HYDE — WIth 20 talented players on the roster Clearifeld Area High School girls basketball head coach Joey Castagnolo is quite optimistic heading into the 2006-2007 season.
The Lady Bisons returns plenty of talent and feature plenty of quickness, and expectations are running high.
Clearfield features the return of Elizabeth Sopic and Annie Janocko in the post, while Nikki Collins returns at guard. Brooke Jordan will play one wing, while Mallory Janocko, Elaina Luzier and Juliana Howell all seek playing time at the other wing position.
\”Experience and depth will be keys.\” Castagnolo said. \”We have five seniors. They have never really played together, becuase Juliana was out last year with a knee injury and missed her junior year. We are still trying to gel as a team. We have experience, we have leadership.\”
Castagnolo is quite impressed with the quickness of his team, but more importantly all 20 players on the roster will be vying for playing time.
\”I think we are going to have a good year,\” Castagnolo said. \”We are much quicker than last year. With 20 girls on the roster, they are pushing each other. Everybody is really pushing each other.\”
The Lady Bisons have already set a goal of being in the District 9 Championship game at Clarion University of Pa., but Castagnolo feels his squad has plenty of work ahead. The veteran Clearfield coach feels it will take a couple of games until the Lady Bisons are hitting on all cylinders.
\”My goal is to be in the district championship game in Clarion. As the season goes we have to play as a team. It is going to take a team effort to get to Clarion. I have 10 players on the roster that wasn\’t here last year. All the kids are starting to see what I want, and by Christmastime we should be all right,\” Castagnolo said.
Offensively, Castagnolo is looking to get everyone into the mix. The Lady Bisons will continue their uptempo style of play on offense and will chip away at breaking multiple defensive sets into their game as the season goes on.
\”We are going to play an uptempo game all the time, even on defense we are going to apply the pressure,\” Castagnolo said. \”I have eight talented freshmen and five are dressing varsity. We are going to apply more pressure to the wing areas on defense. We will be all right on defense.
\”We won\’t play multiple defenses right away. With 20 players on the roster, right now it\’s about getting them used to my system. I think by Christmas we\’ll be playing some other defenses. Right now, we are just staying with the basics.\”
The Lady Bisons are looking to be quite competitive in the district, but faces an uphill battle with perennial power Punxsutawney.
\”Punxsutawney returns nine seniors and they haven\’t lost in five years District 9 and it\’s going to take a perfect night to beat them,\” Castagnolo said. \”Stranger things can happen, especially in girls basketball. Bradford is real strong this year.\”
Clearfield opens the season tonight at 7:30 p.m. against Bald Eagle Area at Arthur J . Weiss Gymnasium at the Clearfield Area High School in the Clearfield Tip-Off Tournament.
ROSTER
Seniors
Nikki Collins, Juliana Howell, Mallory Janocko, Brooke Jordan, Elizabeth Sopic.
Juniors
Alanna Luzier, Beth Zalno.
Sophomores
Julie Colesar, Annie Janocko, Sarah Kovalick, Emily von Gunden, Kayla White.
Freshmen
Ambery Byerly, Kristen McKenzie, Angela Moore, Elizabeth Peters, Gwenn Porter, Jayme RYan, Madison Sopic, Lori Zalno.