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It's anyone's race in SOC Photo from Mail Tribune files Guard Lu Crenshaw is among the returners who played key roles for North last year. North, picked to win, has challengers By GREG STILES Crater's three-year reign over Southern Oregon Conference girls basketball may well come to an end. But who might supplant the Comets atop the standings is anybody's guess. Forced to choose, the conference coaches picked North Medford -- the same choice they've made in two of the previous three years. And while the Black Tornado certainly has a strong nucleus of returners from last season's 24-4 club that brought home a state tournament trophy for the first time, anything could happen this winter. "I don't think you're going to see two dominant teams like Crater and North Medford were last year," Ashland coach Heather Roberts says. "I think you're going to see more parity. The league winner could easily have two or three losses." Klamath Union, Ashland, Crater and South Medford all figure to make life miserable for one another, and with veteran coach John Thomas coming back after a seven-year hiatus, Roseburg could crash the playoff party as well. "I think we're going to have to scramble to make the playoffs," says North coach Mike Kay. "I think a pretty good team could be left at home." Kay is quick to point out that he has just one returning starter, Ashlee Giles. But senior guards Jenny Close and Lu Crenshaw, senior forward Katie Ledford and junior center Tressa Manwaring all played key roles for the Tornado a year ago. The question is whether the players off the highly successful junior varsity team can give Kay the ability to apply wave upon wave of defensive pressure. In early season outings against Del Norte, Bend and Mountain View, that was the case. "We don't have the natural ability that we had last year," Kay says. "But the kids have a better understanding of our system. This is a very close-knit group, and that's the thing that is going to help us through the growing part." Kay figures to find out how good of prognosticators his peers are when his team travels to Klamath Union next Tuesday in the SOC opener and then visits Crater on Friday. "I think we'll be very happy with a split," he says. That's a tough way to open. If we get one, that's a huge jump for us." The Pelicans are experienced in the post with 6-foot-2 senior Pam Frei, who has signed to play collegiately at Southern Colorado. Klamath is bursting with young talent at guard in sophomores Sam Gilbert and Sarah Davison. Adding to opponents' woes is freshman Amy Denson, who might be the best player to emerge from the Klamath Basin since Tara Harrington at Mazama in the early 1990s. "So far," says 12th-year coach Jack Sharp, "we've held teams to about 39 points per game, and that's going to be a pretty good key for us." Ashland may well be able to put the conference's quickest starting five on the floor. The Grizzlies will rarely be the tallest team on the court, but they're playoff tested and very experienced for having just one senior on the roster. Junior Chelsea Morgan has played point guard and the wing in her first two varsity seasons. Now, she's moving to a post. "We didn't have a lot of options," says third-year coach Roberts, adding that two post players graduated and another didn't turn out. "Chelsea has grown tremendously since she was a 5-4 freshman; she's 5-9 now." Ashland's other returning post is 5-11 sophomore Jacque Woods, who couldn't be kept out of the lineup after she was given a chance to play last December. "She's matured," Roberts says. "She's still raw as far as skills, but she's very athletic." Junior Jenny Pippa begins her third year at point guard and will thwart most presses this winter. Sophomore guard Hanna Seltzer quietly earned a big chunk