Well, here we go. I've given this a lot of thought over the last several weeks and also wanted to see what some other thoughts were before I went and just put something out there. So here's my thoughts on how things will shake out this year.
Hands Down Favorite
1. UST - How can you NOT go with this squad? Other than losing the MIAC's 3-point shooting Queen in Ali Johnson and trusty guard Carolyn Dienhart along with do it all post Sarah Smith the Tommies have an abundance of talent coming back; notably all-world Taylor Young and the MIAC's premier post player in Maggie Weiers. And not only that, they have some great up and coming players in Kelly Brandenburg and former Eastview standout Jen Dockter. Perhaps the only thing different about this year's version is that they may not be infalliable as they were last year; asking them to go undefeated in the MIAC two years in a row may be a bridge too far. And let's also not forget that the Tommies get their mettle tested early - like this upcoming weekend - when they travel to Decatur, Illinois to take part in the Coaches vs Cancer Classic and take on preseason #1 Calvin on Friday night and then turn around and take on perennial powerhouse host Millikin. A week later, the Tommies then host WIAC favorite UW-Stevens Point. It's quite possible that a great team like UST could have a couple of dents in its record by the time they delve into MIAC play.
The Title Challengers
2. St. Olaf - Last year was something of a disappointment for the Oles as they showed potential from time to time but could turn around the next night and be wildly inconsistent and lose to the Detroit Lions of the hoops world. But the difference with this year's squad is that Head Coach Dave Stromme finally has depth at pretty much every position - a luxury he didn't enjoy last year. It's young depth but it's depth nonetheless. They've got a fantastic front line consisting of junior Elise Raney, senior Erin Haglund and sophomore Nikki Frogner who hails from Providence Academy. Sophomore Maddie Ehrich is now finally healthy again and senior Ashley Menzel and junior Brit Webber should be fully healthy soon. Stromme also has the best point guard in the conference, IMHO, in Mackenzie Wolter. Unfortunately, Wolter may be out for an undetermined amount of time with an injury and this may be where all that young depth has to step up in a hurry. Presumably freshman Lauren Gutierrez will fall into that spot. In any event, if there was ever a year where St. Olaf had a legitimate shot of winning the title, this year would have to be it.
3. Concordia - The Cobbers were probably one of the more under appreciated teams last year as they quietly went on a run late in the year before bowing to GAC in the MIAC playoff semifinals. Given how incredibly steady and consisten they are and with the returners they have coming back; not to mention one of the best coaches in the conference in Jessica Rahman, this squad will be that much better this year and have a shot to unseat UST as well. Seniors Tricia Sorensen and Emily Thesing have a knack for being in the right place at the right time (they learned well from their predecessors) and 6'4" post Alexandra Lippert is now a seasoned junior.
Solid Playoff Contenders
4. SMU - I have to admit that I really didn't know this team that well and only got to see them play once - when they upset St. Olaf in Northfield in the first round of the MIAC playoffs before bowing to UST. They have one of the top post players in the conference in junior Courtney Euerle and a very versatile player in senior Jamie Stefely along with solid guard play led by fellow senior Jessica Thone. They surprised a lot of people last year (including yours truly) in getting to the MIAC playoffs and now that they've done that they certainly have bigger and loftier goals for this season. I don't think that they're quite on the same level as either St. Olaf or Concordia; much less UST but they should be at least marginally better than what they were a year ago.
5. GAC - It's a new era in St. Peter as Laurie Kelly assumes the head coaching position that was held by Mickey Haller for 10+ seasons. This is a team that also lost the best point guard in the conference last year in Colleen Ruane along with Molly Geske and defensive specialist Ava Perry so there are some HUGE holes to fill here. The point guard spot will likely be inherited by senior Steph Comer who I felt slowly started coming into her own last season. There are plenty of other bright spots for the Gusties as well - senior post Abby Rothenbuehler and fellow senior Kelsey Florian along with junior three-point bomber Julia Dysthe and freshman sensation Lindsey Johnson. The big question for the Gusties is transitioning into a new system and how well they adapt. This should be a squad that is definitely good enough to at least get to the MIAC playoffs. Beyond that, I just don't know.
6. CSB - The Blazers are arguably one of the great unknowns to me and arguably to perhaps others as well. I simply don't know very much about this team other than they return seniors Whitney Canton, Morgan Dale and Jamie Wollin. This is a program that slipped badly a year ago and never could find any degree of consistency to get into that upper echelon where they normally find themselves. But, credit longtime Head Coach Mike Durbin for going out and hitting the recruiting trail HARD. Just looking at their roster has to make one salivate at what the future holds: 6'6" Sydney Hughes out of Olympia, Washington and 6'1" Sarah Berbos out of Fullerton, California; two lanky freshmen that highlight an impressive list of up and comers for the Blazers. This year may again be more of a learning year for this young team but they should be good enough to be in the playoff hunt and after that - LOOK OUT!!
Challenging For That Coveted Sixth Spot
7. Bethel - It's not easy to have to replace the MIAC's Player of The Year in Taylor Sheley but that's exactly what Head Coach Jon Herbrechtsmeyer has to do. Truth is, you can't really "replace" someone like Sheley who, in many ways, helped the Royals get back to back playoff berths single-handedly with her scoring ability. You just have to make the moving parts you do have work. And the Royals do have some very good moving parts beginning with senior Kelly Swenson who can be one of the dominant defensive players in the conference. She does have the ability to score as well and this year she needs to assert herself from an offensive standpoint. Also back is senior guard/forward Alicia Montbriand who has the ability to light things up from downtown along with capable junior Nicole Berscheid. Bethel's margin for error is much smaller than what it was last year and they have to avoid that Chicago Cub-like January swoon that could kill their chances.
8. Hamline - Granted, I've had some of my fantasy football teams go totally club med on me in years past but what happened at Hamline last year was utterly ridiculous as Head Coach Kerri Stockwell had to use bubble gum and baling wire just to keep her team intact through all the injuries they suffered last year. Despite losing post Steph Rice to graduation they still have a solid nucleus of returnees highlighted by senior three-point specialist Steph Pilgrim and senior forward Cassidy Vogt coming off an ACL injury back in January. Sophomore standout Jordan Sammons without question is one of the top athletes in the conference and can be a fantastic playmaker at any given moment. This is an incredibly athletic, fast squad although not one of the bigger squads in the conference. Needless to say, they have to keep their key cogs healthy at all times as depth could be an issue here as the season rolls along.
