Playing with a chip on its shoulder, the St. Pius girls basketball team is 5-0 to start the season, capturing the championship of the Fountain City Classic Dec. 2 in De Soto.
Lancer head coach Aaron Portell, starting his 17th season in charge, put that chip there after two disappointments stuck in his craw. The first was losing 41-38 to West County in last year’s Class 3 District 3 championship game; the Bulldogs went on to finish fourth in the state. The second was landing only one player, P.J. Krodinger, on the all-conference first team even though Pius won the Jefferson County Activities Association small-schools championship at 5-0 and finished 23-4 overall.
At De Soto, St. Pius was the No. 1 seed and crushed No. 2 Festus 60-25 in the final behind a commanding performance by Krodinger, a junior guard. She scored 23 points and had 12 steals. After leading St. Pius with 14.6 points per game last year, she is averaging 16.4 through five games.
“She has a motor most kids can’t keep up with,” Portell said. “She’s a tremendous defender and scores a lot of her points on steals.”
And the Lancers are winning despite the absence of 6-1 sophomore post player Brooke Blankenship, out with an injured ankle. Last season she averaged 10.4 points and 8.6 rebounds per night and blocked 60 shots. Portell said she could be back in the lineup later this month.
“Brooke was the best post player in the conference and was playing (better) basketball at the end of the season than any player in the county,” Portell said. “She has improved her game this summer and she will be extremely hard to stop.”
Portell used only six players in the district loss to West County, but now says the Lancers are deeper, which should mean fresher legs three months from now.
Senior Olivia Charleville, 5-10, is paired in the front court with Blankenship for the second year. A team captain, Charleville already has increased her averages per game in scoring (six) and rebounds (eight) this year, without her taller teammate drawing away defenders.
“She is a girl who does a lot of the unnoticed but necessary little things on both ends of the court that allow us to be successful,” Portell said.
Sophomore Elena Ruble and junior Bridget Flanagan can both start at guard; Ruble played for the school’s volleyball team that finished second in the state in Class 4 last month. Freshman Carlie Clubb has settled in nicely at point guard, replacing the graduated Riley Cappozzo and averaging 11.3 points and 2.75 assists per game.
“(Clubb) has been by far an impressive piece of our team,” Portell said. “I didn’t expect her to step in and do what she’s doing. With Brooke being hurt, that threw her in there and I don’t think I’ll take her out.”
Off the bench, Portell said junior Ava Norton is getting better every day and can score from the perimeter when opponents play zone defense.
One thing that’s not changing defensively is the Lancers’ signature 1-3-1 zone press, which Portell, last year’s JCAA small-schools coach of the year, installed in his first days as head coach.
“I am now too old to learn anything new,” he said. “Offensively, I believe we are the quickest team in the county, so transition is a major part of our offense. But if we have to play in the half-court, we will try to utilize spacing so our speed can be effective.”
St. Pius began play in the 26th Herculaneum Classic against North County on Monday, after the Leader deadline. Other teams in the tournament include Notre Dame of St. Louis, Crystal City, Lutheran South, Pacific and the host Blackcats.
Herculaneum’s new coach is familiar face
Doc Carranza, 63, finally got his chance to be the head coach of a varsity basketball team.
After 13 seasons as the head coach of the Herculaneum girls, Riley Blair resigned. The school’s activities director, Jason Gillman, would not comment about Blair’s departure and Blair didn’t respond to the Leader’s request for an interview.
Carranza isn’t new to coaching basketball. He’s been around the game as an assistant on and off since 1986 when his first job was coaching the JV girls at Hillsboro. He was a girls assistant at Grandview for three years, and then spent 24 years teaching and coaching at Windsor.
Carranza, who also was an assistant for the women’s basketball team at Jefferson College, retired from teaching in 2017 but has continued as head coach of the Windsor boys and girls tennis teams, a position he’s held since 1996. He said he plans on coaching tennis for at least five more years and isn’t just making a pit-stop at Herky.
“When I left Jeffco, there was all of this (knowledge) I’d gained, being around all the players and coaches all those years, that I thought I was at the point I could run a program, and never got the chance to do it.”
With little time to reorient from the hardcourt to the hardwood, and even less time to get to know his players, Carranza filled up a whiteboard in his office with all of the drills and plans for each practice. About half of the items he’d written had been crossed off, meaning achieved.
“It took us a while to figure each other out, but I think we’re getting there,” he said.
Last season the Blackcats were 15-13, but lost their grip on the JCAA small-schools title they’d held firmly for three years, going 3-2 in the conference. Herculaneum’s season ended in losing to Park Hills Central in the Class 4 District 2 tournament; the Rebels eventually finished third in the state.
Going into the 26th annual Town and Country Black and Red Classic they’re hosting this week, the Blackcats were 1-2. After losing their first two games to Arcadia Valley and Windsor, they went to St. Clair and won 56-42 on Dec. 1.
