Girls’ Basketball Season Outlook: Coaching Changes May Shake Things Up

Posted: December 7, 2013
By ROBERT STOCKS
The Winchester Star

WINCHESTER — Although four new coaches will be taking over area girls’ basketball teams, most of the area’s top players from a season ago return in what should be another competitive season.

Seven of the top nine area scoring leaders are back, but the coaching landscape has changed drastically with only Handley High School’s Marvin Scott and Shenandoah Valley Christian Academy’s Lauren Culler returning to the bench this season.

Debby Sanders, who guided Millbrook to three straight Group AA state titles from 2009-2010 to 2011-12, resigned after leading the Pioneers to their fifth consecutive 20-win season last year. Tim Lawrence, who guided Clarke County to a 23-7 mark a season ago and led the Eagles to the 2007 Group A state title, also resigned following last season. Sanders (158-71 with the Pioneers and a state-record 84-game winning streak) and Lawrence (159-77) combined to win more than 300 games.

Millbrook (Kevin Barr), James Wood (Krista Crites), Sherando (Mike Marsh) and Clarke County (Regina Downing) all have new coaches, but all four teams finished .500 or better a season ago and return a solid nucleus of veteran players.

The Pioneers return Co-Northwestern District Player of the Year and senior Brenna Cook (18.4 points, 7.6 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 3.3 steals), and Millbrook also has the other reigning Co-Northwestern District Player of the Year in sophomore Lauren Reed (an area-best 18.6 points, 3.4 assists, 3.1 steals), who transferred from Sherando.

Although there’s no Northwestern District tournament with the new conference format, Crites doesn’t expect the local rivalry games will be any less intense.

“Those are always your biggest games of the year against teams like Sherando and Millbrook,” said Crites, who takes over for former Colonels coach Rhonda Slider this season. “Those are fun games we look forward to. It’s definitely going to be an exciting year in the district. I don’t think there’s one team that will dominate. I think it’s pretty even across the board.”

Sherando coach Mike Marsh said the district should be very competitive.

“The district is going to be strong,” said Marsh, who takes over for Kevin Reed at Sherando. “Millbrook is going to be strong with Lauren [Reed] and they have some quality offensive players. James Wood has really good young talent, and they’re going to be tough. It’s going to be a pretty challenging district and that should help all of us.”

With the VHSL’s new six classification system, there will be no Northwestern District tournament this year (there will still be a tournament in the Bull Run District — but it has no bearing on the postseason) and the conference tournaments will now be the first level of postseason competition.

James Wood, Sherando and Millbrook play in Conference 21 of the Group 4A North Region with Dominion, Heritage, Loudoun County, Woodgrove and Park View. Handley plays in Conference 23 (also of the 4A North) with Fluvanna, Charlottesville, Amherst County, Louisa County and Harrisonburg.

The two teams that reach the conference final advance to the regional tournament. From there, the two teams in the regional final move on to the state semifinals.

With the new conference format, Barr said it’s going to be tough with just two teams moving on from Conference 21.

“We have high expectations but we’re not where we need to be,” Barr said. “Our goal is to make it to regionals and it’s not going to be easy with the new conference we have. Woodgrove and Loudoun County both went to states last year, so with the other area teams we’ve got a really good conference.”

Clarke County graduated just two players from last year’s team that won 23 games and reached the state semifinals, so the Eagles have high hopes once again — especially after beating George Mason (who beat Clarke in all four meetings last year, including the district final and regional final) 63-60 in the season opener for both teams on Wednesday night.

“It was a big boost for us,” Downing said. “I think it was a stumbling block and they had been in every game they played them [last year]. But they overcame that this time and that’s a real boost for us.

Clarke County — who returns standout juniors Sydney Chrane (18.5 points, 8.8 rebounds, 1.7 blocks) and Anna Blue Catlett (12.5 points, 2.5 steals) — plays in Conference 35 of the Group 2A East Region with George Mason, Madison County, Stonewall Jackson, Strasburg, Luray and Page County.

“I really don’t know too much about the conference teams [outside of the Bull Run District teams],” Downing said. “We’re going to take it one step at a time and try to be ready for when that time comes.”

Here’s a glance at the area teams:

Millbrook

Coach: Kevin Barr, first year

Last year: 20-5 (7-1 Northwestern) This season: 3-0

Key losses: Brooke Borlie, Ky Rooks, Ashley Goodman

Top returning players: Brenna Cook, Sr. G; Joneisha Cain, Soph. G/F; Liz McDonald, Soph. F/C; Casey Ackerman, Jr. G; Mia VanderToorn, Jr. G/F; Amanda Hayton, Soph. G; Kali Kremer, Soph. G/F.

Top newcomers: Lauren Reed, Soph. G; Kelli White, Fr. G; Lily Treiber, Fr. F.