9. Macalester - I've learned over the years to never, NEVER underestimate an Ellen Thompson-coached squad. Even when she loses a great senior class from last season that included the three-point terrorist twin sister act of Jessica and Shannone Rene. Still, the Scots got a huge get from transfer post player Veronika Jakubovie that definitely filled a hole at that position. The roster at first glance may not look like much but one player to keep your eye on this year is junior Carmen Whitehead who has impressed yours truly in early season scrimmages. Also, senior point guard Kyanna Jones is one of the most dangerous backcourt players you'll find in the MIAC. They'll definitely have the ability to spoil some team's big dreams.
The Rest Of The Bunch
10. Augsburg - The Auggies were a big surprise last year as well and some key losses late in they year kept this squad out of the MIAC playoffs. Despite losing seniors Serenae Levine, Brittany Dyshaw and Lexi Thompson, Head Coach Bill McKee does have a solid enough group coming back highlighted by senior forward Brittany Zins. Last year at this time I had no idea what to think of this group and I find myself in the same quandry this time around as well.
11. Carleton - In some ways, I feel like I should have this squad higher than in the eleventh spot but, just like CSB, they are one of the great unknowns to me as I did not get to see this team play at all last year. When I got to visit with Head Coach Cassie Kosiba recently she seemed cautiously optimistic about her team's outlook for this season. And, why not? Despite struggling record-wise last year, this squad does have some players that make you stand up and take notice - particularly senior Akemi Arzouman and sophomore Skylar Tsutsui. I don't know if this squad is really ready to take the next step; i.e., contending for a MIAC playoff spot, but they should definitely be better this time around.
12. St. Kate's - The Wildcats also usher in a new era as well as new Head Coach Sean Pinkerton takes the reigns from Gary Rufsvold who stepped aside this last summer. This is still a very young team with not one senior on the roster. While not much may be expected of this year's edition of the Wildcats, they historically have not been the kind of team to simply go quietly in the night as they have been very scrappy at times and have given the best of teams fits. The 'Cats will be led by sophomore Sarina Baker and junior Kristen Lee who can light it up from downtown. A healthy Madison Pertler also returns as well and sophomore Sarah Mong looks to hold down the post spot this year.
Los Angeles Rams
Tuesday, November 13, 2012
Saturday, November 10, 2012
St. Olaf vs Northwestern Scrimmage 11-10-12
Was over in Roseville this A.M. to catch the Saturday scrimmage between visiting St. Olaf and host Northwestern; a neat MIAC - UMAC clash that I'd like to see more often. As the teams were warming up there were a few notable Oles in the walking wounded category: sophomore Sheridan Blanford, of course, still rehabbing from the ACL injury over the summer, junior Britt Weber in the final stages (hopefully, anyway) of her ACL rehab, senior Ashley Menzel; recovering from a quadriceps pull, but now also senior starting PG Mackenzie Wolter out with a herniated disc which could be a big blow for the Oles hopes of contending for the MIAC title. The Eagles were not without their injured players either; most notably sophomore post Jacki Smith recovering from a foot injury although Head Coach Aaron Kahl hopes that she'll be at full strength again sometime after the first of the year.
In the first twenty minute scrimmage, sophomore swing forward Maddie Ehrich got it going early for the Oles as she helped put her team up 4-0 with a short jumper at the 19:29 mark and a drive inside with a finish at the 19:00 mark. Junior forward/post Jessica Fife got the Eagles on the board at the 15:53 mark but St. Olaf was able to open up some breathing room thanks to sophomore post Nikki Frogner with free throws at the 15:06 mark and then scores at the 14:37 and 13:55 marks for an 11-2 St. Olaf lead. Freshman Ellie Werlein did get a couple of points for Northwestern in the form of free throws at the 13:55 and 13:15 marks but the Eagles were having a difficult time in coping with a tall St. Olaf front line that was really making life miserable for Fife and her ability to manuever with the ball after posting up.
But St. Olaf wasn't exactly error-free on offense in this first scrimmage either as they arguably looked all over the place and not on the same page although reserve freshman PG Lauren Gutierrez was doing her darndest to make things run as smoothly as possible. Still, the Oles were in a scoring drought for nearly five minutes from the 11:14 mark to the 6:26 mark when freshman Zoe Hansen finally dusted the cobwebs off the rim with her jumper that made it a 16-6 game. Freshman Courtney Cunard responded for Northwestern with a "3" from the right corner at the 5:24 mark to cut the deficit to seven points at 16-9 but junior post Elise Raney's rebound and putback at the 5:03 mark and freshman Kim Cerjan's steal and lay-up the other way stabilized the Ole advantage. Junior Mollie Sir's "3" from the top at the 2:53 mark and junior guard Kaia Larson's "3" from the right wing with 1:06 left threatened to bring the Eagles close again but St. Olaf was able to close out the first scrimmage with a rather unimpressive 22-17 win.
After regrouping in the intermission period (and some talking to by Head Coach Dave Stromme), the Oles made amends for the error-filled 1st scrimmage. With St. Olaf holding an 8-5 lead at the 17:33 mark, they proceeded to go on a 20-0 run over a period of roughly eleven minutes with Raney, Ehrich, and Frogner leading the way. Junior forward Hannah Holm finally stopped the bleeding for the Eagles with her "3" from the left top at the 7:59 mark but St. Olaf was firmly in control of this second scrimmage utlizing their size and ability to get into transition after turnovers as well. After another Sir "3" for Northwestern at the 6:46 mark, St. Olaf proceeded to go on a 12-0 run over the final minutes with seniors Erin Haglund, Kirstee Rotty, and (C'mon) Eileen O'Donoghue all contributing with scores to come out with a convincing 42-14 victory.
The third scrimmage of 20 minutes featured running time to speed things up but it didn't change St. Olaf's newfound confidence as they seemed to pick up right where they left off from the second scrimmage. After a back and forth tussle the first few minutes, Ole freshman Molly Dietrich banged home a "3" from the right top at the 13:06 mark that gave St. Olaf a 7-6 lead that they would never relinquish. An inside score by Raney at the 12:30 mark upped the Ole lead to 9-6 but the real show stealer of this third scrimmage for St. Olaf was Mackenzie Wolter's younger sister; freshman guard Afton Wolter who lit up the Ericksen Center with her three-point shooting prowess with bombs at the 6:53, 5:27, and 2:00 minute marks. Another "3" by freshman Katie Myhre plus a steal and lay-up the other way with :25 left and another Afton Wolter score just before the buzzer paced the Oles to a 30-13 win.
