LADY TIDE CAGERS LOOKING TO REBOUND WITH FIVE LETTER WINNERS BACK
CURWENSVILLE – With the 2007-08 season a somewhat forgotten encounter, the Curwensville Lady Tide basketball team is anxious to have the ball tipped to start this year’s action.
The Lady Tide had one of their worst seasons in recent memory when they posted a 1-22 record. Curwensville tasted victory only over Ridgway in the next to last game of the year, 38-23.
Even though Curwensville tasted success just once during the 2007-08 campaign, head coach Vic Gearhart still has a positive feeling as he stated, “I know we won just one game last year, but I truly feel that we finished pretty strong. The girls lost tough road games to Kane and Brockway down the stretch, two teams that won first round playoff games. And we hung tough with Sheffield for two and a half quarters against a team we were physically mismatched with.”
Gearhart is cautiously optimistic, however, about the upcoming campaign that gets underway next Wednesday when they host the Lady Rovers of Brockway. After all, Curwensville has five letter winners back and a bunch of eager sophomores and freshmen ready to make their mark.
Just like his squad, Gearhart can’t wait to get started, “We’re very anxious to get this season underway. The girls worked hard during summer workouts and in the first two weeks of practice so far.” He also knows they need to get better when he said, “We are well aware that we need to improve this season in all areas of the game. The need to become a more mobile, active basketball team on both ends of the floor will be critical to our success. Last season we were not aggressive enough to be competitive game in and game out.”
Curwensville will be led by senior two time letter winner Hannah Walls at one of the guard positions. Walls averaged 7.6 points per game with a total of 137 rebounds last year. Senior Alesia Bressler, will double at forward and center for the Tide. Last season Bressler dumped in 5.8 points per game along with 126 boards.
Two other seniors who lettered also return to help bolster the Tide, in twins Jenae Stiles, at guard, and Jenessa Stiles, at forward. Helping out at the guard spot will be junior Sara Sidelinger.
Tess Bloom, a junior letter winner, will also be back and start at a guard position were she averaged 6.3 points per game for the Tide last season.
Sophomore Taylor Bumbarger is expected to see plenty of action at forward along with freshman Savannah Strickland, junior Shayla Buzard and sophomore Courtney Bachelier.
Gearhart, of course, has some high hopes for the upcoming campaign, “We hope we can get off to a good start this season. Get that first win early and gain some confidence. With hard work and a team effort, we know we are capable of having a winning season this year. That may come to a surprise to some, but we (the coaching staff) believe in these young ladies. We know what they are capable of accomplishing.”
All coaches look for some positives and Gearhart has seen some, “We want to start this season building off of the positives we have witnessed so far. The girls have a much better attitude and outlook at practices. The coaching staff is definitely seeing some improvement from all of them.”
Gearhart knows that much work still needs to be done though and stated, “We know that to be competitive in both our leagues that we will have to rebound much better and cut down on our turnovers. Offensively we look to be a better perimeter shooting team this year. We have been stressing that good passing will lead to good shot opportunities. Having said that, we still have to put the ball in the hoop when we get those chances.”
Curwensville will once again compete in the Moshannon Valley League (MVL) and the Allegheny Mountain league (AML).
Gearhart will once again be assisted by Jerry Bloom, Bob Eshelman and Dawna Coons.
ROSTER:
SENIORS – *Alesia Bressler f/c, *Jenae Stiles, g, *Jenessa Stiles, f, *Hannah Walls, g
JUNIORS – * Tess Bloom, g, Shayla Buzard, c, Sara Sidelinger, g
SOPHOMORES – Courtney Bachelier, g, Sasha Brock, c, Taylor Bumbarger, g/f, Brittany Carter, g,
Catelynn Fleming, c, Jayna Knepp, f, Paige McCracken, f, Katie Norris, f/c, Katie Wriglesworth, f
FRESHMEN – Hannah Bressler, g, Katie Duttry, f, Nikki Lezzer, g, Savannah Strickland, f
*Denotes letter winner.
SCHEDULE:
DECEMBER – 10 BROCKWAY, 12 at Ridgway, 17 at Glendale, 19 at Harmony,
22 DCC
JANUARY – 5 WEST BRANCH, 6 at Johnsonburg, 9 at Mo Valley, 12 BUCKTAIL,
13 at Kane, 16 at Sheffield, 20 RIDGWAY, 21 MO VALLEY, 23 at Brockway,
26 at Dcc, 29 at West Branch, 30 JOHNSONBURG
FEBRUARY – 2 HARMONY, 6 KANE, 9 CLEARFIELD, 12 GLENDALE, 13 at Bucktail
HOME GAMES IN CAPS.