound and putback by freshman forward/post Carlee Kobow with 9:08 left and a Loughlin "3" from the top of the key with 8:23 left gave the Auggies a quick 5-0 advantage and Jones; sensing doom for his squad again, called a quick timeout to try and halt the tide. But the Auggies were far from finished with this onslaught. Loughline made the cotton sing yet another pretty tune with her "3" from the right top area with 7:09 left and Anfinson connected with her third trey of the night - a bomb from the left wing area with 6:42 left for an 11-0 Augsburg lead. Sophomore forward Hannah Steinhaus got a lay-up in transition with 5:07 left and still another Loughlin "3" - this one from the left top area with 4:27 left - made it a 16-0 game. Senior post Bridget Kopp got into the act as well: a one-handed shot off the glass with 3:35 left and a score in the paint with 2:11 left bloated the score to 20-0 before the Vikings finally found some signs of life late. A short jumper with 1:50 left and an offensive rebound and putback made it 21-4 and a "3" from the left top area with :28.3 left left the final tally at Augsburg 21 Bethany Lutheran 7.
As much as the Auggies dominated the first two scrimmage sessions, the third scrimmage was a 180-degree turnaround as Bethany Lutheran was able to establish a 9-0 lead with 4:53 left thanks to a handful of errors and turnovers by Augsburg that led to at least four transition opportunities for the Vikings. A Bolden "3" from the right top area with 4:39 left momentarily stopped the bleeding but the Auggies seemed strangely out of sorts and the errors and turnovers started piling up as the Vikings reeled off three straight easy lay-ups in transition that had to have Augsburg Head Coach Ted Riverso fuming. Two late Bethany Lutheran freebies had me tallying the final count at 17-3 in favor of the Vikings.
In the fourth scrimmage, the Auggies were able to right the ship and do an encore of the first and second scrimmage session. Two Quam free throws with 9:17 left along with two Bolden scores - a "3" from the right top area with 8:46 left and a short jumper from the left side had Augsburg up 7-0. Kopp was able to knock down a jumper from the right elbow with 7:11 left and then Quam slithered inside for a score with 5:16 left for an 11-0 game. Bethany Lutheran, as they had in the first two scrimmage sessions, was having numerous problems trying to work the ball inside which often led to costly turnovers. One turnover forced by Quaranta led to an easy lay-up the other way by the Eau Claire, Wisconsin native with 5:02 left and with 4:15 left, Kobow used her long frame to get a score in the paint for a 15-0 Auggie advantage before Bethany Lutheran finally settled down. A short jumper from the left wing area with 3:25 left along with a lay-up in transition made it 15-4 and a score in the paint with 2:08 left got the Vikings back to within single digits trailing 15-6. But another Kobow score down low with 1:52 left along with another one by Quam with 1:18 left had Augsburg winning the nightcap by a count of 19-8.
For the most part, I thought the Auggies looked much sharper on offense than they did a week ago despite the fact that they still don't have everybody back yet. Senior guard Jenna Orth is still in the process of recovering from concussion-like symptoms and senior guard Marie Fitzgerald will finally be returning after helping the Augsburg women's soccer team with a very successful season. Senior forward/post Jessica Lillquist will certainly bolster the Auggie front court when she is back in action as well. Riverso, not wanting to give away the candy store, grudgingly admitted that his team looked better although he himself knows there is still room for significant improvement.
Tuesday, November 3, 2015
Northwestern Practice 10-30-15
Drove over to Roseville on Friday afternoon to take in Northwestern's late afternoon/early evening practice. I got to Ericksen Center shortly after 4:30 and was greeted by a very hospitable Head Coach Aaron Kahl and we discussed his squad and his hopes and expectations for the upcoming season.
After the team works on various warm-up and stretching exercises, the first order of the day for the team is working on short jump shots from near the "elbow" and on lay-ups that stress both accuracy and consistency as it's those small things that often count in critical moments in a close game. Another important early drill that Kahl has his squad do is what Kahl terms as "star passing"; i.e., where the team is in four small groups near center court and they work on various passes to each other. At first glance, it may not seem like that big of a deal but it's definitely harder than what it looks like and accurate and precise passing is crucial if the team is to be successful.