In the first twenty minute scrimmage, sophomore swing forward Maddie Ehrich got it going early for the Oles as she helped put her team up 4-0 with a short jumper at the 19:29 mark and a drive inside with a finish at the 19:00 mark. Junior forward/post Jessica Fife got the Eagles on the board at the 15:53 mark but St. Olaf was able to open up some breathing room thanks to sophomore post Nikki Frogner with free throws at the 15:06 mark and then scores at the 14:37 and 13:55 marks for an 11-2 St. Olaf lead. Freshman Ellie Werlein did get a couple of points for Northwestern in the form of free throws at the 13:55 and 13:15 marks but the Eagles were having a difficult time in coping with a tall St. Olaf front line that was really making life miserable for Fife and her ability to manuever with the ball after posting up.
But St. Olaf wasn't exactly error-free on offense in this first scrimmage either as they arguably looked all over the place and not on the same page although reserve freshman PG Lauren Gutierrez was doing her darndest to make things run as smoothly as possible. Still, the Oles were in a scoring drought for nearly five minutes from the 11:14 mark to the 6:26 mark when freshman Zoe Hansen finally dusted the cobwebs off the rim with her jumper that made it a 16-6 game. Freshman Courtney Cunard responded for Northwestern with a "3" from the right corner at the 5:24 mark to cut the deficit to seven points at 16-9 but junior post Elise Raney's rebound and putback at the 5:03 mark and freshman Kim Cerjan's steal and lay-up the other way stabilized the Ole advantage. Junior Mollie Sir's "3" from the top at the 2:53 mark and junior guard Kaia Larson's "3" from the right wing with 1:06 left threatened to bring the Eagles close again but St. Olaf was able to close out the first scrimmage with a rather unimpressive 22-17 win.
After regrouping in the intermission period (and some talking to by Head Coach Dave Stromme), the Oles made amends for the error-filled 1st scrimmage. With St. Olaf holding an 8-5 lead at the 17:33 mark, they proceeded to go on a 20-0 run over a period of roughly eleven minutes with Raney, Ehrich, and Frogner leading the way. Junior forward Hannah Holm finally stopped the bleeding for the Eagles with her "3" from the left top at the 7:59 mark but St. Olaf was firmly in control of this second scrimmage utlizing their size and ability to get into transition after turnovers as well. After another Sir "3" for Northwestern at the 6:46 mark, St. Olaf proceeded to go on a 12-0 run over the final minutes with seniors Erin Haglund, Kirstee Rotty, and (C'mon) Eileen O'Donoghue all contributing with scores to come out with a convincing 42-14 victory.
The third scrimmage of 20 minutes featured running time to speed things up but it didn't change St. Olaf's newfound confidence as they seemed to pick up right where they left off from the second scrimmage. After a back and forth tussle the first few minutes, Ole freshman Molly Dietrich banged home a "3" from the right top at the 13:06 mark that gave St. Olaf a 7-6 lead that they would never relinquish. An inside score by Raney at the 12:30 mark upped the Ole lead to 9-6 but the real show stealer of this third scrimmage for St. Olaf was Mackenzie Wolter's younger sister; freshman guard Afton Wolter who lit up the Ericksen Center with her three-point shooting prowess with bombs at the 6:53, 5:27, and 2:00 minute marks. Another "3" by freshman Katie Myhre plus a steal and lay-up the other way with :25 left and another Afton Wolter score just before the buzzer paced the Oles to a 30-13 win.
Friday, November 9, 2012
Anoka-Ramsey vs Macalester Scrimmage 1-7-12
Was over at Macalester's Leonard Center late Wednesday afternoon to catch the scrimmage between host Macalester and visiting Anoka-Ramsey; a match-up that you don't get to see on a regular basis. For the visiting Golden Rams - at least on this day anyway - it's probably just as well..
First off, it was quite obvious that Anoka-Ramsey was operating a bit short-handed again. While Maria Loughlin was there supporting her teammates with the left knee heavily wrapped and bandaged after suffering that ACL injury back in September on the first day of practice, Cami Bauer and Tasha Ambrose were also in street clothes and I don't know for sure if they were possibly injured or not. In any event, things did not start off well for the Golden Rams as Head Coach David DeWitt called a timeout at the 19:27 mark; obviously unhappy about something. The Scots, meanwhile, pounced early and often on their junior college opponents. Junior post Veronika Jakubovie connected with a short jumper in the lane at the 18:57 mark and senior point guard Kyanna Jones scored on a lay-up at the 18:09 mark. Junior guard Carmen Whitehead connected with a lay-up of her own in transition at the 17:52 mark and another Macalester score at the 17:00 mark ballooned the score to 8-0 before Anoka-Ramsey sophomore Kelli Schramm finally stopped the bleeding for a bit with her jumper along the left baseline at the 16:32 mark. Schramm would connect with a "3" from the top at the 14:28 mark but that was after Jones had made two steals for easy lay-ups the other way for Macalester. Sophomore Erika Weimann connected with a jumper at the 14:05 mark for a 14-5 Macalester lead.
It would only get worse for the Golden Rams and part of that reason was the emergence of Whitehead as a "go to" player for the Scots; something they desperately need with the graduated Rene twins (Jessica and Shannon who were both in attendance to root their old teammates on). She connected with a short jumper at the 10:55 mark and then knocked down another jumper at the 9:15 mark. A finish in transition by Whitehead at the 8:29 mark and then a score inside at the 6:18 mark helped to open up a big lead for the Scots at 27-9; a situation that Anoka-Ramsey does not find themselves in very often. Scores by freshman Erin Murray, sophomore Annie Drabot and freshman reserve post Abby Purfeerst made it 32-9 by the three minute intermission break.
Whitehead picked up right where she left off as the second half got underway as she made a steal and finished with a lay-up the other way at the 18:57 mark which resulted in another quick time-out by a VERY unhappy David DeWitt. Schramm tried to get her Anoka-Ramsey teammates going with her sweet turnaround move and shot at the 18:26 mark but another jumper by Whitehead at the 17:34 mark and a "3" by the junior who hails from Greeley, Colorado inflated the Macalester lead to 43-11 by the 16:37 mark. Schramm connected with a jumper at the 15:45 mark but she simply was not getting much help from a scoring standpoint from her teammates; particularly freshman Nicole Schaub, a three-point shooting machine who wreaked havoc during her high school days at Park Center. Schaub simply did not have a very good outing on this day as she would get open for three point tries but simply couldn't get much to go down although she did get a rebound and putback at the 12:49 mark. Macalester, however, simply couldn't miss on this day it seemed. Junior Taylor Pike drained a "3" from the top at the 9:32 mark and the Murray connected with a "3" from the right corner at the 6:58 mark. Junior Kathryn Medinger added her own "3" right before the final buzzer of the regular session for a 63-27 blowout win.