of playing time last year and scored 19 points and grabbed 10 rebounds in a game against South Medford. Ashland's depth could be the club's Achilles' heel. "We're going to have to play smart," Roberts says. Crater coach David Heard has just one returning starter, center Emily Wiley, from a team that played for the state championship last March. But for the first time in a couple of years, the Comets don't have the pressure of high expectations. "Although we were only picked to win the league one time in the three years we won it, we felt the pressure," Heard says. "The feeling was that the talent was there, and we'd better not waste it. I don't think that it's there this year." But don't expect a fast fade. Sophomore forward Jodi McLeod demonstrated during the state tournament she could match up with just about anyone inside. Once she fully recovers from an ankle sprain suffered during volleyball, the 6-footer should be among the top two or three rebounders in the conference. Freshmen Sarah Yager and Addie Wiersma and sophomore Janell Sapienza give the Comets an intriguing, if inexperienced, trio of point guards. "We lost 95 percent of our scoring to graduation and defensively, we're not as quick, so we can't press" Heard says. "We have talented young kids. There's a difference between talented young kids and talented old kids." South Medford might be the deepest team in the conference, partly because coach Andrea Wegner was willing to play a lot of youngsters in her first season when the Panthers went 10-13. Sophomores Emily Perttu, Kellie Thomas and Heather Fossen are downright scary, and veterans Lynn Wooton, Nicole Munoz and Ellena Flood make for a good mix. "We have a good base to start with," says Wegner. "Now it's just a matter of fine-tuning and adding little wrinkles." South shot very well from the foul line last year and has picked up where it left off this season. "The girls want to be right there in the hunt for the league championship," admits Wegner. "That's their goal, and half of the battle is just believing they can win." Roseburg made 10 playoff appearances and advanced to the state tournament six times during Thomas' first 16 years. He inherits a team with four returning starters but one that failed to reach its potential the past two years. "My coaching philosophy has always been to be better in January than we were in December," Thomas says. "It's a positive thing that we're only playing two league games before Christmas." Shaun Gross inherited a veteran Grants Pass team that lacked depth last year. Now, he's got a young squad with more talent. The problem is waiting for the talent to mature. "We can play with some of the teams that really like to run now," Gross says. "We need to take care of the ball better, though." Grants Pass has averaged 20 turnovers in its first four outings. First-year Eagle Point coach Tom McCracken has coached at the college level most of his lengthy career. Chances are he's never been in a position where his team had so little experience relative to its opponents. Junior forward Dusty Damon is the only returning regular and one of three returning letter-winners, along with guard Stephanie Lucas and center Anna Ford. In their first three non-conference games, the Eagles have done a lot of nice things defensively and rebounded fairly well. But they haven't found a way to score. "No one in the whole group has ever scored much," McCracken says. "We need to get more baskets in transition and continue to hit the offensive boards." SOC girls basketball Ashland COACH -- Heather Roberts (third year). LAST YEAR'S RECORD -- 12-11 overall, 9-7 SOC (tie for third). PREDICTED FINISH -- Third. RETURNING STARTERS -- Chelsea Morgan, 5-8, jr., p; Jenny Pippa, 5-4, jr., g; Hanna Seltzer, 5-7, so., w; Jacque Woods, 5-11, so., p. RETURNING LETTERMEN -- Kirsten McNaught, 5-7, jr., w. KEY NEWCOMERS -- Snow Staples, 5-6, so., w; Jessica Bullen, 5-6, so., w; Kacey Zundel, 5-8, fr., p; Denise Noyes, 5-8, sr., p. Crater COACH -- David Heard (fifth year). LAST YEAR'S RECORD -- 24-31 overall, 15-1 SOC (first). PREDICTED FINISH -- Fourth. RETURNING STARTERS -- Emily Wiley, 6-1, sr., c. RETURNING LETTERMEN -- Megan Robbins, 5-9, sr., f; Jodi McLeod, 6-0, so., f; Janell Sapienza, 5-8, so., g; Amy Chase, 5-8, sr., g; Skye Hemphill, 5-11, so., g-f. KEY NEWCOMERS -- Sarah Yager, 5-6, fr., g; Sarah Durbin, 5-8, sr. g; Addie Wiersma, 5-9, fr., g-f; Brandi Hall, 6-0, fr., f; Amanda Johnson, 6-0, sr., f; Becky Arreola, 5-9, sr. f. Eagle Point COACH -- Tom McCracken (first year). LAST YEAR'S RECORD -- 14-10 overall, 9-7 SOC (tie for third). PREDICTED FINISH -- Eighth. RETURNING STARTERS -- Dusty Damon, 5-10, jr., f. RETURNING LETTERMEN -- Stephanie Lucas, 5-5, jr. g; Anna Ford, 6-2, sr., c. KEY NEWCOMERS -- Misty Bernhardt, 5-10, jr., c; Richelle Blanchard, 5-5, jr., g; Alaina Corliss, 5-4, jr., g; Brynna Jacobsen, 5-8, so., g; Michelle Morton, 5-5, so., f; Danielle Rouhier, 5-6, fr., g; Angie Shearin, 5-2, jr., g; Meagan Smith, 5-6, sr., g; Sara Smith, 5-7, sr., transfer, g. Grants Pass COACH -- Shaun Gross (second year). LAST YEAR'S RECORD -- 5-17 overall, 3-13 SOC (seventh). PREDICTED FINISH -- Seventh. RETURNING STARTERS -- Kaci Williams, 5-5, jr., g. RETURNING LETTERMEN -- Kim Moser, 5-11, jr., p; Casey Higgins, 5-10, so., f. KEY NEWCOMERS -- Becky Heater, 6-0, sr., p; Colleen Davidson, 5-10, jr., p; Jenn Mack, 5-6, jr., f; Erin Woolley, 5-1, jr., g; Johnna Nealy, 5-7, so., g; Alicia Pilcher, 5-11, so., p; Danae Thomason, 5-7, so., g; Jeannelle Thompson, 5-7, so., g. Klamath Union COACH -- Jack Sharp (12th year). LAST YEAR'S RECORD -- 17-8 overall, 9-7 SOC (tie for third). PREDICTED FINISH -- Second. RETURNING STARTERS -- Pam Frei, 6-2, sr., c. RETURNING LETTERMEN -- Sam Gilbert, 5-7, so., g; Sarah Davison, 5-7, so., g; Danielle Dobey, 5-11, sr., f; Kristina Matchett, 5-10, jr., f; Annie Kellstrom, 5-8, jr., f. KEY NEWCOMERS -- Shannon Davison, 5-3, so., g; Amy Denson, 5-11, fr., f; Lynne Putnam, 5-4, jr., f; Sara Todd, 5-8, jr., f; Kate Richards, 6-0, jr., c. North Medford COACH -- Mike Kay (fourth year). LAST YEAR'S RECORD -- 24-4 overall, 14-2 SOC (second). PREDICTED FINISH -- First. RETURNING STARTERS -- Ashlee Giles, 5-9, sr., w. RETURNING LETTERMEN -- Jenny Close, 5-7, sr., w; Lucianne Crenshaw, 5-5, sr., g; Tressa Manwaring, 6-0, jr., p; Katie Ledford, 5-10, sr., p. KEY NEWCOMERS -- Jennifer Ross, 5-10, jr., p; Jamie MacLauchlan, 5-7, jr., w; Tennille Bennett, 5-5, jr., g; Jill Carrigan, 5-8, so., w; Kara Hwang, 5-11, so., p; Ashley Nelson, 6-0, so., p. Roseburg COACH -- John Thomas (17th year, first since 1991). LAST YEAR'S RECORD -- 7-16 overall, 4-12 SOC (sixth). PREDICTED FINISH -- Sixth. RETURNING STARTERS -- Lindsay Johnson, 5-8, sr., g; Jordan Crossfield, 5-8, sr., g; Becci Randall, 6-1, sr., p; Crystal Stephens, 6-0, sr., p. RETURNING LETTERMEN -- Meg Makinson, 5-2, jr., g; Erin Goodell, 5-4, so., g; Amy Bradburn, 5-9, jr., g. KEY NEWCOMERS -- Kaley Wecks, 5-5, sr., g; Sarah Loomis, 5-7, sr., g; Elaine Souder, 6-0, sr., p; Sarah Gilding, 6-1, so., p. South Medford COACH -- Andrea Wegner (second year). LAST YEAR'S RECORD -- 10-13 overall, 5-11 SOC (fifth). PREDICTED FINISH -- Fifth. RETURNING STARTERS -- Nicole Munoz, 5-9, sr., g-f; Ellena Flood, 5-6, sr., g; Lynn Wooton, 6-0, jr., f. RETURNING LETTERMEN -- Emily Perttu, 5-8, so., g; Heather Fossen, 5-6, so., g; Tiffany Mason, 5-5, jr., g; Kellie Thomas, 5-11, so., g; Karla Zenz, 6-0, so., c. KEY NEWCOMERS -- Marissa Gillingham, 5-6, jr., g; Kathleen Narus, 5-7, so., g; Ashley McCollumn, 5-8, jr., f. Today's Sports Index Mail Tribune Copyright� The Mail Tribune 1998, Medford,