The next drill is an interesting one that is called "4 minute lay-ups" whereby two players are at each free throw line and then you have a line of players on each end of the floor. The players at the free throw line feed the players from the baseline who run down in transition and finish with a lay-up. But the drill that follows, "4 trips in :32" is really tough. Here, you have three players working together in a full-court drill where the goal is to make four successful trips up and down the court and finishing with a lay-up without making a mistake. It's definitely a challenging drill and considering the fact that you've got the clock working against you makes it even more difficult. But it's these types of drill that helps make Kahl's teams as successful as they are during the season.
The next drill has players starting out in a 5-on-0 "shell drill" down the court where they finish with passing and a lay-up but, on the trip back down, these five players are met by five defenders where they then battle it out in the half-court. Here, Kahl is stressing defense and it gives the squad a great opportunity to work on that 2-3 zone that Kahl is a strong believer in.
Then comes the 5-on-5 full-court work and here's where you really see the intensity and desire that this squad has. There is great chemistry and teamwork and a lot of encouragement for each other on this team and that's one of the big reasons why Northwestern has been as successful as they've been over the last few seasons. They are very close-knit and are really one big family. Finally, to wrap up the day, Kahl has his team work on some more short shots and some three-point shooting as well and finish the night up with the "big shot" whereby players take their chances with a half-court Hail Mary heave. It's a low-percentage shot to be sure but inevitably there are times when teams find themselves in those desperate situations and it doesn't hurt to practice it even if it's just for fun.
Outtakes: This is a relatively young team that features three seniors, five juniors and a handful of sophomores and freshmen. They do have senior forward/post Regan Cooper back but they do not have a lot of size. Jacki Smith, who used her lanky 6'2" frame to swat away shots last year has graduated and now is a volunteer assistant coach. What they do lack in size, however, is largely made up for with their athleticism and speed and the ability to hit the "3" and senior forward Kim Campbell along with junior guard Tiffany Stubbs appear to be the premier three-point threats for the Eagles. Junior forward Emily VanLith is a versatile player who can rebound and hit those tough shots in the paint and junior reserve post Rachel Hart figures to be counted on heavily for the tough work down low. So while the starting five appear to be solid and there are some good parts coming off the bench as well, the big question for Kahl then becomes how quickly can he develop his younger players......The entry of UW-Superior into the UMAC for the 2015-16 season drastically changes the mix as the Yellowjackets figure to be the favorites in their inaugural season in the conference. UM-Morris should once again be in the mix despite having some key graduation losses to a squad that won the UMAC Championship game and played in the NCAA Tournament.
After the team works on various warm-up and stretching exercises, the first order of the day for the team is working on short jump shots from near the "elbow" and on lay-ups that stress both accuracy and consistency as it's those small things that often count in critical moments in a close game. Another important early drill that Kahl has his squad do is what Kahl terms as "star passing"; i.e., where the team is in four small groups near center court and they work on various passes to each other. At first glance, it may not seem like that big of a deal but it's definitely harder than what it looks like and accurate and precise passing is crucial if the team is to be successful.
The next drill is an interesting one that is called "4 minute lay-ups" whereby two players are at each free throw line and then you have a line of players on each end of the floor. The players at the free throw line feed the players from the baseline who run down in transition and finish with a lay-up. But the drill that follows, "4 trips in :32" is really tough. Here, you have three players working together in a full-court drill where the goal is to make four successful trips up and down the court and finishing with a lay-up without making a mistake. It's definitely a challenging drill and considering the fact that you've got the clock working against you makes it even more difficult. But it's these types of drill that helps make Kahl's teams as successful as they are during the season.
The next drill has players starting out in a 5-on-0 "shell drill" down the court where they finish with passing and a lay-up but, on the trip back down, these five players are met by five defenders where they then battle it out in the half-court. Here, Kahl is stressing defense and it gives the squad a great opportunity to work on that 2-3 zone that Kahl is a strong believer in.