The Golden Rams and Scots also played an extra 20 minute session with running time after the 10:00 mark. Guess who got things started off for Macalester here? Whitehead, of course, as she banged down a "3" from the right wing at the 17:53 mark. A lay-up by Pike at the 17:04 mark and another one by Whitehead in transition at the 16:31 mark gave Macalester a touchdown lead at 7-0 before Schaub FINALLY connected from behind the arc at the 14:46 mark. But, like before, the Golden Rams simply could not get close enough to threaten the hosts. Two scores by Drabot - a jumper at the 10:21 mark and a steal and lay-up at the 10:08 mark quickly pushed the Macalester lead to 13-4. Schramm made a sweet reverse lay-up at the 7:46 mark but two more consecutive scores by Drabot coming down the stretch would give the Scots the cushion they needed. A late "3" by Anoka-Ramsey sophomore Tacita Gonzalez got the Golden Rams to double digits but Macalester won the extra session easily as well by a final score of 20-11.
I think it's probably a bit too early to make any assumptions about how Macalester might fare this year. Clearly they're not the same team they were last year without the Rene Sisters. It is nice to see how Whitehead is emerging as a real scoring threat for this squad and if she can be consistent the Scots can definitely be a dangerous team. I'm a little worried about Anoka-Ramsey at the moment, however. They still look horribly out of sorts on offense and they've simply GOT to find a way to all get on the same page. Moreover, they've GOT to find a way to stay healthy as well with Loughlin out for the season (she does plan to return next year). Right now, Schramm seems to be the only consistent scoring threat for this team and DeWitt needs others to step up. Hopefully they'll find the answers they need - soon - as they're slated to be in Milwaukee, Wisconsin this weekend for two games against Madison and Milwaukee Tech.
First off, it was quite obvious that Anoka-Ramsey was operating a bit short-handed again. While Maria Loughlin was there supporting her teammates with the left knee heavily wrapped and bandaged after suffering that ACL injury back in September on the first day of practice, Cami Bauer and Tasha Ambrose were also in street clothes and I don't know for sure if they were possibly injured or not. In any event, things did not start off well for the Golden Rams as Head Coach David DeWitt called a timeout at the 19:27 mark; obviously unhappy about something. The Scots, meanwhile, pounced early and often on their junior college opponents. Junior post Veronika Jakubovie connected with a short jumper in the lane at the 18:57 mark and senior point guard Kyanna Jones scored on a lay-up at the 18:09 mark. Junior guard Carmen Whitehead connected with a lay-up of her own in transition at the 17:52 mark and another Macalester score at the 17:00 mark ballooned the score to 8-0 before Anoka-Ramsey sophomore Kelli Schramm finally stopped the bleeding for a bit with her jumper along the left baseline at the 16:32 mark. Schramm would connect with a "3" from the top at the 14:28 mark but that was after Jones had made two steals for easy lay-ups the other way for Macalester. Sophomore Erika Weimann connected with a jumper at the 14:05 mark for a 14-5 Macalester lead.
It would only get worse for the Golden Rams and part of that reason was the emergence of Whitehead as a "go to" player for the Scots; something they desperately need with the graduated Rene twins (Jessica and Shannon who were both in attendance to root their old teammates on). She connected with a short jumper at the 10:55 mark and then knocked down another jumper at the 9:15 mark. A finish in transition by Whitehead at the 8:29 mark and then a score inside at the 6:18 mark helped to open up a big lead for the Scots at 27-9; a situation that Anoka-Ramsey does not find themselves in very often. Scores by freshman Erin Murray, sophomore Annie Drabot and freshman reserve post Abby Purfeerst made it 32-9 by the three minute intermission break.
Whitehead picked up right where she left off as the second half got underway as she made a steal and finished with a lay-up the other way at the 18:57 mark which resulted in another quick time-out by a VERY unhappy David DeWitt. Schramm tried to get her Anoka-Ramsey teammates going with her sweet turnaround move and shot at the 18:26 mark but another jumper by Whitehead at the 17:34 mark and a "3" by the junior who hails from Greeley, Colorado inflated the Macalester lead to 43-11 by the 16:37 mark. Schramm connected with a jumper at the 15:45 mark but she simply was not getting much help from a scoring standpoint from her teammates; particularly freshman Nicole Schaub, a three-point shooting machine who wreaked havoc during her high school days at Park Center. Schaub simply did not have a very good outing on this day as she would get open for three point tries but simply couldn't get much to go down although she did get a rebound and putback at the 12:49 mark. Macalester, however, simply couldn't miss on this day it seemed. Junior Taylor Pike drained a "3" from the top at the 9:32 mark and the Murray connected with a "3" from the right corner at the 6:58 mark. Junior Kathryn Medinger added her own "3" right before the final buzzer of the regular session for a 63-27 blowout win.
The Golden Rams and Scots also played an extra 20 minute session with running time after the 10:00 mark. Guess who got things started off for Macalester here? Whitehead, of course, as she banged down a "3" from the right wing at the 17:53 mark. A lay-up by Pike at the 17:04 mark and another one by Whitehead in transition at the 16:31 mark gave Macalester a touchdown lead at 7-0 before Schaub FINALLY connected from behind the arc at the 14:46 mark. But, like before, the Golden Rams simply could not get close enough to threaten the hosts. Two scores by Drabot - a jumper at the 10:21 mark and a steal and lay-up at the 10:08 mark quickly pushed the Macalester lead to 13-4. Schramm made a sweet reverse lay-up at the 7:46 mark but two more consecutive scores by Drabot coming down the stretch would give the Scots the cushion they needed. A late "3" by Anoka-Ramsey sophomore Tacita Gonzalez got the Golden Rams to double digits but Macalester won the extra session easily as well by a final score of 20-11.
I think it's probably a bit too early to make any assumptions about how Macalester might fare this year. Clearly they're not the same team they were last year without the Rene Sisters. It is nice to see how Whitehead is emerging as a real scoring threat for this squad and if she can be consistent the Scots can definitely be a dangerous team. I'm a little worried about Anoka-Ramsey at the moment, however. They still look horribly out of sorts on offense and they've simply GOT to find a way to all get on the same page. Moreover, they've GOT to find a way to stay healthy as well with Loughlin out for the season (she does plan to return next year). Right now, Schramm seems to be the only consistent scoring threat for this team and DeWitt needs others to step up. Hopefully they'll find the answers they need - soon - as they're slated to be in Milwaukee, Wisconsin this weekend for two games against Madison and Milwaukee Tech.
Wednesday, October 31, 2012
Northwestern vs Bethel Scrimmage 10-31-12
On this Halloween afternoon I found myself over at Bethel's Robertson Center to catch the scrimmage between host Bethel and visiting Northwestern; just a stone's throw away from the Bethel campus which makes this an ideal get-together for both squads as they prepare for the upcoming season - just a mere 2 1/2 weeks away. What was really neat was that both former Bethel standout (and reigning MIAC Player of the Year) Taylor Sheley and former Northwestern standout Kristin Sczublewski were in attendance to watch and you knew that both wished they could be out there playing with their former teammates.
