Girls basketball preview: Milton-Union

By Greg Billing | Friday, November 20, 2009, 12:39 PM

MILTON-UNION

Coach: Richard Cline, first season

2008-09 record: 18-5 (9-3 Southwestern Buckeye League Southwestern Division)

Returning starters

Amber Beeman, Jr., 5-3, G

Notable

Richard Cline takes over a Bulldogs program that graduated seven seniors. Beeman is the lone returning starter, but senior forward Tiffany Fox and sophomore guard Katelyn Vincent also return limited varsity experience. The Bulldogs are young with one senior and six underclassmen on the roster. Sophomores Cate Busse and Meghan Swartz are expected to step up in the post. Milton graduated its top four scorers and rebounders including the tough 1-2 punch of Kaci Finfrock and Alycia Helman, who combined to average 33 of the Bulldogs 50 points and 15 of their 30 rebounds.

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Girls basketball preview: Monroe

By Greg Billing | Thursday, November 19, 2009, 11:03 PM

This is another in a series of capsules previewing area high school basketball for the 2009-10 season:

MONROE

Coach: Krista Doan, first season

2008-09 record: 8-13 (6-6 Southwestern Buckeye League Buckeye Division)

Returning starters

Rachel Williams, Sr.

Allycin Foster, Sr.

Reegan Reece, Sr.

Notable

Doan takes over Monroe after spending last season as an assistant at Middletown. She replaces David Farrish (85-85 in eight seasons), who took Doan’s assistant job with the Middies. The Hornets return three starters and senior Krystal Gaston adds experience. Four freshmen on varsity will have to learn fast. Doan wants Monroe, which was outscored on average 47-41 last season, to be known for pressure and man-to-man defense. To get on the winning side of .500, the Hornets will have to cut down on their 22 turnovers per game.

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Coldwater coach John Reed to undergo treatment for cancer

By Marc Pendleton | Thursday, November 19, 2009, 10:35 PM

Coldwater football coach John Reed will undergo treatment for cancer of the esophagus soon after the Cavaliers’ season ends.

The veteran coach likely will have daily radiation therapy and chemotherapy for about six weeks. That course of treatment was recommended by University Hospital doctors at Indianapolis on Thursday.

The treatments likely will be at Grand Lake Regional Cancer Center in Celina, near where Reed resides.

Reed continues to work at the school and coach the Cavaliers. He’s expected to be on the sidelines when Coldwater (11-1) plays St. Henry (9-3) in a Division V, Region 20 regional final at 7:30 p.m. Friday at Wapakoneta.

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Girls basketball preview: Carlisle

By Greg Billing | Thursday, November 19, 2009, 10:29 PM

This is another in a series of capsules previewing area high school basketball for the 2009-10 season:

CARLISLE

Coach: Randy Glover, third season (18-25)

2008-09 record: 11-11 (5-7 Southwestern Buckeye League Buckeye Division)

Returning starters

Abby Hamilton, Sr., G, 5-4

Stephanie Reed, Sr., G, 5-5

Stefaney Turner, Sr., F, 5-9

Donna Holbrook, Sr., C, 6-2

Alexis Murphy, So., PG, 58

Notable

The Indians, who won their first tournament game in seven seasons last year, just missed their first winning season in a decade. This could be the year. Senior leadership is strong and sophomore Murphy led Carlisle in scoring (11.8), assists (2.4) and steals (3.0) last season. Holbrook is tough to stop inside and just missed averaging a double-double (9.3 points, 9.6 rebounds). Guard play gets a boost with Reed, a starter as a sophomore, who missed most of last season with a broken finger. Injuries and illness took its toll on the Indians, so staying healthy is a must. “Our continued efforts in the gym everyday will be important for us to achieve this goal,” Glover said of a winning season. “I have confidence in our players that they will work hard to achieve this goal.”

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Girls basketball preview: Franklin

By Greg Billing | Thursday, November 19, 2009, 01:17 PM

This is another in a series of capsules previewing area high school basketball for the 2009-10 season:

FRANKLIN

Coach: Frank Russell, second season

2008-09 record: 5-17 (2-10 Southwestern Buckeye League Southwestern Division)

Returning starters

Brandi McDaniel, Sr., F, 5-10

Kristen Gebhardt, Sr., G, 5-6

Jessica Dean, Sr., G, 5-4

Danielle Williams, Jr., G, 5-7

Notable

The Wildcats are very optimistic for a much improved season. McDaniel is a big reason why. The senior forward was second in the Southwestern Division in both scoring (17.2) and rebounding (11.5). She’s the program’s all-time leading rebounder and needs 120 points to top the scoring chart, too. Russell likes what he sees from an athletic group that also includes sophomores Chrissy Robinson and Ashley Shelby. Franklin led the division in rebounding last season (31.4 per game), but was second-to-last in team offense (41.85 points) and last in team defense (55 points allowed). “We will show up and play hard every night,” Russell said. “If we do that I think that we can be very competitive in our league.”

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Girls basketball preview: Waynesville

By Greg Billing | Thursday, November 19, 2009, 12:08 PM

This is another in a series of capsules previewing area high school basketball for the 2009-10 season:

WAYNESVILLE

Coach: Tim Gabbard, 30 seasons (412-252)

2008-09 record: 19-4 (12-0 Southwestern Buckeye League Buckeye Division)

Returning starters

Jaessica Dhanke, Sr., Post, 5-10

Amber Bell, Jr., Point guard, 5-5

Lauren Bunn, Jr., Wing, 5-6

Notable

Defense again is a staple for the Spartans, who held opponents to a league-best 36.3 points during the regular season. But shooting woes caught up to Waynesville in the postseason. Five key seniors graduated and took 33 points per game and 14 rebounds per game with them. Dhanke (4.5 points, 4.0 rebounds) is the power in the paint and Bunn (7 points, 3.3 rebounds, 2.6 steals, 2.0 assists) and Bell (8 points, 3 assists, 3 rebounds, 3.3 steals) will be counted on more with their versatile games. Gabbard wants to see steady improvement as the young roster gains varsity experience. Also worth noting: The JV team went 18-2 last season.

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Clinton-Massie, despite top seed, a surprise to some

By Kyle Nagel | Thursday, November 19, 2009, 11:43 AM

Whenever a team boasts the state’s top passer, it’s a dangerous opponent.

That’s why Kenton, with prolific sophomore Maty Mauk at the helm, was a favorite to some in last weekend’s Division IV, Region 16 semifinal against top seed Clinton-Massie. But the Falcons, like they have all year, got enough to win, stay undefeated and set up a Saturday, Nov. 21, regional final against fellow undefeated Alter at Centerville Stadium.

“There was a lot of talk that Kenton had the edge,” said Alter coach Ed Domsitz. “It was tough to say, because there aren’t a lot of common opponents. Kenton is a solid football team, and that illustrates how good Clinton-Massie is.”

Mauk got his stats — he finished with 363 yards while Clinton-Massie threw a total of two times — but the Falcons were able to disrupt the passing attack enough to earn a 30-22 win. Jordan Scanlon, C-M’s talented back, gained 191 yards on 37 carries as the Falcons worked the clock to keep the ball away from Kenton.

It almost didn’t work. Clinton-Massie led 27-6 heading into the fourth quarter and had to fight off a rally to earn the victory.

Now the region’s top two seeds will play, and it’s a game many have wanted to see as both continued winning throughout the season.

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