Barr’s outlook: “We’ve kind of had to change the style because it’s just not the same personnel we’ve had. It’s not necessarily the way I’ve coached in the past, but you have to adjust to the style of your kids. We’re going to be a gritty team and get the loose balls. We’re not going to be bigger than anybody else, so we’ve got to work a little harder for those things this year. We’re going to try to play man [defense] but mix it up a lot more than in the past. I think we’re going to be a great team because the kids understand their roles.”

Next game: Wednesday, vs. Heritage, 7:30 p.m.

Sherando

Coach: Mike Marsh, first year

Last year: 15-11 (7-1 Northwestern) This season: 1-2

Key losses: Lauren Reed, Dani Rizzari.

Top returning players: Heidi Brown, Jr. F; Jessica Hakel, Jr. G; Erin Magalis, Jr. G; Audra Sites, Jr. G; Madison Leckie, Soph. G; Alaina Combs, Sr. F.

Top newcomers: Davina Lane, Fr. G; Allison Combs, Soph. F.

Marsh’s outlook: “We have some girls who played a lot of varsity minutes so it gives us a good base to build with. But we’ve got substantial changes with the system we’ve put in. We’re getting better and better at what we’re trying to do.

“We’re more uptempo than we’ve been in terms of offense and defense and just a little faster paced. We’re going to play a pretty uptempo game, apply pressure and run.”

Next game: Wednesday, vs. Broadway, 6 p.m.

Handley

Coach: Marvin Scott, 12th year

Last year: 11-12 (2-6 Northwestern) This season: 0-1

Key losses: Tomekia Waller, Kara Riley, Cassidey Veach

Top returning players: Angelica Robinson, Soph. F; Alysandra Worrell, Soph. PG; Scarlett Hutchins Sr. G; Jacqueline Trabosh Jr. F/C; Miriah Smith, Jr. G.

Top newcomers: Madison Woodson, Soph. F; Dymond Monroe Soph. G; Taneisha Walker, Soph. G.

Scott’s outlook: “Competition-wise we’re young and undersized, but hopefully not undermanned. We’re hoping to be competitive. We like to keep it up-tempo. We’re not a very good shooting team but you don’t have to teach speed and quickness and we hope to capitalize on the athleticism our girls bring to the game. It’s going to be a work in progress. Hopefully during season they’ll catch on and we’ll be very competitive.”

Next game: Monday vs. Briar Woods, 7:30 p.m.

James Wood

Coach: Krista Crites, first year

Last year: 12-12 (4-4 Northwestern) This season: 2-0

Key losses: Erica Hepner

Top returning players: Keiana Brooks, Soph. G; Brooke Nesselrodt, Sr. G; Whitney Dick, Sr. F; Morgan Duncan, Jr. F; Laura Seymour, Sr. G/F; Kaitlyn Crane, Jr. G.

Top newcomers: Dani Rizzari, Jr. G; Taylor Heishman, Fr. C; Hannah Arnold, Fr. F; Grace Greene, Soph. F; Sarah Johnson, Jr. C.

Crites’ outlook: “We’re tough. They are very well-rounded. They complement each other very well. They work together well. Most have played basketball together since middle school with me as their coach. They are aggressive and very dedicated and hard-working kids. I couldn’t ask for a better group of girls for my first year. We’re 2-0 and we’ve won pretty easily. We’ll found out how good we are [down the road].”

Next game: Tuesday, at Luray, 7:30

Clarke County

Coach: Regina Downing, first year

Last year: 23-7 (11-3 Bull Run) Lost in Group A Division 2 state semifinals This season: 2-0

Key losses: Becky Smith and Rachel Sefton.

Top returning players: Sydney Chrane, Jr. F/C; Anna Blue Catlett, Jr. G; Hannah Ravenscroft, Ally Hicks, Jr. C; Kenzie Kibler, Jr. G; Stephanie Nelson, Sr. G/F.

Top newcomers: Kolby Parrott, Jr. G; Jade Payton, Fr. PG; Montana Clark, Jr. C.

Downing’s outlook: “We’re trying to get back to the state tournament and possibly win it. With the core group we have back — we’ve got a fine group here. We’re just trying to improve their skills.”

Next game: Tuesday, at Skyline, 7:30

SVCA

Coach: Lauren Culler, seventh year

Last year: 25-4, two-time defending VACA champions and two-time regular season and tournament North Region champions. This season: 4-1

Key losses: Amanda Barlow, Kayla Freemire, Shannon Conradi, McKenzie Yarnall

Top returning players: Carol Bartholomew, Jr. F; Hannah McGann, Jr. PG; Grace Snyder, Soph. G; Samantha Yarnall, Soph. G/F

Top newcomers: Alex Yarnall, Fr. G; Alex Garcia, Fr. F.

Culler’s outlook: “We’ve built a program here to be more competitive and we’re showing ourselves to be competitive. Defense is going to be our strength and help us win games. We’re playing some really tough teams this year, like The Miller School out of Charlottesville — but your’e not going to get better unless you play better competition.”

Next game: Today, vs. Shalom in SVCA Tip-Off Tournament, 4 p.m.

— Contact Robert Stocks at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.