Outlook Bright for Lady Bisons with Eight Letterwinners Returning
HYDE – Clearfield Area High School girls basketball coach Joey Castagnolo learned that experience doesn\’t necessarily translate into success in scholastic sports when his young 2007-08 team, which had six letterwinners, though only one returning starter, stumbled to a 5-19 finish.
After a 3-1 start highlighted by a milestone 45-42 win at Punxsutawney, that was the Lady Chucks\’ first home loss in coach Randy Reitz\’s seven-year career, the Lady Bisons were victorious just one more time in December and added only one win in their last 16 games.
Castagnolo noted that a rash of injuries and sickness took a toll on the Lady Bisons right after the Christmas break and factored heavily into what he termed a \”very disappointing\” season.
\”We lost a lot of confidence that went along with that,\” Castagnolo explained. \”They got down on themselves and just wanted the season to be over.\”
Castagnolo expects his 10th season at the helm to be much more enjoyable because eight letterwinners, five of them with two monograms, are returning with a new attitude.
\”They\’re all back except Alanna (Luzier), and I think they\’ve really learned to appreciate wins,\” he said. \”They understand now that winning is real important and how hard you have to work for it.
\”All 18 girls have been to every practice. I\’m real happy and proud of that.
\”Now, they have to believe in themselves. That\’s the key.\”
Shooting guard Luzier (177 points, 7.7 average) was the lone senior last season, and her leadership and aggressiveness will be missed.
Two-year starter and post player Annie Janocko (125, 5.4 ppg) and three-point specialist Sarah Kovalick (84, 3.7 ppg) will be counted on the provide the senior leadership.
The other returnees are juniors Jayme Ryan (203, 8.8 ppg), Amber Byerly (160, 6.7), Elizabeth Peters (120, 5.0), Madison Sopic (66, 4.1), Gwenn Porter (37, 1.7) and Angela Moore (36, 1.7). Ryan, Byerly, Peters and Sopic also lettered as freshmen.
Castagnolo noted Ryan is \”only about 80 percent right now\” after missing the entire soccer season because of illness and tonsillitis.
Janocko and Porter, a fixture at point guard, will be joined by different combinations in the starting lineup.
Castagnolo said he hopes to go with the five who will best match up defensively against the opponent for that game.
\”With the versatility we have, I\’m planning on changing our defenses, sometimes every time down the court,\” Castagnolo said. \”We might even go a little, man, too, because our speed and quickness are better. The communication, that\’s what we\’re working on a lot.\”
He doesn\’t envision possibly switching the starting lineup almost every night being a problem, since his philosophy always has been to substitute early and often.
\”All eight girls have started at one or another in their whole careers,\” he added. \”They just have to get accustomed to their roles and sometimes coming off the bench. It\’s going to make us stronger in the long run.\”
First-year senior Jocelyn Schultz and junior Lori Zalno will see action, too.
\”All 10 of them will get a lot of time,\” Castagnolo said. \”I keep on telling them to just play the game and everything will fall into place.\”
Under Castagnolo, Clearfield has been a team that relies heavily on perimeter shooting, but that, too, might change this season.
\”We\’ve been emphasizing more inside shots, taking the ball to the hoop instead of shooting the three all the time,\” Castagnolo said. \”They\’re a year older and should be a lot better shooters.
\”I was very disappointed we couldn\’t put the ball in the hoop in our scrimmage. We just seemed a step slower than Brockway. A measuring stick, I called it. That was the day before Thanksgiving. Since then, the girls realized we better get going and have been playing better.\”
Castagnolo sees the District 9 League as \”real balanced and real tough\” but believes the Lady Bisons will be competitive.
Clearfield\’s schedule has a different look because the PIAA mandated a later start to the season and a 22-game limit, two less than past years.
The Lady Bison Blast-Off Tournament was dropped, DuBois Central Catholic, Bellefonte and Central Mountain are no longer on the schedule and only one game is booked with rival Curwensville.
Harmony, which was the No. 5 seed for the 2008 District 6 Class A Playoffs, and Johnsonburg have been added for home-and-home games, and the Lady Bisons will host perennial District 9 Class A power Union on a Saturday afternoon in January.
\”Clearfield has never played Johnsonburg or Harmony,\” Castagnolo said, \”and it\’s nice we\’re playing a District 4 school (Jersey Shore) in the Bald Eagle Area Tournament. So, I\’m happy with that.\”
Assisting Castagnolo again will be Jerry Stewart (10th year) and Stan Stolarczyk (4th year).
The roster, with asterisk denoting letterwinners:
Seniors – Annie Janocko*, 5-10; Sarah Kovalick*, 5-6; Jocelyn Schultz, 5-8.
Juniors – Amber Byerly*, 5-9; Angela Moore*, 5-5; Elizabeth Peters*, 5-9; Gwenn Porter*, 5-6; Jayme Ryan*, 5-10; Madison Sopic*, 5-9; Lori Zalno, 5-9.
Sophomores – Sierra Grice, 5-8; Johanna Ryan, 5-2.
Freshmen – Lisa Ambuski, 5-6; Julia Ammerman, 5-1; Kristen Butler, 5-6; Briana Ianaro, 5-6; Mia Keener, 5-6; Rachel Thompson, 5-7.
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The schedule, with asterisk denoting District 9 League game and all games at 7:30 p.m. unless noted:
December
8 – Johnsonburg
15 – at Harmony
19 – at St. Marys*
23 – at Bradford*
27 – Jersey Shore at Bald Eagle Area Holiday Tournament (5 p.m.)
29 – Moshannon Valley or Bald Eagle Area at Bald Eagle Area Tournament (TBA)
January
5 – Philipsburg-Osceola
6 – at Brookville*
9 – DuBois*
13 – at Elk County Catholic*
16 – St. Marys*
17 – Union (2:30 p.m.)
21 – Punxsutawney*
23 – at Bradford*
26 – Harmony
30 – Brookville*
February
2 – at Johnsonburg
3 – Elk County Catholic*
6 – at DuBois*
9 – at Curwensville
11 – at Punxsutawney*
13 – at Ridgway