The season has barely started and Festus already has its Final Four.
They are the four seniors who led the revival of Tiger basketball as freshmen in the 2013-14 season, going all the way to the Class 4 District 3 championship.
Now Ashley Fallert, Ally Frazier, Mo Kennon and Jordan Oetting are back for one more shot at hardwood glory. In their previous three seasons playing varsity ball, the Tigers went 51-27, including a 16-10 mark last year. In the four years before they came on the scene, Festus was 11-83.
Ron Rhodes took over as Tiger head coach in that remarkable 2013-2014 season, coming out of retirement after a legendary career coaching at De Soto and Jefferson College. Now he and his squad will look to defend their Jefferson County Activities Association large-schools championship, with point guard Oetting leading the way as one of the top players in the county.
Last year’s JCAA large-school player of the year, Oetting averaged 17.8 points and nearly six assists per game and topped the 1,000-point mark for her Tiger career. She’s well within range of Audrey DeClue’s school career scoring record of 1,285 points. But to get there, she has to remain healthy, and she’s starting the season with a balky ankle that has troubled her in the past. Rhodes said his floor leader is at about 90 percent to start the season.
“Most of (Oetting’s) points come off steals and layups,” Rhodes said. “She’s had an ankle issue two of the last three years. We’re going to milk her through her senior year. Hopefully, she can get that record and we can be successful as a team.”
Frazier led the county last year with 64 baskets from the 3-point line and averaged 12.5 points. Fallert was solid inside, averaging 8.4 points and 4.8 rebounds.
Another senior, Alex Tinnin, is better known for her volleyball prowess but was an important contributor last year. She will push for starts and floor time along with senior Allison Beckham, sophomore Jenna Oetting (Jordan’s sister) and freshmen Bria Garman and Abby Rickermann.
Senior Morgan Wendel and sophomore Allison Kuykendall are part of what Rhodes said is the strongest bench he’s had in his four years as head coach. The Tiger mentor added that he plans to lean heavily on his seniors this season.
“It means a world of difference having them because there’s a lot less teaching,” Rhodes said. “They are so familiar with all of our plays. We have to improve on our intensity and do a better job of rebounding.”
Festus opened its season Monday, after the Leader deadline, visiting St. Clair.
Next week, the Tigers will play in the Northwest Tournament Nov. 28 through Dec. 3.
Crystal City
The Hornets’ link to production on offense was severed in the spring when their leading scorer and JCAA small-school player of the year, Dana Link, graduated and took her 17.1 points and 10 rebounds per game with her. Crystal head coach Ken Jones will rely on juniors Maebry Jones and Grace Lay and sophomore Kailey Kreig to replace those points.
“Our strength this year will be our shooting,” Ken Jones said. “We have some girls that can hit from the outside.”
The return of sophomore Taylor Sloan also will also help. Sloan suffered a knee injury in the second varsity game she played last season and was lost for the year. Ken Jones, who also coaches the school’s cross country team, talked Sloan into running for the Hornets to help build up the strength in her legs. Like most talented athletes, Sloan excelled in the new sport, even on a Hornets team that was the defending Class 1 champions. She was the third Crystal runner to finish at the state meet, coming in 34th overall.
“She was nervous at first, but a few weeks into the season her mind let it go,” Ken Jones said. “She had a real successful cross country season. I hope (that) will roll over.”
After playing in Link’s shadow, Maebry Jones worked hard over the summer and Ken Jones said she is ready to emerge.
“She wasn’t ready to be the type of player Dana was,” the coach noted. “She’s grown into her body. The end of her sophomore year she steadily started scoring eight or 10 points. We’re going to lean on her.”
The Hornet mentor called Lay “every coach’s dream.” Lay enters her third season as the Hornets’ point guard. She led the team with 3.29 assists per game a year ago.
“I have the utmost confidence in her,” Jones said. “Her ball handling has always been solid and her passes have more pop to them.”