The opening minutes of the first half would be tight with neither team able to gain much of an advantage; mainly because both offenses looked totally out of synch and Bethel's seemingly cold touch from a shooting standpoint. Sophomore post Kia Dahlquist did get the Royals on the board first when she manuevered her way inside and finished at the 19:48 mark but that was quickly countered by Northwestern junior standout Mollie Sir's running jumper at the 18:47 mark. Dahlquist and Sir would trade buckets again at the 17:18 and 17:04 marks and then senior point guard Kristi Nye-Studanski briefly gave the Royals the lead again at 6-4 when she canned a jumper in the lane at the 16:47 mark. But the Eagles, peppered with an enthusiastic group of freshmen who are blending in well with the veterans, pulled even again with freshman Courtney Cunard's jumper at the 13:07 mark. The pattern would continue over the next few minutes as Northwestern would cling to a one point advantage at 12-11 by the 9:05 mark.
But the Royals were still having a ton of problems getting on the same page on offense and putting down potential easy finishes inside which would prove costly. It was here where the Eagles made a decisive 11-0 run over the next four minutes that helped put Bethel in a hole. After sophomore Chanel Madson put down two freebies after being fouled, Cunard connected with another jumper at the 8:01 mark. Junior post Jessica Fife - who should be one of the standout post players in the UMAC - snared a rebound and got a putback at the 6:49 mark. Then it was Sir's time to shine as the not only got a drive and finish at the 6:06 mark but also connected from 3-point range at the right top at the 5;22 mark. Bethel senior Kelly Swenson, who struggled all day with her shooting touch, finally ended the bleeding at the 3:52 mark with a jumper that cut the deficit to ten points at 23-13. The Royals would then actually go on a flurry right before the half fueled by two lay-ups in transition off of Northwestern turnovers by Nye-Studanski that made things much more manageable for Bethel at halftime now down only 23-19.
Northwestern would make another jump as the second half got underway. Fife was able to get a freebie to go in after being fouled at the 18:59 mark. After Bethel junior Nicole Berscheid's score at the 17:36 mark, Sir again connected from behind the arc at the 16:35 mark and freshman Kim Campbell was able to put down a jumper from along the left baseline at the 15:53 mark for a 29-21 Northwestern lead. Gradually, though, Bethel would battle back. Dahlquist scored inside at the 15:03 mark and was fouled in the process and the ensuing freebie cut the Eagle lead to five points. Then senior Alicia Montbriand, who also struggled with her shooting on this day, finally did connect with a short jumper at the 13:44 mark. Sophomore reserve post Lindy Parker was able to get a rebound at putback at the 12:40 mark and then scores by both Berscheid and Swenson knotted things up at 32. The Royals finally went ahead 38-35 when junior Katelyn Vavra nailed a "3" from the right wing at the 7:21 mark and it LOOKED as if Bethel might have finally righted the ship and was poised to take control.
But oh those tricky Northwestern Eagles had other ideas and refused to go quietly on this Halloween night and all the goblins and spooks out there may have had a hand in helping doom the Royals as well coming down the stretch. First, Sir connected with a jumper just as the shot clock was expiring at the 6:00 mark. After a lay-up by Swenson, Northwestern junior Kaia Larson made a lay-up at the 4:42 mark. Sir then tied things up again at the 3:08 mark with her jumper along the left baseline. Things would be incredibly tight in the last few minutes; a Bethel score tied things at 44-all with 1:49 left before Northwestern would reclaim the lead just a few seconds later. Then Vavra was able to get a lay-up to go in after a couple of roll-arounds on the rim with just :11 left on the clock that tied it again at 46-all. But with just :02 left on the clock, the freshman Cunard was able to get inside and give the Eagles the lead and the win, 48-46 in what was one of the wildest, weirdest scrimmages I have ever seen.
The two teams did also play an extra 20 minute session that featured continuous clock running after the 10-minute mark. Bethel would get a measure of redemption in this one as the starters gave way to let the younger players get some much-needed experience. While it was not one of the prettiest games to watch, it was good to see the new faces get some opportunites to show what they could do. With things tied at 8-all at the 10:07 mark, sophomore post Jami Friday made a single free throw that gave the Royals a lead they would not relinquish this time around. Freshman Kaia Carlson connected with a lay-up at the 6:58 mark and a score inside by Friday with 6:24 left had Bethel up 13-8. Freshman post Megan Brodeur also collected scores at the 3:58 and 2:04 marks that helped the Royals record a 20-12 win in this one.
While I try not to take too much from early-in-the-year scrimmages, it's obvious that the Royals have a lot of work ahead of them in if they plan to be a factor in the MIAC race again this upcoming season. While they may have lost Sheley to graduation, they still have Swenson who has a chance to become a dominating player in the MIAC this year; certainly from a defensive standpoint but she needs to step up from a scoring standpoint as well. Micaella Petrich, when she returns from her injury, will be an important factor as well as both Berscheid and Montbriand who will likely be the top three-point bomber for the Royals this season. Certainly their margin for error is smaller than what it was last year and they need to avoid some of the swoons this team has had in recent years if they hope to return to the conference playoffs. Kahl thinks his Northwestern squad SHOULD be in the upper half of the UMAC this season. Again, I think Fife can be dominating if she wants to be. Sir can be a deadly three-point shooter when "on" and junior Becca Kendrick should be a "go to" player as well.
The opening minutes of the first half would be tight with neither team able to gain much of an advantage; mainly because both offenses looked totally out of synch and Bethel's seemingly cold touch from a shooting standpoint. Sophomore post Kia Dahlquist did get the Royals on the board first when she manuevered her way inside and finished at the 19:48 mark but that was quickly countered by Northwestern junior standout Mollie Sir's running jumper at the 18:47 mark. Dahlquist and Sir would trade buckets again at the 17:18 and 17:04 marks and then senior point guard Kristi Nye-Studanski briefly gave the Royals the lead again at 6-4 when she canned a jumper in the lane at the 16:47 mark. But the Eagles, peppered with an enthusiastic group of freshmen who are blending in well with the veterans, pulled even again with freshman Courtney Cunard's jumper at the 13:07 mark. The pattern would continue over the next few minutes as Northwestern would cling to a one point advantage at 12-11 by the 9:05 mark.
