JEFFREY REINHART jreinhart@LNPnews.com
Full L-L League girls’ basketball Section 4 preview capsules, listed alphabetically for your reading and viewing pleasure …
ANNVILLE-CLEONA LITTLE DUTCHMEN
COACH: Fred Siebecker (2nd season; 2-22 overall).
CLASSIFICATION: Double-A.
LAST SEASON: 2-14 Section 4, 2-22 overall.
KEY PLAYERS LOST: G Chelsea Bressler (6.0), G Caitlin Light (1.0), G Becky Zimmerman (3.6).
KEY PLAYERS RETURNING: F Megan Mailen (Jr., 5.3), F Becky Smith (Sr., 5.7).
KEY NEWCOMERS: G Tricia Light (Fr.), F Kaylynn McKinney (Fr.), G Victoria Siebecker (Fr.).
KEEP AN EYE ON: Other than the progress of the six freshmen on the Little Dutchmen’s roster, Becky Smith. She’s a legit 5-11 and is the team’s leading returning scorer. A-C is going to need her to patrol the post and own the glass while the new backcourt gets situated.
OUTLOOK: The only way to go is up for the Little Dutchmen, who struggled through a 2-22 campaign last winter. But two of the top three scorers from last season will return – Mailen and Smith – and Siebecker is excited about the six freshmen on his varsity roster. Could be some more growing pains here, but it could payoff in a brighter future.
REINHART SAYS: Hard not picking the Dutchmen to finish last in Section 4. For starters because that’s where they finished last year. And secondly, six of the 12 kids on the varsity roster are freshmen, and it sounds like a couple of them are going to get some big minutes right away. Oh yeah, did I mention Section 4 is brutal? Be patient, greater Annville/Cleona area. If these youngsters get their feet wet, the Dutchmen could be contenders again in the very near future.
COLUMBIA CRIMSON TIDE
COACH: Lisa Tomsheck (3rd season; 13-35 overall).
CLASSIFICATION: Double-A.
LAST SEASON: 4-12 Section 4, 7-17 overall (Lost to Wyomissing in first round of District 3 Double-A playoffs).
KEY PLAYERS LOST: G Tori Aston (12.3, 19 3-pointers), G Jamie Kuhn (3.5, 13 3-pointers), F Kenyeta Simms (3.6).
KEY PLAYERS RETURNING: F Gen Afari (Sr., 6.8), G Erica Gilbert (Sr., 6.5), G Laura Gambler (Sr., 3.9, 16-pointers), G Emily Nobile (Jr., 4.6, 16 3-pointers), F Meredith Wagner (Sr., 2.5).
KEY NEWCOMERS: G Emily Detz (So.), G Becca Kuhn (So.).
KEEP AN EYE ON: Erica Gilbert. I’ve always enjoyed her athleticism and the way she can run the floor. Aston and her 908 career points are gone, so it’s time for Gilbert to step up and be the Crimson Tide’s go-to scorer. She’s got the skills to do it; hopefully she seizes the opportunity, because Columbia needs a leader to show the way through a pretty rugged Section 4 slate.
OUTLOOK: Losing Aston’s quick trigger will hurt, but the Crimson Tide has a couple of sharpshooters (Gambler and Nobile), a low-post presence (Afari) and a creator (Gilbert). Section 4 is a meat grinder, but Columbia has the tools to keep everyone on their toes.
REINHART SAYS: Man, I miss covering Columbia games. I don’t get up to The Hill as much as I used to back in the day. And I really miss those days. The L-L League is a lot more fun when the Crimson Tide is competitive and going deep in the postseason. Those days have been gone lately, but I think Tomsheck (formerly Lisa Leddy, Tide point guard) has the program on the right track. Now only if Columbia didn’t have to play Lancaster Mennonite, Lancaster Catholic and Lebanon Catholic twice a season. … Tide should finish fourth here and squeak into Districts.
LANCASTER CATHOLIC CRUSADERS
COACH: Lamar Kauffman (27th season; 623-148 overall).
CLASSIFICATION: Triple-A.
LAST SEASON: 14-3 Section 4, 21-11 overall (Lost to Lancaster Mennonite in one-game playoff for Section 4 championship, lost to Hempfield in L-L League semifinals, lost to Palmyra in District 3 Triple-A fifth-place game, lost to Villa Maria in first round of PIAA Triple-A playoffs).