Then comes the 5-on-5 full-court work and here's where you really see the intensity and desire that this squad has. There is great chemistry and teamwork and a lot of encouragement for each other on this team and that's one of the big reasons why Northwestern has been as successful as they've been over the last few seasons. They are very close-knit and are really one big family. Finally, to wrap up the day, Kahl has his team work on some more short shots and some three-point shooting as well and finish the night up with the "big shot" whereby players take their chances with a half-court Hail Mary heave. It's a low-percentage shot to be sure but inevitably there are times when teams find themselves in those desperate situations and it doesn't hurt to practice it even if it's just for fun.
Outtakes: This is a relatively young team that features three seniors, five juniors and a handful of sophomores and freshmen. They do have senior forward/post Regan Cooper back but they do not have a lot of size. Jacki Smith, who used her lanky 6'2" frame to swat away shots last year has graduated and now is a volunteer assistant coach. What they do lack in size, however, is largely made up for with their athleticism and speed and the ability to hit the "3" and senior forward Kim Campbell along with junior guard Tiffany Stubbs appear to be the premier three-point threats for the Eagles. Junior forward Emily VanLith is a versatile player who can rebound and hit those tough shots in the paint and junior reserve post Rachel Hart figures to be counted on heavily for the tough work down low. So while the starting five appear to be solid and there are some good parts coming off the bench as well, the big question for Kahl then becomes how quickly can he develop his younger players......The entry of UW-Superior into the UMAC for the 2015-16 season drastically changes the mix as the Yellowjackets figure to be the favorites in their inaugural season in the conference. UM-Morris should once again be in the mix despite having some key graduation losses to a squad that won the UMAC Championship game and played in the NCAA Tournament.
Thursday, October 29, 2015
Augsburg vs Anoka-Ramsey Scrimmage Recap 10-29-15
Hurried out to Anoka-Ramsey after getting home from work to take in this scrimmage between visiting Augsburg and Anoka-Ramsey. This would be my first look at the Auggies under new Head Coach Ted Riverso so I was quite interested to get a look at them and their new players as well. For Anoka-Ramsey, I wanted to see how well they could recover after battling Macalester on the previous night. I got settled in in the final three minutes of the first ten minute scrimmage and, without any score being displayed I had no idea how the first scrimmage went.
The second scrimmage of the evening proved to be a battle of the post players. Golden Ram sophomore Daron Mainville helped Anoka-Ramsey draw first blood with 9:14 left when she muscled inside for a score and the Auggies struggled a bit early on in their offensive sets. But two lanky freshmen finally helped Augsburg get untracked: Carlee Kobow connected with a lay-up with 7:26 left and then Megan Quam got into the paint for another score with 6:54 left that gave the Auggies a 4-2 lead. Mainville would answer for the Golden Rams with 6:23 left when she connected with a tough shot off the glass that knotted the issue at 4-all but the Kobow/Quam duo then propelled Augsburg on a decisive 6-0 burst. Kobow snared an offensive rebound for a putback with 4:36 left and then Quam sneaked into the paint for another score with 3:56 left. The Auggies then took advantage of some sloppy ball handling by Anoka-Ramsey and got into a transition opportunity that was finished off by a Kobow lay-up with 3:20 left for a 10-4 Augsburg lead. A Kobow free throw with 1:52 left maintained that six-point cushion at 11-5 before the Golden Rams made one last gasp in the form of a "3" from the right top area by sophomore guard Laya Sath with just :02 left that had me tallying the final score at 11-8 in favor of Augsburg.