Kreig averaged 5.5 points last year and “she can flat out shoot,” Jones said.
“She’s small, so she’s still getting used to the physical play,” he added. “She didn’t have the strength or mentality to match up with these 18-year-old young women.”
In his 16th season as head coach of the Hornets, Jones has learned how to craft different styles offensively and defensively, a necessity when you work at a small school.
“We can’t be a certain type of team if you don’t have the kids,” he said. “Some years we play small ball and get after you, and some years we have a big team that’s slow so we can do half court and zone-type things. I’ve really had to study the game to adapt to the teams I’ve had.”
The Hornets finished last season 5-19 overall and 0-4 in the JCAA. They begin their season Monday at Ste. Genevieve in the Valle Tournament.
De Soto
The Dragons ran hot and cold last season and finished right at .500 (13-13). They posted a five-game winning streak in the middle of the campaign, but also had three different three-game losing streaks.
Finding a more consistent balance this winter is one of head coach Sam Rauls’ highest goals going into his second campaign in charge. But a week before the season began, Rauls was still unsure who his starting five players were going to be. None of the Dragons’ starters from last season are back on the team.
“We’re going into the season with everyone having a fair chance of starting,” Rauls said. “Each girl will get an opportunity to work in practice and games and show why they should get playing time.”
The Dragons have three returning seniors – Heather Patterson, Madison Tolbert and Hailee Politte. Patterson plays post and has the ability to finish around the basket. Tolbert plays on the wing and her strength is defense. Politte didn’t play as a junior because of an injury and is battling sophomore Kendall Boyer for a starting post position.
“Her strength is she doesn’t quit,” Rauls said of Politte. “She will give me everything she has. She’ll bang with the best of them.”
Junior Madalyn Bone is poised to start at point guard. Another junior, Sarah Peoples, is vying for starting time on the wing. A two-time state medalist in track, Peoples is the team’s speed merchant and will be used on defense in press situations.
“Last year when we upset Ste. Genevieve, Sarah was part of the reason because she guarded their best player the length of the floor,” Rauls said.
The Dragons haven’t won a district title since 2006. They begin their season Monday, Nov. 28, hosting the Fountain City Classic tournament with University City their first opponent.
Herculaneum
Last year, employing a shoot-first-and-ask-questions-later style on offense, the Blackcats improved to 13-8 overall after going 9-16 the year before. They had a four-game winning streak before falling to powerhouse Park Hills Central in the district semifinals.
Sixth-year head coach Riley Blair has a couple of substantial goals for the Blackcats this season. He wants them to contend for their first conference title since 2002 and their first 20-win season in 20 years.
“Our strengths are definitely our bench play as well as our defense,” Blair said. “We averaged around 63 points a game last year and we want to continue to grow that number this year.”
Some rebuilding is in order; the Blackcats lost three all-conference players (Cailey Metcalf, Sam Jarvis and Genny Hicks) to graduation. Senior forward Harmonye Sessoms is joined in the starting lineup by juniors Lauren Partney (guard), Ashley Lodike (guard), Emily Fischer (forward) and Rae Ann Fuller (center).
The deep bench includes senior Allie Crocker (forward), junior Claire Shadowens (guard), sophomores Angelica Wooten (forward), Emily Schultz (guard), and Shiloh Partney (guard), and freshmen Taylor Metcalf (guard) and Ashley Croom (swing).
The Blackcats opened the season Monday, after the Leader deadline, in a JCAA crossover contest at Windsor.
Hillsboro
The Hawks’ starting five draws considerable talent from the school’s 20-win softball team, with seniors Lexi Close and Morgan Sherrill, junior Carlie Sanders and sophomore Kelsey Boyd all taking to the hardwood this winter.
Head coach Joe Fehlker (eighth season) said his team’s strengths this season are its inside presence, team speed and depth.
“We have several girls that can shoot the ball well from the outside and I think we will be a decent free-throw shooting team,” Fehlker said.