KEY PLAYERS LOST: F Monica Barnett (4.7), F Megan Fessler (4.4), G Molly Holt (8.5, 36 3-pointers), G Stevie Pfister (4.5), F Brittany Ryder (16.9, 19 3-pointers), G Sam Souders (1.5), F Maggie Sweeney (6.4).
KEY PLAYERS RETURNING: F Reina Hill (Jr., 4.1), G Jen Roehm (So., 2.9), F Madeline Sloan (Jr., 1.1), G Emily Weaver (Sr., 11.5, 31 3-pointers).
KEY NEWCOMERS: G Brittany Bechtold (Jr.), G Ashley Bukeavich (So., 0.7), G Bridget Gibbons (Sr.), G Ariana Nazario (So., 1.0), G Marissa Uylingco (Sr., 3.0).
KEEP AN EYE ON: Bridget Gibbons, who did not play basketball last season because of an injury. Kauffman told me recently that she would probably get the first crack at running the point, and that’s a mucho important spot on this team. Not only will she have to distribute, but she’ll likely head up Catholic’s presses and traps. That’s a mighty big job, gang. Terrific athlete who was limited because of injury. But she appears to be back and ready to go.
OUTLOOK: Replacing Ryder and her deft baseline game will not be easy. Having sharpshooter Weaver back will help. But the backcourt needs an overhaul, and the new kids have to master Kauffman’s intricate press and trap schemes. Could be a work in progress. But you know the Crusaders will be there in the end. Right?
REINHART SAYS: Can’t pick these guys to win Section 4 … not with defending champ Lancaster Mennonite having some key pieces back, and not even with Lebanon Catholic sitting there with scoring machine Hailey Carangelo and a flock of other returnees ready to roll. Which reminds me … I picked Lebanon Catholic to win Section 4 last year. How’d that pick turn out? I know Kauffman is counting on Gibbons to get back into the swing of basketball and be a leader. And Weaver will help out offensively. She can shoot the 3 and drive from the wing. But it’s going to come down to how fast the new kids learn to play D … Catholic D. Lamar Kauffman D. Keep your fingers crossed, Crusaders Crazies. This probably is not going be one of those 30-2/District 3 champ/juggernaut Catholic teams. But the Crusaders will get better the colder it gets.
LANCASTER MENNONITE BLAZERS
COACH: Sherri Gorman (4th season; 59-24 overall).
CLASSIFICATION: Double-A (down from Triple-A last season).
LAST SEASON: 15-2 Section 4, 28-5 overall (Section 4 champs; beat Lancaster Catholic in one-game playoff for section title, lost to Hempfield in L-L League championship game, beat Gettysburg in District 3 Triple-A championship game, lost to eventual state champ Mount Saint Joseph in PIAA Triple-A Eastern quarterfinals).
KEY PLAYERS LOST: G Kelsey Gorman (8.3, 15 3-pointers, Lancaster Newspapers Female Athlete of the Year), G Katelyn Kreider (5.2), F Mary Poole (4.7), G Melissa Sauder (3.1), G Dani Zeamer (6.9).
KEY PLAYERS RETURNING: G Eileen Darby (Sr., missed 07-08 with knee injury), F Erin LaVenice (Jr., 9.5), F Sarah Mentzer (Sr., 1.8), G Steph Rheinheimer (Jr., 2.1), F Kami Skoloda (Sr., 1.9), G Katelyn Vanderhoff (10.8, 10 3-pointers).
KEY NEWCOMERS: G Val Heisey (So.), F Jess Rheinheimer (Fr.).
KEEP AN EYE ON: University of Maine recruit Katelyn Vanderhoff, who just might be (in my book, anyway) pound-for-pound the best all-around player in the league. Air-tight defender who has locked down any number of high-scoring guards or small forwards all over the league, district and state over the last three seasons. And she can score, too, with 896 points heading into her senior season. Gamer. Leader. Relentless. Warrior. Running out of words for Vanderhoff – and I have to follow her around for this whole season.
OUTLOOK: Going to be tough to top last season, when the Blazers won Section 4 before capturing the first District 3 Triple-A championship in the history of the program. But with Vanderhoff and post pillar LaVenice back, that’s a great starting 1-2 punch. New backcourt will need tweaked for sure, but the Blazers, who are ranked eighth in the state in Double-A by the Harrisburg Patriot-News, should be in good shape. Team to beat in Section 4 for sure.