The final ten minute scrimmage of the night featured running time to speed things along. But Kobow picked up right where she left off when the nightcap got underway. With 9:09 left she slithered into the paint for a score and got fouled in the process and her free throw promptly gave the Auggies a 3-0 lead. Anoka-Ramsey still had difficulty getting the ball inside as Augsburg did a very good job of clogging up the middle. Sath was able to get the Golden Rams on the board with her free throw with 7:45 left but that would be as close as Anoka-Ramsey could get in this one. Auggie freshman guard Alaina Quaranta's free throw got the lead back to three with 7:16 remaining and the score stayed 4-1 Augsburg for the next six minutes. Auggie junior guard Erin Bolden finally dusted the cobwebs off the net with her offensive rebound for a putback with 1:07 left for a 6-1 Augsburg lead. Anoka-Ramsey would get its only field goal in this one with :49 left and two late Auggie scores; capped by a lay-up by Kobow with just :03 left made the final in this one 10-3 Augsburg.
Riverso was quick to admit afterward that a LOT of work remains for his squad before the start of the regular season. The Auggies currently have five players who are currently involved in other sports and senior guard Jenna Orth is dealing with some concussion issues at the moment. Presumably, however, once those hurdles are cleared, this Auggie squad should be a good one. Another important piece to the puzzle was added this last summer when former Rogers and Anoka-Ramsey standout Maria Loughlin transferred to Augsburg after spending one season at UM-Crookston.
The second scrimmage of the evening proved to be a battle of the post players. Golden Ram sophomore Daron Mainville helped Anoka-Ramsey draw first blood with 9:14 left when she muscled inside for a score and the Auggies struggled a bit early on in their offensive sets. But two lanky freshmen finally helped Augsburg get untracked: Carlee Kobow connected with a lay-up with 7:26 left and then Megan Quam got into the paint for another score with 6:54 left that gave the Auggies a 4-2 lead. Mainville would answer for the Golden Rams with 6:23 left when she connected with a tough shot off the glass that knotted the issue at 4-all but the Kobow/Quam duo then propelled Augsburg on a decisive 6-0 burst. Kobow snared an offensive rebound for a putback with 4:36 left and then Quam sneaked into the paint for another score with 3:56 left. The Auggies then took advantage of some sloppy ball handling by Anoka-Ramsey and got into a transition opportunity that was finished off by a Kobow lay-up with 3:20 left for a 10-4 Augsburg lead. A Kobow free throw with 1:52 left maintained that six-point cushion at 11-5 before the Golden Rams made one last gasp in the form of a "3" from the right top area by sophomore guard Laya Sath with just :02 left that had me tallying the final score at 11-8 in favor of Augsburg.
The final ten minute scrimmage of the night featured running time to speed things along. But Kobow picked up right where she left off when the nightcap got underway. With 9:09 left she slithered into the paint for a score and got fouled in the process and her free throw promptly gave the Auggies a 3-0 lead. Anoka-Ramsey still had difficulty getting the ball inside as Augsburg did a very good job of clogging up the middle. Sath was able to get the Golden Rams on the board with her free throw with 7:45 left but that would be as close as Anoka-Ramsey could get in this one. Auggie freshman guard Alaina Quaranta's free throw got the lead back to three with 7:16 remaining and the score stayed 4-1 Augsburg for the next six minutes. Auggie junior guard Erin Bolden finally dusted the cobwebs off the net with her offensive rebound for a putback with 1:07 left for a 6-1 Augsburg lead. Anoka-Ramsey would get its only field goal in this one with :49 left and two late Auggie scores; capped by a lay-up by Kobow with just :03 left made the final in this one 10-3 Augsburg.
Riverso was quick to admit afterward that a LOT of work remains for his squad before the start of the regular season. The Auggies currently have five players who are currently involved in other sports and senior guard Jenna Orth is dealing with some concussion issues at the moment. Presumably, however, once those hurdles are cleared, this Auggie squad should be a good one. Another important piece to the puzzle was added this last summer when former Rogers and Anoka-Ramsey standout Maria Loughlin transferred to Augsburg after spending one season at UM-Crookston.