But the Royals were still having a ton of problems getting on the same page on offense and putting down potential easy finishes inside which would prove costly. It was here where the Eagles made a decisive 11-0 run over the next four minutes that helped put Bethel in a hole. After sophomore Chanel Madson put down two freebies after being fouled, Cunard connected with another jumper at the 8:01 mark. Junior post Jessica Fife - who should be one of the standout post players in the UMAC - snared a rebound and got a putback at the 6:49 mark. Then it was Sir's time to shine as the not only got a drive and finish at the 6:06 mark but also connected from 3-point range at the right top at the 5;22 mark. Bethel senior Kelly Swenson, who struggled all day with her shooting touch, finally ended the bleeding at the 3:52 mark with a jumper that cut the deficit to ten points at 23-13. The Royals would then actually go on a flurry right before the half fueled by two lay-ups in transition off of Northwestern turnovers by Nye-Studanski that made things much more manageable for Bethel at halftime now down only 23-19.
Northwestern would make another jump as the second half got underway. Fife was able to get a freebie to go in after being fouled at the 18:59 mark. After Bethel junior Nicole Berscheid's score at the 17:36 mark, Sir again connected from behind the arc at the 16:35 mark and freshman Kim Campbell was able to put down a jumper from along the left baseline at the 15:53 mark for a 29-21 Northwestern lead. Gradually, though, Bethel would battle back. Dahlquist scored inside at the 15:03 mark and was fouled in the process and the ensuing freebie cut the Eagle lead to five points. Then senior Alicia Montbriand, who also struggled with her shooting on this day, finally did connect with a short jumper at the 13:44 mark. Sophomore reserve post Lindy Parker was able to get a rebound at putback at the 12:40 mark and then scores by both Berscheid and Swenson knotted things up at 32. The Royals finally went ahead 38-35 when junior Katelyn Vavra nailed a "3" from the right wing at the 7:21 mark and it LOOKED as if Bethel might have finally righted the ship and was poised to take control.
But oh those tricky Northwestern Eagles had other ideas and refused to go quietly on this Halloween night and all the goblins and spooks out there may have had a hand in helping doom the Royals as well coming down the stretch. First, Sir connected with a jumper just as the shot clock was expiring at the 6:00 mark. After a lay-up by Swenson, Northwestern junior Kaia Larson made a lay-up at the 4:42 mark. Sir then tied things up again at the 3:08 mark with her jumper along the left baseline. Things would be incredibly tight in the last few minutes; a Bethel score tied things at 44-all with 1:49 left before Northwestern would reclaim the lead just a few seconds later. Then Vavra was able to get a lay-up to go in after a couple of roll-arounds on the rim with just :11 left on the clock that tied it again at 46-all. But with just :02 left on the clock, the freshman Cunard was able to get inside and give the Eagles the lead and the win, 48-46 in what was one of the wildest, weirdest scrimmages I have ever seen.
The two teams did also play an extra 20 minute session that featured continuous clock running after the 10-minute mark. Bethel would get a measure of redemption in this one as the starters gave way to let the younger players get some much-needed experience. While it was not one of the prettiest games to watch, it was good to see the new faces get some opportunites to show what they could do. With things tied at 8-all at the 10:07 mark, sophomore post Jami Friday made a single free throw that gave the Royals a lead they would not relinquish this time around. Freshman Kaia Carlson connected with a lay-up at the 6:58 mark and a score inside by Friday with 6:24 left had Bethel up 13-8. Freshman post Megan Brodeur also collected scores at the 3:58 and 2:04 marks that helped the Royals record a 20-12 win in this one.
While I try not to take too much from early-in-the-year scrimmages, it's obvious that the Royals have a lot of work ahead of them in if they plan to be a factor in the MIAC race again this upcoming season. While they may have lost Sheley to graduation, they still have Swenson who has a chance to become a dominating player in the MIAC this year; certainly from a defensive standpoint but she needs to step up from a scoring standpoint as well. Micaella Petrich, when she returns from her injury, will be an important factor as well as both Berscheid and Montbriand who will likely be the top three-point bomber for the Royals this season. Certainly their margin for error is smaller than what it was last year and they need to avoid some of the swoons this team has had in recent years if they hope to return to the conference playoffs. Kahl thinks his Northwestern squad SHOULD be in the upper half of the UMAC this season. Again, I think Fife can be dominating if she wants to be. Sir can be a deadly three-point shooter when "on" and junior Becca Kendrick should be a "go to" player as well.
Anoka-Ramsey vs Hamline Scrimmage 10-29-12
Made the trek over to the St. Paul side of town after I got home from work to catch my first scrimmage of the year between Anoka-Ramsey and Hamline; always interesting as it's not a match-up you would see on a regular basis and it's just the beginning of the 2012-13 season and it's exciting to get things going again. In any event, I got into Hutton Arena and got settled in right around the 17:20 mark of the 1st half with Hamline holding a 6-2 lead.
Hamline's lead didn't last long as sophomore Tacita Gonzalez made a drive and finish at the 16:34 mark and new freshman sharpshooter Nicole Schaub drained a "3" from the left wing at the 14:48 mark to give Anoka-Ramsey a 7-6 lead. At the same time, though, Anoka-Ramsey was looking quite out of synch on offense making several errors (and in turn making Head Coach David DeWitt's blood pressure rise even more) allowing the host Pipers to come right back and build a small lead. Junior Je'Naya Brown made a steal and finished with a lay-up the other way at the 14:17 mark and senior Cassidy Vogt scored inside at the 10:16 mark. But Anoka-Ramsey would counter with a jumper by sophomore Kelli Schramm from the left baseline at the 9:51 mark and fellow sophomore Erica Parker sank two free throws at the 7:50 mark which helped fuel a 6-0 run as Anoka-Ramsey found themselves with an 18-13 lead. The Golden Rams then would control things down the stretch before the break as Schaub buried another "3" from the left wing at the 2:35 mark. Vogt and sophomore Mackenzie Lee tried to cut the deficit with their buckets but another "3" by the Golden Rams with just :00.5 left on the clock allowed Anoka-Ramsey to hold a 30-22 lead by the break.
