City girls basketball teams at a glance
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By the Lincoln Journal Star
Lincoln Christian
* Coach: Nick Orduna
* Last year: 6-14
Tops in the city
Defending Class A state champion and No. 1 Southeast leads three Lincoln schools in the preseason ratings. Behind the senior trio of Kelsey Newman, Nicole Gingery and Natalie Ebke, East is No. 7 in Class A. Returning all-state senior Natalie Braun, senior Lindsay Determan and junior Alex Grant headline Pius X’s third-ranked squad in Class B.
With Southeast’s title last spring, a Lincoln school has won the Class A state crown four of the last six seasons. The Knights also won in 2003, followed by East in 2004 and Northeast in 2005. With Super-State senior guards KK Houser and Marissa Kastanek leading the way, Southeast is favored to extend Lincoln’s state title string.
Tops in the state
Three other defending state champions — South Sioux City in Class B, Bancroft-Rosalie in D-1 and Ewing in D-2 — start the season No. 1. The Cardinals, winners of 11 Class B state championships since 1995, will build this year’s title run around 6-foot-1 all-state senior McKayla Knudson.
Mark Jan. 30 on your calendar. That’s when Class A No. 1 Southeast and Class B No. 1 South Sioux City hook up in the first round of the Tournament of Champions held this season at Sioux City (Iowa) North.
Watch these players
Houser and Kastanek lead four first-team Super-Staters who return this season, joining 6-3 Alliance junior Jordan Hooper and 5-11 Crete junior Kate Edwards. Houser (Purdue), Kastanek (North Carolina State) Chadron’s Kelsie Lliteras (also North Carolina State) and Millard North’s Melissa MacFarlane (Colorado) are among eight NCAA Division I college recruits in the state this season.
* Returning letterwinners: Morgan Dority, 5-10, jr.; Joelle Andersen, 5-10, so.; Bailee Dworak, 5-6, jr.; Sarah Plambeck, 5-6, jr.
* Others to watch: Katie Paulus, 5-11, jr.; McKenzie McCoskey, 5-10, jr.; Erin Ward, 5-8, so.
* Outlook: With Dority, Andersen, Dworak and Plambeck all returning starters, the Crusaders have the experience to be much improved this season. Dority averaged 18.6 points and 11.6 rebounds per game last season. Orduna returns as coach after a six-year hiatus. He led Christian to the Class C-1 state championship in 2002.
College View
* Coaches: Russell Anderson and Will Morris
* Last year: 7-8
* Returning letterwinners: Kelti Dickerson, 5-4, jr.; Cayla Reid, 5-6, so.
* Others to watch: Deidre Timms, 5-8, jr.; SeVoey Anderson, 5-10, fr.; Alexa Hazelton, 5-7, fr.; Shaina Adams, 5-4, fr.; Bailey Rico, 5-5, fr.
Outlook: The graduation of seven seniors from last year’s squad gives the Eagles a young look this season.
Lincoln East
* Coach: Dennis Prichard
* Last year: 17-7
* Returning letterwinners: Natalie Ebke, 5-10, sr.; Nicole Gingery, 5-11, sr.; Kelsey Newman, 5-9, sr.; Catie Dahl, 5-9, jr.; Alexa Ross, 5-7, sr.; Megan Meyerson, 5-5, sr.
* Others to watch: Madison Schwartz, 5-10, jr.; Jamie Zillig, 5-6, jr.; Mary Garwick, 5-7, so.
* Outlook: With Newman, Ebke and Gingery back as three- and four-year starters, the Spartans have a solid base.
Lincoln High
* Coach: Jeff Pierce
* Last year: 5-16
* Returning letterwinners: Madison Jones, 5-3, sr.; Courtney Holder, 5-7, jr.
* Others to watch: Rachel Adams, 5-8, jr.; Kaleigh King, 5-6, jr.; Dru King 5-5, so.; Ashley Camgbe, 5-7, fr.; Nakuya Smith, 6-1, so.; Catharine Harvey, 5-4, so.; Marla Overstreet, 5-2, so.
* Outlook: With only two letterwinners back and Jones being a part-time starter late last season, the Links have little varsity experience. Adams and Kaleigh King are transfers from Lincoln Northeast, while Dru King is a move-in from Norfolk.
Lincoln Lutheran
* Coach: Michelle Metzger
* Last year: 8-12
* Returning letterwinners: Lydia Pomerenke, 5-8, jr.; Kayla Asche, 5-7, jr.; Rachel Royuk, 5-5, so.; Emily Metschke, 5-9, so.
* Others to watch: Alix Christensen, 5-8, so.; Erin Heiden, 5-8, so.; Ashley Dudycha, 5-9, so; Taylor Kathe, 5-4, so.; Kelly Sanchez, 5-8, fr.; Allison Shipman, 5-5, fr.; Katie Rathje, 5-8, jr.
* Outlook: Replacing two-time all-stater Angela Kuca will be a tall order, but having four letterwinners with starting experience return is a good place to start. Pomerenke averaged almost five points and seven rebounds per game. With no seniors and no one taller than 5-9, the Warriors will be young and quick.
Lincoln North Star
* Coach: Eric Williams.