Close, a small forward, led the Hawks in scoring (14.6 points per game) and rebounding (10.2) last year, earning all-conference honors. Sanders, who plays point guard, averaged 5.2 assists. She was an all-conference honorable mention a year ago.
Fehlker expects the Hawks to have a productive bench, led by juniors Shauna Patterson and Lillie Schoenky.
“We have a nice mix of players who specialize in certain areas,” Fehlker said, adding added that his squad will primarily run a zone defense this season because he believes it will put them in the best position to be successful and take advantage of their strengths.
Hillsboro was 8-18 last year and is 25-52 over the last three seasons. The Hawks are the only county school slated to host a district tournament in February; they will welcome De Soto, Farmington, Festus, North County and Potosi in Class 4 District 2.
“Our goals are to work hard, be competitive and be supportive of each other,” Fehlker said. “We have the potential to have the kind of turnaround season our program has been looking for.”
Close poured in 29 points and the Hawks trounced Lesterville 62-30 Friday in their season opener. They will open against Farmington in De Soto’s Fountain City Classic tournament Monday, Nov. 28.
Jefferson
The Blue Jays tied St. Pius X for the JCAA small championship last fall, but in order to repeat this year, they’ll have to find someone to replace the 15 points per game point guard Mackenzie Null poured in her senior year.
Seniors Holly Welker (small forward) and Sydney Weik (forward) are joined by juniors Hannah Becherer (point guard), Hannah Floyd (shooting guard) and Meghan Boulicault (center) on this year’s starting five. Floyd is the leading returning scorer after averaging 7.9 points last year.
“We look to be a team that limits turnovers with good passing, and we want to be a sound defensive-minded team that can be relentless,” said Jefferson head coach Brandon Joines, starting his second campaign at the helm. “Our shooting and scoring will be fairly distributed, especially as we establish our identity with our new core team.”
Becherer is the team’s primary ball handler and a top defensive presence. Weik led the team in rebounding last year and is expected to increase her numbers. Boulicault looks to be the team’s dominant presence in the post on offense and defense. Welker, making the transition from post to perimeter, and will see the most increase in minutes this year.
The Blue Jays are inexperienced off the bench this year. None of the non-starters have any varsity experience. Tracey Price and Jenna Courtois provide speed and athleticism while Heidi Hearst and Gracie Fish are getting comfortable with more prominent roles.
Jefferson finished 14-10 last year and begins this season at the Valley Caledonia Tournament Nov. 28.
“Through strong defensive effort and athletic prowess, we (want) to be a team that works hard every night and doesn’t take anything for granted,” Joines said.
St. Pius X
Don’t let last year’s 6-18 overall record fool you in evaluating the prospects for the St. Pius X girls on the hardwood this winter. The Lancers were a better team than their record indicated – tying Jefferson for the JCAA small-schools title at 4-1 – and they may have a few surprises up their sleeve for opponents this season.
It helps to have four returning starters, all upperclassmen. The leaders are senior forward Machela Cook (5-10) and senior guard Sammy Linderer (5-7), each of whom earned all-conference honors a year ago.
Cook, an unknown before last season, averaged a double-double (14.3 points and 11.4 rebounds per game), good enough to land her on the all-JCAA first team. Linderer made second team after averaging 10.4 points per outing and leading the Lancers in steals with 61, more than three per night.
Junior guard Jesse Romano (5-6) made honorable mention all-conference last year after averaging 7.2 points per game and exhibiting a knack for finding the opening shot. Jordanne Mickley, another junior, is listed as a guard but at 5-9 can swing down low as well.
Others the coach is counting on for depth and valuable minutes are two freshmen, forward Molly Bange (5-7) and guard Molly Flanagan (5-3); juniors Stephanie Reyes (5-5) and Elise Greenland (5-5) at guard and 5-11 senior forward Madison Draves, the team’s tallest player.