Senior guard Amia Moore made second team all-conference last season after averaging 9.9 points and 3.7 steals per game. She led Herky with 17 points against St. Clair, many coming off her steals.
Junior Jillian Jarvis, another returning starter, has moved to point guard after sophomore Zoe Embree suffered the same knee injury that forced her to miss most of last season. Carranza said he’s not sure at what point Embree might be able to play. Junior Abby Smith came off the bench last year, but is a starter in the Nos. 4-5 spots and so far leads the team in rebounds. Senior Izze Blankenship starts at forward, and when she needs a break, sophomore Macy Pope comes in.
“I think we can be tough defenders,” Carranza said. “It’s getting them to understand concepts. Offensively, in girls basketball, it’s an A-to-B-to-C type of game. One thing I learned at Jeffco was, learn how to play basketball first. In high school, it’s the opposite (learn as you go). We’re running a motion and they’ve got so many options, I don’t think they understood. Against St. Clair, it started clicking. We scored 22 points in the first quarter, and St. Clair’s pretty decent.”
Eagles also under new coach
Kristi Smith has replaced Tim
Winkler as Grandview’s new girls basketball head coach after Winkler headed up the program for three years.
Smith takes over a team that finished 14-14 last season and bowed out of the Class 3 District 3 semifinals, falling to St. Pius. The biggest blow to this year’s roster was Anna Belle Wakeland’s graduation last spring, taking a four-year career of more than 1,000 points and 500 rebounds with her.
Fortunately, Grandview still has a Wakeland to count on. Feeding Anna Belle the ball for many of her baskets was her sister, junior Catherine Wakeland, a three-year starter. Now carrying more responsibility offensively, the younger Wakeland will probably score more than the 8.4 points per game she averaged last year – and she’s the Eagles’ top 3-point shooter.
“She’s taken the leadership role, and she hasn’t been asked to do that before,” Smith said. “She’s our floor commander and is an all-around player. She brings it all.”
Also in the starting mix are senior Lexi Walker, juniors Sydney Riddle, Brooke Patterson and Katie Terrell and freshman Maddy Nahlik. Walker is the Eagles’ new post player. She appeared in all 28 games last season and finished with four points and five rebounds per game. Terrell and Nahlik have been rotating in and out as starters.
“(Walker) is our floor leader now,” Smith said.
Riddle is a sharpshooter while Patterson is a skilled all-purpose player who can score, pass and rebound as needed.
The Eagles started 1-3 but were competitive in losses to Arcadia Valley, Steelville and Oak Ridge. Grandview beat Valle Catholic at home 36-31 on Nov. 28, with Walker posting a double-double of 12 rebounds and 12 points and Wakeland netting a team-high 13 points.
“The difference against Oak Ridge was second-chance points,” Smith said. “We lost Lexi the last couple of minutes to fouls, (but) we did a better job of taking care of the ball. Steelville, we lost the first quarter and Arcadia Valley, we lost the second quarter. (For) the rest of the game against both teams, we’re even. Against Valle Catholic, we took care of the ball; we didn’t shoot very well, but we did other things well. Catherine was the difference in that game the last couple of minutes.”
Rebuilding Hornets start 0-3
Crystal City head coach Ken Jones didn’t mince words talking about this year’s Hornets. After 20 years in that role, he sees no reason to soft-pedal reality.
“We’re young and have a long way to go,” Jones said.
Most teams would feel the sting of losing two first team all-conference players to graduation, and Crystal City is no exception. Kate Eisenbeis and Molly Clemmons combined for 30 points a game, powering a team that was 18-9 overall and 2-3 in the conference.
Jones said this year’s starting five will be in flux for quite a while, and as for the bench, “several girls will compete for playing time.”
With little offensive firepower returning, Jones’ only course of action is a defense-first approach.
“We have some speed, so we’re trying to use that on defense to create turnovers,” Jones said.
The offensive inexperience was evident in a 55-7 defeat at Seckman Nov. 29. The two schools are worlds apart in enrollment with the Jaguars in Class 6 and the Hornets in Class 2.
The Hornet roster includes senior Makenna Jones, the coach’s daughter; juniors Sara Echeverria, Carly Roussin, Olivia Sutton and Makayla Martin; sophomores Makayla Denny, Maya Hankins and Ciera Nausley and freshmen Ryanna Radty, Madison Whaley, Blake Parker and Kadence Buechting.
Top scorers return for Blue Jays
Of all the teams in the JCAA small-schools division, Jefferson returns the most scoring and starters.
That’s especially good for the Blue Jays because they were 0-5 in the conference last season.
But a starting five of senior forward Grace Neels, junior forward Megan Wood, junior guard Lia Ott and sophomore guards Halayna Loyd and Peyton Guffey (point) all played in at least 27 of Jefferson’s 28 games last season when the team finished 14-14 after getting booted from the district playoffs by West County.
Loyd earned all-conference honorable mention, averaging 12 points and making a team-high 36 3-point shots and 52 free throws. She also was a major contributor in rebounds, assists and steals.