REINHART SAYS: Yeah, I know the backcourt has some fresh faces, but I’d gladly take Vanderhoff and LaVenice to start and go from there. Might be tough to top last season’s program-record 28 victories (plus York Catholic will be waiting in Double-A when the playoffs roll around), but no reason to believe the Blazers can’t repeat in Section 4, and get back to the L-L League finals.
LEBANON CATHOLIC BEAVERS
COACH: Patti Hower (31st season; 566-274 overall).
CLASSIFICATION: Single-A.
LAST SEASON: 9-7 Section 4, 15-14 overall (Lost to Reading Central Catholic in District 3 Single-A championship game, lost to Bishop Guilfoyle in PIAA Single-A Eastern quarterfinals).
KEY PLAYERS LOST: G Samantha Carangelo (11.6, 29 3-pointers), F Meghan Orr (7.9), G Anna Wengert (7.0).
KEY PLAYERS RETURNING: G Kelsey Boehmer (Sr., 5.7), G Hailey Carangelo (Jr., 15.6, 19 3-pointers), G Rachel Shirk (Sr., 5.5, 17 3-pointers).
KEY NEWCOMERS: G Stevie Fortna (Fr.), F Nicole Groh (So., 0.8), G Rachel Kleinfelter (So., 1.7), F Liz Rakow (So., 0.5), G Katelyn Reist (So., 0.2), G Erin Walker (So, 1.0).
KEEP AN EYE ON: Hailey Carangelo, the sweet-shooting lefty. She plays like a house-of-fire, always going full speed and always looking to get to the glass. She’s a treat. I know she had some foul issues a year ago (read: over-aggression), so she’s going to have to tone it down a bit and keep herself on the floor. That’s a must, especially when February rolls around. Wow, two more years of Hailey? Lucky Beavers. She’s sitting on 646 career points by the way, so if Lebanon Catholic goes deep, she could come close to hitting 1,000 as a junior.
OUTLOOK: Plenty to like here, especially with Carangelo back in the mix. The silky-smooth lefty is one of the early favorites to win the league scoring derby. Beavers will have a say in the Section 4 race for sure, and should be battled-tested when Districts roll around. Could be back on top of the Single-A mountain come February. Stay tuned.
REINHART SAYS: If Lancaster Catholic’s youngsters don’t get on the same page early on, the Beavers will challenge Lancaster Mennonite for the top spot in Section 4 … and either way, Lebanon Catholic will be right there for the 2-spot in the section and the trip to the league playoffs. This team grew on me during the playoffs last season, and a big chunk of those kids return. Will be one of the last teams in the L-L League standing. Watch.
PEQUEA VALLEY BRAVES
COACH: Melissa Mabry (3rd season; 9-38 overall).
CLASSIFICATION: Triple-A (up from Double-A last season).
LAST SEASON: 2-14 Section 4, 4-20 overall (Lost to Trinity in first round of District 3 Double-A playoffs).
KEY PLAYERS LOST: G Joanna Esbenshade (6.0), G Teresa Hove (1.3), G Ashley Marshall (10.0), G Brianna Reed (2.8), G Tiffani Williams (3.8).
KEY PLAYERS RETURNING: G Rayna Carney (Sr., 1.6), G Marissa Ferris (So., 5.7, 13 3-pointers), G Tessa Smucker (Sr., 5.6, 24 3-pointers), G Rebecca Stamper (Jr., 2.1), G Amber Stoltzfus (Jr., 3.2).
KEY NEWCOMERS: G Morgan Schroeder (Jr., 1.0), G Brianna Teijaro (So., 0.3).
KEEP AN EYE ON: The double-barreled sharpshooter duo of Marissa Ferris and Tessa Smucker. It’s no secret that the Braves aren’t going to wow you with dominating size in the middle. So they’ve relied on their perimeter game as of late. And the Braves fashion a pair of fine snipers in Ferris (13 3’s last season) and Smucker (24 3’s last season), who can beat you from downtown. Of course, you live by the 3 and you die by the 3.
OUTLOOK: PV will have some serious snipers – Ferris and Smucker combined to drain 37 treys last season – but the Braves will need some major help on the glass if they want to be players in this race. And they bump up to Triple-A this season, and it’s a lot tougher to make that bracket over the Double-A bracket.
REINHART SAYS: I think PV will keep everyone honest with its backcourt play, particularly Ferris and Smucker, who have taken up a good chunk of this capsule, you’d agree. The section/crossover slate is ridiculous. But if the Braves win the games they should win, I think they’ll open some eyes.