Head coach Aaron Portell, launching into his 10th season mentoring the Lancers, has some challenging goals for his team.
“(We hope to) win conference and play in the district championship game – and see what happens from there,” he said.
He has a good handle on what it will take to get that far.
The Lancers will continue to rely on their signature 1-3-1 zone press on defense. “Defense is going to be the key to our success,” Portell noted.
But that’s not all. “(We) will need to improve on our team 45 percent free-throw shooting if we are going to win (the) close games that we failed to do last year. Offensively, we will try to run more of an open motion offense where we will be less like robots out on the floor – hopefully!”
If the team can improve on the won-loss record, Portell will reach 250 wins for his career.
“The team’s strength will hopefully be the experience gained from last season,” he said.
The Lancers got their season started early, beating Cairo (Ill.) 61-31 at the Charleston Tournament on Saturday. Cook led all scorers with 22 points and hauled in 12 rebounds. Linderer also posted a double-double with 15 points and 11 rebounds, and also had six steals.
Windsor
One look at Windsor’s roster and you can understand why head coach Kim Schmidt said she’s “going back to the drawing board” with her team this year.
Entering her third season in charge, Schmidt is in rebuilding mode after bidding farewell to a trio of talented players who were the backbone of her first two teams: guard Hannah Holloway, a career 1,000-point scorer, and forwards Katie Duncan and Anna Haley. The three all-conference honorees graduated last spring after the Owls went 16-8 two years ago and 11-14 last season.
Schmidt has four returning players, two of them starters in point guard Calli Robertson and guard/forward Shaina Kmetz. The notable thing about those two seniors is that basketball is their “second sport,” with Kmetz just coming off earning all-state recognition in softball and Robertson attaining the same honor in soccer.
They both know what to do with the basketball. Kmetz is the top returning scorer (averaging just under six points per game a year ago) while Robertson led last year in assists, dishing out nearly five per night. Schmidt moved Robertson to the point guard spot to free up Holloway for more scoring.
“We’re going to be a (very) different team,” Schmidt said a day after the Owls participated in their preseason jamboree, scrimmaging with Northwest and Sikeston. “Last year, with having such talented players, you tend to rely heavily on them and you’re not as balanced. This year, we’ll be different in the sense that we’ll have different people that can step up in each game and we’re not constantly looking for one person to carry the team. Those are the teams that end up being more successful.”
Beyond a rotation of Robertson (5-4), Kmetz (5-6) and 5-3 senior Abby Holloway at guard, the starting and bench roles are wide open. Schmidt said juniors Camryn Clark (5-7) and Brogan Eyre (5-8), two of the taller players on the squad, will get plenty of floor time in the post position. Junior Madi New, at 5-8, also figures to get some key minutes.
If Windsor has a wild card on offense, it’s sophomore guard Maddy Lynch, who is moving up from JV and will back up Robertson at the point.
“She’s one of our few true basketball players,” Schmidt said of Lynch. “She plays outside of high school, which is hard to find down here. She’s improved a ton just from last year, in the offseason, playing games and practicing. She handles the ball well and she’s confident in (that). We had our jamboree last night and she did a good job of pushing the ball.”
The rest of the roster includes 5-4 sophomore Kaitlin Lewis, juniors Bailey Wilson (5-1) and Megan Boyd (5-6) and senior Macey Hirth (5-6). With no true post players, Schmidt said she may go with a four-guard offense, at least at the start, and see how the team develops.
And develop it must.
“We’ll see what they’re capable of doing in a game,” the coach noted. “We’re just trying to keep it realistic for them. It’s a lot to learn, a lot of adjustments.
“Being so young and having such little experience, we’re trying to keep the pressure off. We’re spending lots of time on fundamentals each day. The more experience they have in games, the better we’ll be.”
Windsor opened its season Monday, after the Leader deadline, hosting Herculaneum. The Owls will take on DuBourg on Monday, Nov. 28, in the first round of the Southside Classic tournament at Affton.