Wednesday, October 28, 2015
Anoka-Ramsey vs Macalester Scrimmage Recap - 10-28-15
Battled traffic on I-94 from the northwest suburbs in the late afternoon to get over to the St. Paul side of town again and over to Macalester College to watch my first scrimmage of the year featuring host Macalester against visiting Anoka-Ramsey. I managed to get settled in with 7:10 left in the first ten minute scrimmage but, since there is typically no score kept on the scoreboard for scrimmages I was clueless as to what the situation was. But Anoka-Ramsey was struggling with turnovers and miscues on offense and this gave the Scots several opportunities to cash in. Sophomore guard Vivi Gregorich cashed in with a lay-up in transition at the 6:13 mark and, despite a three-point bomb by the Golden Rams with 2:03 left, savvy senior guard Erin Murray got two late scores for the Scots towards the end of the first scrimmage: one jumper in the lane with 1:16 left and another from the left corner just inside the arc with :19 left.
That strong finish by Murray towards the end of the first scrimmage seemed to be the cue for the rest of the squad to pick up their game as well once the second scrimmage got underway. Two quick scores in the first minute by lanky junior forward Park Masterson - a "3" from the right top area with 9:26 left and a lay-up after a steal with 9:10 left gave the Scots an early 5-0 lead and Anoka-Ramsey Head Coach David DeWitt called a quick timeout to give his team an earful. But the Scots were far from finished. Two more quick scores by willowy sophomore forward Leah Gray - a "3" from the right wing with 8:51 left and a rebound and putback with 8:02 left - put Macalester up 10-0 and a lay-up by junior point guard Grace Dickman who was wearing a protective mask over her face for this one now made it 12-0 before the Golden Rams finally settled down on offense and started to make things happen. One score in the paint by sophomore forward Daron Mainville with 7:08 left and a steal and lay-up the other way the Golden Rams with 6:50 left trimmed the deficit to eight points. Trailing 14-4, Golden Ram guard Laya Sath made a drive into the paint for a finish and got fouled in the process as well and the ensuing free throw cut the Macalester lead down to seven at 14-7. Anoka-Ramsey cut the Scot lead down to six at 15-9 with 4:45 left but a lay-up after a steal by senior guard Katelyn Kack pushed the Scot lead back to eight at 17-9. Still, Anoka-Ramsey had one last push left in them to draw tantalizingly close. A three-point shot off of an inbounds pass with 3:27 left and a lay-up with 2:52 left cut Macalester's lead down to four at 18-14. Scot sophomore reserve forward Emilie McGuire connected with a lay-up with 1:47 left that made it 20-14 but another Golden Ram score in the paint with 1:33 left and a lay-up with just :02 left had me counting the final in this one at 20-18 Macalester.
The last scrimmage of the evening featured running time to move things along. Anoka-Ramsey drew first blood in this one with a "3" from the left corner with 9:49 left but that was answered by a "3" from Scot junior reserve guard Lauren Clamage from the left corner as well with 8:57 left. Anoka-Ramsey; looking a bit more comfortable on offense in this third scrimmage, was able to score on a lay-up with 6:26 left to forge a 5-3 advantage. Macalester struggled a bit more offensively in this third scrimmage but was able to cut the deficit to one when Gregorich connected with one freebie after being fouled with 3:10 left. A score in the paint by Anoka-Ramsey with 1:41 left gave the Golden Rams a 7-4 lead and Macalester tried to answer when McGuire connected with a score in the paint as well with :25 left. The Scots Masterson looked to be going down for the winning lay-up with scant seconds remaining but she was fouled as time expired and no free throws were given making the final score 7-6 in favor of Anoka-Ramsey.
While the final scores aren't so important scrimmages, overall execution and improvement are and Macalester Head Coach Kelly Roysland seemed pleased with her squad's performance in this outing although she was quick to agree when I felt that they arguably left some points on the table with missed free throws. They're still awaiting one player to join the team yet - sophomore post Regan Fruh who is currently on the volleyball team at Macalester. Roysland feels very excited for the season to begin and I got the impression that she also thinks that her squad is primed to improve on last season's bumpy road. I also visited with Anoka-Ramsey Assistant Coach James Fassett afterward as well. He noted that the numerous turnovers committed by the Golden Rams on this day were not the result of Macalester doing anything special on defense but rather because players were simply trying to do too much at the wrong time; i.e., improvising when they really didn't need to improvise. With several new faces on the squad, it may take some time to get everyone on the same page. Fassett also pointed out that the team scrimmages at home against Augsburg tomorrow (Thursday) night and he wished that the scrimmages were a bit more "spaced out" so that they could have some extra time to work on the things he thinks that they need to work on.
