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King, Clark receive SCL honors By Don Hunt This was supposed to be a rebuilding season for the Cascade Christian High girls basketball team. Senior post Kelly Clark and senior wing Janelle Conley were the only starters back from last season�s squad that advanced to the Class 2A state tournament. And when Conley injured her neck and back in a car accident in late December that would sideline her for more than a month, the Challengers� fate in the Southern Cascade League seemed dim indeed. But veteran coach Loren King did what any coach worth his clipboard would do: He repeatedly got the ball to Clark, developed a point guard and gradually brought along the rest of the team. The result? A 21-7 record, a second-place finish in the SCL and a third straight trip to the state tourney. Such success inevitably brings forth postseason acclaim, and this season was no different. King was named the league�s coach of the year, Clark was selected to the SCL�s first team, sophomore point guard Hannah Gettman was chosen to the second team and Conley, who helped fuel the Challengers� charge into the playoffs upon her return, received honorable mention. "This was one of my funnest years," said King, who completed his sixth season as Cascade Christian�s head coach and his 35th season overall. "We were picked to take fourth in our league, and that was about right. But these girls had more talent than most people thought and they were bound and determined to get back to the state tournament." Also named to the first team were Lani Brophy of St. Mary�s, Katie Hitt of Bonanza and Tana Ross, Trisha Gasser and Hollis Baley of league champion Lost River. Ross was named the SCL�s most valuable player after averaging 13 points and eight rebounds per game in leading Lost River to a 23-3 record. But a good case for MVP could be made for Clark, who averaged 16.3 points, 10 rebounds and three assists for the Challengers. The 5-foot-10 senior also shot 48 percent from the field and 68 percent from the free-throw line. "She extended her shooting range 6 to 8 feet from last season, and that made her a lot tougher to guard," said King of Clark. "When she moved here two years ago, she was a back-to-the-basket, stay-on-the-block post player, but now she can hit the 3-point shot and everything inbetween. "She�s taken her game to a whole new level." Gettman, meanwhile, blossomed into one of the league�s top guards in her first season of high school basketball. She missed her freshman year with a broken leg. St. Mary�s Brophy made the all-star squad for the second straight year after leading the Crusaders in scoring. SCL ALL-STARS FIRST TEAM Tana Ross, Lost River 5-9 Sr. Kelly Clarke, Cascade Christian 5-10 Sr. Trisha Gasser, Lost River 5-10 Sr. Katie Hitt, Bonanza 5-9 Sr. Hollis Baley, Lost River 5-9 Sr. Lani Brophy, St. Mary�s 5-7 Sr. Most valuable player � Tana Ross, Lost River. Coach of the year � Loren King, Cascade Christian. SECOND TEAM Jenna Mullanix, Lost River 5-4 Sr. Hannah Gettman, Cascade Christian 5-5 So. Ivy Nelson, Bonanza 5-6 So. Jessie Carpenter, Bonanza 5-4 So. Michelle Gambino, Chiloquin 5-8 Sr. HONORABLE MENTION Jenna Adams, Gilchrist, 5-5, Jr.; Janelle Conley, Cascade Christian, 5-9, Sr.; Megan Steverns, Gilchrist, 5-10, So; Annie Maurer, St. Mary�s, 5-6, Jr.; Desi Corbin, Chiloquin, 5-6, Sr. Mail Tribune Home | Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. | Dow Jones & Co., Inc. | Privacy | Contact Us Copyright � 2001 Mail Tribune, Inc.