Anoka-Ramsey seemed to pick up right where they left off as the second half got underway. Schaub buried another "3" from the right wing this time as the Golden Rams enjoyed their biggest lead of the contest at 33-22 at the 18:40 mark. But just as things appeared to be rosy for the junior college visitors, Hamline made their decisive move to get themselves right back in the thick of things. A "3" at the 18:13 mark (not sure whom) and an unlikely "3" from Vogt from the left wing suddenly cut the Anoka-Ramsey lead to just 33-30 by the 16:59 mark. Then it was sophomore Jordan Sammons, on her first day back from soccer; looking like she was picking right up from where she left off last season who made lightning strike for the Pipers. She made a hard drive and finish at the 14:35 mark to cut the Anoka-Ramsey lead to 35-33 and after a "3" by one of the new Hamline players wearing #5 that gave the Pipers the lead back at 36-35 at the 13:14 mark, Sammons then knocked down two freebies after being fouled and then made another hard drive and finish at the 10:01 mark to help the Pipers reclaim the lead in this suddenly see-saw affair at 40-39. Schaub did bang home another one of her patented "3s" from the left wing at the 5:48 mark that did once again knot things up at 42-all but Hamline was in control from then on. Steph Pilgrim (a former Anoka-Ramsey great herself) may have had an off-day from a scoring standpoint but she still would play a pivotal role coming down the stretch to help seal the deal for the Pipers as she scored inside and was fouled in the process which, along with the obligatory freebie helped push the Hamline advantage to 46-42 by the 4:36 mark. A rebound and putback by Pilgrim at the 3:46 mark kept the lead at four by the 3:46 mark and Vogt was able to do the same with just under a minute left that pushed the lead to 50-44. A lay-up in transition by Vogt with just :20 left was the final nail in the coffin as Hamline prevailed 52-44 in the regular two 20 minute session.
The Pipers and Golden Rams did play an extra 20 minute continuous clock session as well which was controlled by Hamline. After Schaub knocked down two freebies after being fouled early on and an inside basket by Schramm Hamline was in control. Sammons snared a rebound and got a putback with 15:04 left and then Sammons did the same off a missed Hamline free throw that ballooned the Piper lead to 9-4 which did not sit well with Anoka-Ramsey's DeWitt who continually chastised his team for not being active on the boards the way they should be. Lee knocked down a "3" from the right wing for a 12-5 Hamline lead with 7:14 left and withstood a "3" from Anoka-Ramsey sophomore Cami Bauer with 4:19 left that narrowed Hamline's lead to 14-8. Bauer did make two free throws with scant seconds remaining but Hamline prevailed 14-10.
Afterward, Hamline Head Coach Kerri Stockwell admitted that there's still a lot of work to be done in terms of greasing the parts so to speak to help make this offense run more smoothly. Still she sees potential with this squad and it's easy to tell how much better Hamline can be with Sammons back in the mix. It had to be frustrating for DeWitt and assistant coach David Alto that the Golden Rams just did not appear to be all on the same page with the ball as turnovers and decision-making with the ball all plauged this team on this particular day. Still, I would not hit the panic button if I were DeWitt as his squads always find a way to have the engine fine-tuned once December rolls around. The Golden Rams will get their chance to get their house in order as they depart for Arizona on Wednesday to take on both Western Arizona and Mesa Community College so while the team may pack the sunblock you can be sure they'll be working hard once they land in the desert.
Hamline's lead didn't last long as sophomore Tacita Gonzalez made a drive and finish at the 16:34 mark and new freshman sharpshooter Nicole Schaub drained a "3" from the left wing at the 14:48 mark to give Anoka-Ramsey a 7-6 lead. At the same time, though, Anoka-Ramsey was looking quite out of synch on offense making several errors (and in turn making Head Coach David DeWitt's blood pressure rise even more) allowing the host Pipers to come right back and build a small lead. Junior Je'Naya Brown made a steal and finished with a lay-up the other way at the 14:17 mark and senior Cassidy Vogt scored inside at the 10:16 mark. But Anoka-Ramsey would counter with a jumper by sophomore Kelli Schramm from the left baseline at the 9:51 mark and fellow sophomore Erica Parker sank two free throws at the 7:50 mark which helped fuel a 6-0 run as Anoka-Ramsey found themselves with an 18-13 lead. The Golden Rams then would control things down the stretch before the break as Schaub buried another "3" from the left wing at the 2:35 mark. Vogt and sophomore Mackenzie Lee tried to cut the deficit with their buckets but another "3" by the Golden Rams with just :00.5 left on the clock allowed Anoka-Ramsey to hold a 30-22 lead by the break.
Anoka-Ramsey seemed to pick up right where they left off as the second half got underway. Schaub buried another "3" from the right wing this time as the Golden Rams enjoyed their biggest lead of the contest at 33-22 at the 18:40 mark. But just as things appeared to be rosy for the junior college visitors, Hamline made their decisive move to get themselves right back in the thick of things. A "3" at the 18:13 mark (not sure whom) and an unlikely "3" from Vogt from the left wing suddenly cut the Anoka-Ramsey lead to just 33-30 by the 16:59 mark. Then it was sophomore Jordan Sammons, on her first day back from soccer; looking like she was picking right up from where she left off last season who made lightning strike for the Pipers. She made a hard drive and finish at the 14:35 mark to cut the Anoka-Ramsey lead to 35-33 and after a "3" by one of the new Hamline players wearing #5 that gave the Pipers the lead back at 36-35 at the 13:14 mark, Sammons then knocked down two freebies after being fouled and then made another hard drive and finish at the 10:01 mark to help the Pipers reclaim the lead in this suddenly see-saw affair at 40-39. Schaub did bang home another one of her patented "3s" from the left wing at the 5:48 mark that did once again knot things up at 42-all but Hamline was in control from then on. Steph Pilgrim (a former Anoka-Ramsey great herself) may have had an off-day from a scoring standpoint but she still would play a pivotal role coming down the stretch to help seal the deal for the Pipers as she scored inside and was fouled in the process which, along with the obligatory freebie helped push the Hamline advantage to 46-42 by the 4:36 mark. A rebound and putback by Pilgrim at the 3:46 mark kept the lead at four by the 3:46 mark and Vogt was able to do the same with just under a minute left that pushed the lead to 50-44. A lay-up in transition by Vogt with just :20 left was the final nail in the coffin as Hamline prevailed 52-44 in the regular two 20 minute session.
The Pipers and Golden Rams did play an extra 20 minute continuous clock session as well which was controlled by Hamline. After Schaub knocked down two freebies after being fouled early on and an inside basket by Schramm Hamline was in control. Sammons snared a rebound and got a putback with 15:04 left and then Sammons did the same off a missed Hamline free throw that ballooned the Piper lead to 9-4 which did not sit well with Anoka-Ramsey's DeWitt who continually chastised his team for not being active on the boards the way they should be. Lee knocked down a "3" from the right wing for a 12-5 Hamline lead with 7:14 left and withstood a "3" from Anoka-Ramsey sophomore Cami Bauer with 4:19 left that narrowed Hamline's lead to 14-8. Bauer did make two free throws with scant seconds remaining but Hamline prevailed 14-10.
