By MIKE KEMMETER
of The Gazette
After a one-year hiatus from the top spot in the Wisconsin Valley Conference standings, the Stevens Point Area Senior High girls basketball team is looking to reclaim its conference title.
The Panthers, led by University of Minnesota recruit Janel McCarville, have six of their top eight players returning and were picked to win the Valley by the Wisconsin Basketball Yearbook.
"We have high expectations for ourselves. We just need to accept those expectations and be proud," SPASH coach Kraig Terpstra said. "Hopefully those expectations mean results.
"I think every team starts the year thinking they'll be better than last year. We've never been picked higher than fourth. We can't go by what people are saying, you go by what you earn on Tuesday and Friday nights."
SPASH's opponents could have a tough time defending the Panthers. McCarville, a 6-foot-1 senior center, will likely rule the inside after averaging 16.3 points per game and 11.3 rebounds per game. She was named one of the top five seniors to watch by Wisconsin Basketball Yearbook.
Senior Rachel Kreuser, 6-0 forward, gives the Panthers another tall player inside. She averaged 4.9 ppg and 3.7 rpg (second on the team) last year.
"Rachel and Janel together will be hard to guard, so we're going to create some problems," Terpstra said. "Rachel has a nice medium-range jump shot."
When teams try to double team either McCarville or Kreuser, SPASH will look for its sharpshooters to keep defenses honest. Senior Michele Rosicky, who joins McCarville and Kreuser as the team's three returning starters, averaged 7.5 ppg (the team's third-leading scorer) and connected on 36 percent of her 3-point attempts. "Michele is by far the best shooter I've ever coached," Terpstra said.
"I think we have more consistent shooters. Obviously teams will try to pack it in on McCarville," he said.
"Rosicky, Abbey Peterson and Ashley Konopacki are great shooters that we'll be able to counter when they pack it in."
Peterson (5-6, senior), Konopacki (5-11, senior), Stephanie Anderson (5-8, junior) and Nicole Gotta (5-6, junior) are new to the Panthers this year at the guard position.
While Carla Zarecki enters her second year with the Panthers, she'll be running the show full-time for the first time as the starter at point guard. She's replacing Emily Pliska, who started for three years at the position.
"Emily was a three-year starter. She's hard to replace, but I wouldn't trade Carla for any other point guard in the conference," Terpstra said. "She adds offense and penetrates well."
Kara Kujawa, a 5-9 junior, also returns to the SPASH backcourt. Terpstra said Kujawa is probably the team's most athletic player. The Panthers lost Steph Karaliunas, a shooting guard who averaged 7.7 ppg, to graduation.
In the front-court, senior forward Lynn Eckerman also returns. She will play in the post, Terpstra said.
Newcomers to the frontcourt are forwards Cassie Dudeck (5-8, senior) and Darcia Wesenberg (5-8, senior), and center Katie Rasmussen (6-1, junior).
Terpstra said he's happy with the team's depth. "We work very hard on being strong one through 11. Hopefully the kids, regardless of their roles, play as good as they're capable of so we can be a team that subs freely and can play an up-tempo game," he said.
"We have a couple of seniors that are experienced going through our program. We also have juniors who will contribute. Every year is new and this year I'm extremely pleased with our depth."
The Panthers open their season at La Crosse Logan Friday. Terpstra hopes SPASH can improve in four areas, things that his players didn't concentrate on while playing summer ball. "They don't play defense, they don't rebound, they don't set screens well and don't protect the ball," he said. "I just hope we do those four things better than Logan does."
SPASH players did participate in a summer league without McCarville, who was playing at the AAU level. Terpstra said they won the league. "I was very pleased," he said. "The kids played well without her. It's not going to just be 'The Janel McCarville Show.'
In the conference, Rhinelander is the defending champion. Terpstra sees the Hodags as one of the top teams.
"I expect Merrill to be strong, D.C. Everest to be strong and Rhinelander to be strong. I look for Wisconsin Rapids to be vastly improved," he said. "If things fall into place, we're looking for an exciting year.
"It's going to take an attitude of never being satisfied. We need to stay united as a group. There's going to be valleys here and there and we have to keep faith and keep working at our goals."
Terpstra is impressed with his coaching staff, which includes assistant Jon Vollendorf and newcomer Jessica Ott. Ott was an All-American guard at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point. "Jon is tremendous. I think he's the best assistant coach in the conference," Terpstra said. "In practice, it's very nice to have an extra set of eyes," he said of Ott. "She brings extra credibility. She knows what it takes."