EVERYTHING
EVERGREENS (FOX SPORTS WAUSAU-WSAU) The biggest challenge I see for the
DC Everest girls basketball team isn't the replacing of five starters from last
year's state runner-up team. As formidable as that is, the best way to describe
the real challenge is 'climbing the mountain again'. This is a basketball
program that won 27 straight games last season and was one win short of a state
championship. It was a wonderful team that was very good and full of likable
personalities. It's a mental challenge to start the climb from zero wins with
new people and different skills.
The
conventional thinking that Everest will be much diminished from last season
simply isn't true. With Taylor Hodell's graduation, they've lost the league's
tallest player, leading rebounder, and runner-up scoring leader. Mackenzie
Mathies and Haley Kroll — both second-team all-conference — are gone. So are
starters Makayla Pagel and Hannah Tipple. But Everest was an experienced and
deep team last season and that depth will move up this season.
Everest
will still have more height than most rivals. Ashley Hodell (6-1) is not as
tall as her older sister but is more athletic at this stage of her high school
career. She and Lexie Higgins (a 6-1 sophomore) will give Everest a rebounding
and inside presence similar to what they've had in recent seasons. Emily Bauman
and Samantha Anderson, the team's only seniors with varsity experience, were
role players last year — but — trust me — were both good enough to be
starters on most other teams. Bauman saw an increase in playing time in the
middle of last season because of injuries and was an effective scorer. And
there are another half-dozen JV players from last year who are seniors. Many of
them would have seen varsity time a year ago if the Everest program wasn’t so
loaded with talent. Some combination of them will step forward and make their
mark.
The
lynch pin of this season will be Taylor Petit who was the best
drive-with-the-ball player on the team a year ago as a freshman. If we were
playing a game of schoolyard pick-up basketball, you'd pick Taylor before
anyone else in the league. She's being expertly brought along… she was first
player off the bench last year in deference to the senior-laden roster. She looked surprisingly comfortable on the big stage at
the state tournament, and should be ready get more minutes and carry more of
the scoring load. Last year she was sometimes called for overly aggressive
fouls; I expect her game will be more polished now. I also think she'll
grow into a leadership role on the team. Her three year path to graduation
includes being a team captain, a leading scorer, consensus all-conference, and
a WVC player-of-the-year in waiting. All of that will come with normal progression,
if not this year then next.
Some
people think Marshfield is the pre-season favorite. I disagree. Marshfield lost
both their leading scorers from last season, and will not be as tall as
Everest. SPASH has some scorers, but will be an undersized team. Wausau-West
will benefit from transfer student Caitlin Deaton, Newman Catholic's
leading scorer last season. West was playing better at the end of last season
than at the beginning. The gap between those teams and DC Everest may have
narrowed compared to a year ago, but Everest has the experience and the pieces
to be conference champions for a third year in a row.
Chris
Conley
11.10.15