Afterward, Hamline Head Coach Kerri Stockwell admitted that there's still a lot of work to be done in terms of greasing the parts so to speak to help make this offense run more smoothly. Still she sees potential with this squad and it's easy to tell how much better Hamline can be with Sammons back in the mix. It had to be frustrating for DeWitt and assistant coach David Alto that the Golden Rams just did not appear to be all on the same page with the ball as turnovers and decision-making with the ball all plauged this team on this particular day. Still, I would not hit the panic button if I were DeWitt as his squads always find a way to have the engine fine-tuned once December rolls around. The Golden Rams will get their chance to get their house in order as they depart for Arizona on Wednesday to take on both Western Arizona and Mesa Community College so while the team may pack the sunblock you can be sure they'll be working hard once they land in the desert.
Thursday, October 25, 2012
Sunday, October 21, 2012
GAC Practice 10-20-12
With UCLA off on a bye week on this October Saturday I made the trip down to St. Peter to catch the Gusties Saturday A.M. practice. I was met by new Gustavus Head Coach Laurie Kelly and just spending time talking with her you can easily detect her passion and enthusiasm for not only the GAC program but for the MIAC in general and how much she wants to see the conference return to its glory days and prominence when she was a star player at UST. She certainly has inherited a solid, stable program that has a cupboard full of some very, very good players despite the losses of Molly Geske, Colleen Ruane, Ava Perry, and Liz Shay to graduation.
As I make my way into Lund Arena, I'm greeted by a familiar face - former Gustie great Angie Peterson-Potts who played for Gustavus from 2001-2004 (she played her freshman year at UST) and played an integral role in that fabulous 2002-03 season when GAC, Carleton, and CSB all wound up in a three-way tie for MIAC conference honors. Despite losing the MIAC Championship Game to Carleton in Northfield, the Gusties received a bid to the NCAA Tournament where they knocked off Wartburg at home in St. Peter before losing their second round game out in the Pacific Northwest. In retrospect, that GAC team was built for a deep run that year (as was Carleton) and it's a shame it didn't work out a bit differently for them. In any event, Peterson-Potts is volunteering for the Gustie program this year and her knowledge and experience will be invaluable to not only Kelly and assistants Dan Wolfe and Nate Otto but even more importantly to the players as well. She knows those important things on the floor to help make a player be as successful as they can possibly be. And when it comes to shooting the ball, well, there's no one better to learn from as AP had then - and has now - the prettiest jump shot you'll ever see.
After the normal warming up and stretching, the team moves on to a partner sideline passing drill that involves moving properly with pivoting. The intensity picks up on the next drill which is called a 12-person shooting drill and you can see the intensity and desire on senior post Abby Rothenbuehler's face as she shouts for a ball and contorts her face when a player is late getting her the ball. A transition 5-0 "shell" drill is also performed where the team splits into three different groups. Kelly is always making her presence known; whether it is in terms of correcting mistakes or rooting her players on. Transition defense is also worked on and this is where defense guru Wolfe gets a chance to help mold this squad into one of the top defensive teams in the conference. Positional breakdown drills are also done as guards, forwards and post players all work on their specialties.
Outtakes - From what I can tell, the Gusties are buying into Kelly's philosophy and I think that's important given what this program has gone through over the last 6-7 months. Obviously this program will have a somewhat different look than it did under the Haller regime but it remains to be seen how much. When I asked Kelly about who might fall into the starting point guard spot she seemed uncertain at this point stating that there are no "givens" at this stage of the season. The only "sure" deal at this point would appear to be Rothenbuehler at the post position backed up by Amanda Iverson. The guess here is that senior Steph Comer will probably get the nod at the PG spot but sharpshooting junior Julia Dysthie and sophomore Shelly Blashko could fill in there as well as Kelly wants to be as flexible as possible and doesn't want players to be nailed down to specific positions. One of the newcomers who really appears ready to step right in is Lindsey Johnson and she's only going to get better......This GAC team is too good and too talented to miss out on the MIAC playoffs but I don't know if it's good enough to actually make a serious run at the MIAC title. You have to figure that GAC along with both CSB and SMU will be jockeying for the 3rd, 4th and 5th spots respectively.
As I make my way into Lund Arena, I'm greeted by a familiar face - former Gustie great Angie Peterson-Potts who played for Gustavus from 2001-2004 (she played her freshman year at UST) and played an integral role in that fabulous 2002-03 season when GAC, Carleton, and CSB all wound up in a three-way tie for MIAC conference honors. Despite losing the MIAC Championship Game to Carleton in Northfield, the Gusties received a bid to the NCAA Tournament where they knocked off Wartburg at home in St. Peter before losing their second round game out in the Pacific Northwest. In retrospect, that GAC team was built for a deep run that year (as was Carleton) and it's a shame it didn't work out a bit differently for them. In any event, Peterson-Potts is volunteering for the Gustie program this year and her knowledge and experience will be invaluable to not only Kelly and assistants Dan Wolfe and Nate Otto but even more importantly to the players as well. She knows those important things on the floor to help make a player be as successful as they can possibly be. And when it comes to shooting the ball, well, there's no one better to learn from as AP had then - and has now - the prettiest jump shot you'll ever see.
After the normal warming up and stretching, the team moves on to a partner sideline passing drill that involves moving properly with pivoting. The intensity picks up on the next drill which is called a 12-person shooting drill and you can see the intensity and desire on senior post Abby Rothenbuehler's face as she shouts for a ball and contorts her face when a player is late getting her the ball. A transition 5-0 "shell" drill is also performed where the team splits into three different groups. Kelly is always making her presence known; whether it is in terms of correcting mistakes or rooting her players on. Transition defense is also worked on and this is where defense guru Wolfe gets a chance to help mold this squad into one of the top defensive teams in the conference. Positional breakdown drills are also done as guards, forwards and post players all work on their specialties.
Outtakes - From what I can tell, the Gusties are buying into Kelly's philosophy and I think that's important given what this program has gone through over the last 6-7 months. Obviously this program will have a somewhat different look than it did under the Haller regime but it remains to be seen how much. When I asked Kelly about who might fall into the starting point guard spot she seemed uncertain at this point stating that there are no "givens" at this stage of the season. The only "sure" deal at this point would appear to be Rothenbuehler at the post position backed up by Amanda Iverson. The guess here is that senior Steph Comer will probably get the nod at the PG spot but sharpshooting junior Julia Dysthie and sophomore Shelly Blashko could fill in there as well as Kelly wants to be as flexible as possible and doesn't want players to be nailed down to specific positions. One of the newcomers who really appears ready to step right in is Lindsey Johnson and she's only going to get better......This GAC team is too good and too talented to miss out on the MIAC playoffs but I don't know if it's good enough to actually make a serious run at the MIAC title. You have to figure that GAC along with both CSB and SMU will be jockeying for the 3rd, 4th and 5th spots respectively.
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