* Last year: 4-19
* Returning letterwinners: Lindsey Cale, 5-7, sr.; Jenna Shoecraft, 5-9, jr.; Mallory Paxton, 5-7, sr.; Casey Noonan, 5-7, sr.; Emily Weber, 5-6, jr.; Siteena Ebrahim, 5-6, sr.; Brandy Koll, 5-10, jr.
* Others to watch: Antonette Horton, 5-8, jr.; Kimberly Bailey, 5-8, so.; Queen Ohamara, 5-11, so.; Janay Berks, 5-4, fr.; Taylor O’Meara, 5-8, fr.
* Outlook: Williams, a former Nebraska men’s basketball player, is the Navigators’ third coach in three seasons. Ebrahim, Weber and Noonan all have starting experience and give North Star stability at guard. Koll, a part-time regular last season, leads the inside game.
Lincoln Northeast
* Coach: Rich Olson
* Last year: 8-13
* Returning letterwinners: Chante Williams, 5-8, so.; Emma Johnson, 5-5, so.; Molly Snoozy, 5-10, so.; Theresa Staley, 5-9, jr.; Brittany Singleton, 5-8, sr.; Lindsay Thege, 5-9, sr.; Sara Chapman, 5-6, sr.; Caitlin Madden, 5-3, sr.
* Other to watch: Brianna Craig, 5-9, fr.
* Outlook: Last year’s growing pains should increase the Rockets’ stature in Class A this season. Johnson and Williams give Northeast a talented backcourt capable of scoring in double figures every night. Snoozy and Staley are also returning starters. Craig has the potential to make an instant impact for the Rockets as a freshman.
Lincoln Pius X
* Coach: Bill Rice
* Last year: 18-4
* Returning letterwinners: Natalie Braun, 5-9, sr.; Lindsay Determan, 5-10, sr.; Alex Grant, 5-10, jr.; Tara Grosserode, 5-6, sr.; Bailey Nelson, 5-11, jr.; Lindsey Schmaderer, 5-6, jr.; Camrie Seier, 5-11, so.; Kelsey Sparks, 6-0, jr.
* Others to watch: Kelli Rice, 5-7, so.; Taylor Laswell, 6-0, so.; Kelsey Nealon, 5-6, so.; Claire Griffon, 5-8, jr.
* Outlook: The Thunderbolts should be among the elite teams in Class B again. Braun, a Super-State volleyball player, was a second-team all-stater in basketball as a junior, averaging 10.5 points per game. Determan, an inside-outside threat like Braun, averaged 10.1 points per game last season. As a junior, Grant (8.0 PPG, 4.5 RPG last season) is getting Division I college recruiting attention. Grosserode gives Pius X speed and athleticism at point guard.
Lincoln Southeast
* Coach: John Larsen
* Last year: 26-1
* Returning letterwinners: KK Houser, 5-6, sr.; Marissa Kastanek, 5-9, sr.; Paige Hubl, 5-8, sr.; Alyssa Lake, 5-6, sr.; Rachel Masin, 5-9, sr.; Haley Lake, 6-0, jr.; Ashton Honnor, 6-0, sr.; Claire Mueller, 5-7, sr.
* Others to watch: Alicia Steggs, 5-8, sr.; Erica Suarez, 5-4, sr.; Lexie Jackson, 5-0, sr.; Paige Nielsen 5-6, fr.
* Outlook: The Knights will be favored to defend their state title.
Lincoln Southwest
* Coach: Lis Brenden
* Last year: 10-13
* Returning letterwinners: Tina Fantroy, 5-7, so.; Faith Fantroy, 5-6, so.; McRae Bell, 5-10, sr.; Kaleigh Anderson, 5-7, sr.; Shayla Heimann, 5-8, sr.; Liz Sundberg, 5-7, so.; Sarah Faubel, 5-8, so.; Alexis Bartek, 5-9, jr.
* Others to watch: Olga Mwenentanda, 5-9, fr.; Paola Mwenentanda, 5-11, fr.; Jami Finnell, 5-7, sr.; Jenna Cunningham, 5-11, so.; Neleigh Frandsen, 5-9, sr.
* Outlook: Three starters return — the Fantroy twins at guard and Bell, who averaged five points and 6.5 rebounds last season. Tina Fantroy averaged 9.5 points, five rebounds, three assists and 2.3 steals as a freshman. Faith Fantroy also averaged 2.3 steals a year ago. The Mwenentanda sisters could contribute significantly as freshmen.
Parkview Christian
* Coach: Jerry Simerly
* Last year: 3-19
* Returning letterwinners: Amy Strop, 5-8, sr.; Amanda Fuchser, 5-7, jr.; HopeEllen Wehling, 6-0, jr.; Sarah Mertens, 5-10, so.; Hannah Welter, 6-2, so.; Christian Strop, 5-5, so.; Jennifer Elwood, 5-6, so.; Nicole Polivka, 5-9, so.; Deana Aden, 5-5, so.
* Others to watch: Brandie Luce 5-10, fr.; Deborah Schmucker, 5-9, fr.
* Outlook: With five starters back and nine total letterwinners, the Patriots should be much improved. Amy Strop, the lone senior, averaged nine points per game a year ago at guard. Fuchser also started at guard last season, while Wehling, Mertens and Welter were all post players.
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