That strong finish by Murray towards the end of the first scrimmage seemed to be the cue for the rest of the squad to pick up their game as well once the second scrimmage got underway. Two quick scores in the first minute by lanky junior forward Park Masterson - a "3" from the right top area with 9:26 left and a lay-up after a steal with 9:10 left gave the Scots an early 5-0 lead and Anoka-Ramsey Head Coach David DeWitt called a quick timeout to give his team an earful. But the Scots were far from finished. Two more quick scores by willowy sophomore forward Leah Gray - a "3" from the right wing with 8:51 left and a rebound and putback with 8:02 left - put Macalester up 10-0 and a lay-up by junior point guard Grace Dickman who was wearing a protective mask over her face for this one now made it 12-0 before the Golden Rams finally settled down on offense and started to make things happen. One score in the paint by sophomore forward Daron Mainville with 7:08 left and a steal and lay-up the other way the Golden Rams with 6:50 left trimmed the deficit to eight points. Trailing 14-4, Golden Ram guard Laya Sath made a drive into the paint for a finish and got fouled in the process as well and the ensuing free throw cut the Macalester lead down to seven at 14-7. Anoka-Ramsey cut the Scot lead down to six at 15-9 with 4:45 left but a lay-up after a steal by senior guard Katelyn Kack pushed the Scot lead back to eight at 17-9. Still, Anoka-Ramsey had one last push left in them to draw tantalizingly close. A three-point shot off of an inbounds pass with 3:27 left and a lay-up with 2:52 left cut Macalester's lead down to four at 18-14. Scot sophomore reserve forward Emilie McGuire connected with a lay-up with 1:47 left that made it 20-14 but another Golden Ram score in the paint with 1:33 left and a lay-up with just :02 left had me counting the final in this one at 20-18 Macalester.
The last scrimmage of the evening featured running time to move things along. Anoka-Ramsey drew first blood in this one with a "3" from the left corner with 9:49 left but that was answered by a "3" from Scot junior reserve guard Lauren Clamage from the left corner as well with 8:57 left. Anoka-Ramsey; looking a bit more comfortable on offense in this third scrimmage, was able to score on a lay-up with 6:26 left to forge a 5-3 advantage. Macalester struggled a bit more offensively in this third scrimmage but was able to cut the deficit to one when Gregorich connected with one freebie after being fouled with 3:10 left. A score in the paint by Anoka-Ramsey with 1:41 left gave the Golden Rams a 7-4 lead and Macalester tried to answer when McGuire connected with a score in the paint as well with :25 left. The Scots Masterson looked to be going down for the winning lay-up with scant seconds remaining but she was fouled as time expired and no free throws were given making the final score 7-6 in favor of Anoka-Ramsey.
While the final scores aren't so important scrimmages, overall execution and improvement are and Macalester Head Coach Kelly Roysland seemed pleased with her squad's performance in this outing although she was quick to agree when I felt that they arguably left some points on the table with missed free throws. They're still awaiting one player to join the team yet - sophomore post Regan Fruh who is currently on the volleyball team at Macalester. Roysland feels very excited for the season to begin and I got the impression that she also thinks that her squad is primed to improve on last season's bumpy road. I also visited with Anoka-Ramsey Assistant Coach James Fassett afterward as well. He noted that the numerous turnovers committed by the Golden Rams on this day were not the result of Macalester doing anything special on defense but rather because players were simply trying to do too much at the wrong time; i.e., improvising when they really didn't need to improvise. With several new faces on the squad, it may take some time to get everyone on the same page. Fassett also pointed out that the team scrimmages at home against Augsburg tomorrow (Thursday) night and he wished that the scrimmages were a bit more "spaced out" so that they could have some extra time to work on the things he thinks that they need to work on.
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