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Comets rerun? photo by Andrew Mariman Familiar cast of players makes Crater top choice By Greg Stiles Crater is the unanimous pick to win its fifth Southern Oregon Conference girls basketball title in six years. Given that the key elements of the Comets� Class 4A state tournament runner-up team return, it�s hard to argue with that assessment. The intriguing aspect, however, will be how bumpy the rest of the conference can make the Comets� ride. "Do I think they are going to run away from the league? No," says Ashland coach Heather Roberts, who returns two regulars from a team that won the 1998-99 SOC crown. "I think everyone is going to lose, for that matter." Crater didn�t have a senior on last year�s team that lost to Westview, 47-44, in the championship game. Seniors Jody McLeod (9.7 points, 6.4 rebounds per game) and Janell Sapienza (4.8 points, 3.4 rebounds) are three-year starters and juniors Amy Denson (11.6 points, 6 rebounds) and Sarah Pool (8 points, 8.1 assists) are second-year regulars. Denson and Pool, along with Ashland�s Jackie Woods � last year�s SOC player of the year � played on an Oregon all-star team that won a national tournament in North Carolina last April. In fact, all five of Crater�s starters are being recruited, including 6-foot-2 senior center Bre Johnson, who was sidelined at the state tournament by a stress-fracture in her lower leg. However, juniors Sarah Yager and Brandi Hall and senior Skye Hemphill didn�t turn out this winter for various reasons. That has cut into the Crater�s depth, but veteran Klamath Union coach Jack Sharp couldn�t find many chinks in the Comets� armor when he watched them in an early-season game against Springfield. "They�re so experienced, so poised and they play so much basketball outside the regular season that they�ve seen every situation," Sharp says. "They executed their offense so well, shot so well and they�re big and tough inside. I don�t see any weakness." Crater has already shown what it can do on good nights, whipping defending Midwestern League champion Springfield, ranked third at the time, 51-37, and overpowering California teams Vallejo, 73-44, and Clovis West of Fresno, 64-46, before coming up short against Amador Valley, 73-70, in the latter�s tournament last weekend. "I feel confident," Crater coach David Heard says. "We�re going to get some tough tests, but I feel confident we�re in good position. We�re about as good as we can be at this point of the season. "Obviously, I�d like our bench to have more experience. But that�s not going to happen until you play games." McLeod has been a steadying influence through the past couple seasons after an ankle injury limited her playing time as a sophomore. "I can count on her for eight to 10 rebounds per game and count on her knowing what she�s doing on the floor," Heard says. "Outside of Jackie Woods, she�s the best post player in the league. "She�s played in two state championship games and I don�t know how many big Ashland and North Medford games. She doesn�t get fazed by what goes on out there." Sapienza has also been through two title games and routinely handles the opposition�s top offensive threat with aplomb. "She doesn�t turn the ball over and she�s extremely strong," Heard says. "I think she could give us 10 to 15 points a night, if we needed it, and she�s an unbelievable rebounder." Heard has no illusions of romping through the SOC after a 13-1 performance last year. "I think both South and Ashland are contenders," he says. "Mentally, they�ve been there. But South lost an edge physically and mentally when it lost Heather Fossen (to an ACL tear in her knee)." He notes Ashland has "two great players" in Woods and Hanna Seltzer, "and the rest of the kids have been in their system. I think we�ll beat each other up. I think 12-2 could win the league." Ashland was a clear No. 2 pick by the coaches, followed by South Medford, Klamath Union, Roseburg, North Medford, Grants Pass and Eagle Point. After losing four-year starters Jenny Pippa and Chelsea Morgan, Roberts says this team is reminiscent of her first one. "It�s kind of like starting over in a sense, but with much higher expectations," says Roberts, whose team is heading for a tournament in Alaska later this week. Woods averaged 15.6 points per game, 9 rebounds, 3.5 steals and 1 assist last year. Seltzer, a tough defender and solid shooter, moves from the wing to point guard. Senior wing Jessica Bullen also returns to the Grizzly line-up, while posts junior Christina Kalemkeris and sophomore Marla Morin both saw significant time a year ago. South Medford was dealt a serious blow when Fossen was injured during a summer team camp. But the Panthers still have one of top returning groups in the conference. Kellie Thomas is capable of a 25-point game on a given night, 6-footer Karla Zenz matches up with just about anybody in the middle, point guard Whitney Grant weaves through presses and wing Emily Perttu is back at full strength after sitting out last season with an ACL knee injury. "We finished our season playing Westview tough last season and we won a playoff game against Clackamas," South Medford coach Andrea Wegner says. "We beat everyone in the SOC at least once and were 7-0 at home. That gives us confidence. "Our goal is to have the deciding game (against Crater) right here at the end of the season." Klamath Union�s backcourt speed will be a hazard for many teams. The Pelicans return all-conference guard Sam Gilbert and welcome back Sarah Davison, who missed last season following knee surgery. Roseburg returns 6-1 Sarah Gilding and 6-1 Lindsey Heard along with three-year veteran Erin Goodell. However, the Indians lost 5-9 point guard Jessica Fisiikava, the team�s leading scorer as a freshman, when she moved to Southern California. North Medford will be good enough to cause trouble for most teams but is a ways from contending with the top teams. Kara Hwang, Kelsey Versteeg and Ashley Nelson give the Tornado strength in the middle and at wing. Freshman point guard Anna Lilly has a good future, but will have her hands full against veteran teams. "She�s very eager and very coachable," says North coach J.T. Thomas. "Anyone who knows her knows her commitment to the game and conditioning." At Grants Pass, former boys basketball coach Ken Lathen has taken over the girls program. "We�ve got a ways to go," Lathen says, "but I like our balance." The Cavers don�t have a big scorer, like Kaci Williams was a year ago. But they return four regulars � Alicia Pilcher, Casey Higgins, Megan Moon and Alison Klingel. "They are all good athletes that play other sports," Lathen says. Like Lathen, Eagle Point�s Tim Rouhier is new to girls basketball after coaching boys for 20 years. Rouhier�s daughter, Danielle, is one of three returning starters from a team that was winless in conference a year ago. "We�ve got to develop the attitude that we�re going to play hard no matter what happens," Rouhier says. "We might be overmatched at times, but we�re going to be learning to play the game and be competitive." Reach reporter Greg Stiles at 776-4483, or e-mail [email protected] Mail Tribune Home | Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. | Dow Jones & Co., Inc. | Privacy | Contact Us Copyright � 2000 Mail Tribune, Inc.