Wood led Jefferson with eight rebounds per game and broke the school record for rebounds in a season with 241. She is only 124 boards away from breaking the school career record.
“Megan has been huge for us on the offensive and defensive rebounds,” said Jefferson head coach Stevie Holdinghausen, embarking on her third season.
Holdinghausen said junior Paige Beffa is a true sixth player.
“She does an excellent job at reading the floor, communicating, and playing solid defense,” she said.
“Bringing her in is always an added spark on the defensive end.
“We have a deep bench this year. At any point any of the remaining four girls can easily step up on the court. They are all tremendous in their roles and do a great job stepping up when called on.”
Jefferson opened the season winning two of three at the Fountain City tournament. The Blue Jays beat De Soto 40-36 in the consolation final (fifth place). In a 47-33 consolation semifinal win over Riverview Gardens, Wood owned the glass with 15 rebounds and three blocks, while Loyd (13 points) and Neels (10) scored in double figures.
“Our biggest flaw last year was that we could not play all four quarters, so as a team that is something we are really trying to focus on,” Holdinghausen said. “We have some players who could potentially break a few school records this year as well.”
Basketball tournament schedules
Rolla “Duke” Herbert boys basketball at Crystal City
Seeds: 1. Poplar Bluff; 2. Saxony Lutheran; 3. Jefferson; 4. St. Vincent; 5. Herculaneum; 6. Crystal City; 7. Grandview; 8. STL Patriots
Nov. 27
Jefferson 70, Crystal City 47; St. Vincent 73, Herculaneum 60
Nov. 28
Poplar Bluff 78, Patriots 63; Saxony Lutheran 74, Grandview 32
Nov. 29
Poplar Bluff 88, St. Vincent 53; Saxony Lutheran 51, Jefferson 40
Nov. 30
Herculaneum 58, Patriots 49; Crystal City 70, Grandview 47
Dec. 1
Seventh place Patriots 69, Grandview 34; Consolation final Herculaneum 59, Crystal City 40; Third place Jefferson 67, St. Vincent 37; Championship Saxony Lutheran 57, Poplar Bluff 50
68th Gene Steighorst
Boys Basketball Tournament at Hillsboro
Seeds: 1. Park Hills Central; 2. Hillsboro; 3. Windsor; 4. Summit; 5. Festus; 6. Seckman; 7. Northwest; 8. Fox
Dec. 4
Windsor 70, Seckman 59; Hillsboro 76, Northwest 47
Dec. 5
Fox vs. Park Hills Central; Festus vs. Summit
Dec. 6
Northwest vs. Seckman
Dec. 8
Windsor vs. Hillsboro, 7 p.m.
Dec. 9
Seventh place, 12:30 p.m.; Fifth place, 2 p.m.; Third place, 3:30 p.m.; Championship, 5 p.m.
Fountain City Classic Girls Basketball Tournament at De Soto
Seeds: 1. St. Pius X; 2. Festus; 3. Potosi; 4. Sullivan; 5. Jefferson; 6. De Soto; 7. Northwest; 8. Riverview Gardens
Nov. 27
St. Pius 52, Riverview 17; Sullivan 53, Jefferson 28; Potosi 40, De Soto 36; Festus 40, Northwest 29
Dec. 1
Jefferson 47, Riverview Gardens 33; De Soto 53, Northwest 35; St. Pius 44, Sullivan 34; Festus 53, Potosi 38
Dec. 2
Seventh place Northwest 37, Riverview Gardens 21; Third place Sullivan 49, Potosi 47; Consolation final Jefferson 40, De Soto 36; Championship St. Pius 60, Festus 25
Fountain City Classic Boys Basketball Tournament at De Soto
Seeds: 1. Sikeston; 2. Cape Girardeau Central; 3. Ste. Genevieve; 4. North County; 5. Fort Zumwalt West; 6. De Soto; 7. Fox; 8. Riverview Gardens
Nov. 27
Sikeston 86, Riverview 62; Zumwalt West 70, North County 51; Ste.Genevieve 68, De Soto 36; Cape Central 62, Fox 36
Dec. 1
Riverview 50, North County 33; Sikeston 91, Zumwalt West 44; Cape Central 73, Ste. Genevieve 33
Dec. 2
Third place Zumwalt West 75, Ste. Genevieve 58; Seventh place De Soto 51, North County 44; Consolation final Fox 42, Riverview Gardens 38; Championship Sikeston 72, Cape Central 57
26th Town and Country Black and Red Classic
at Herculaneum
Seeds: 1. St. Pius X; 2. Lutheran South; 3. Pacific; 4. Notre Dame (St. Louis); 5. North County; 6. Herculaneum; 7. Crystal City
Dec. 4
St. Pius 63, North County 39; Lutheran South 66, Crystal City 7; Pacific 43, Herculaneum 39
Dec. 8
Fifth place, 4 p.m.; Third place, 5:30 p.m.; Championship, 7 p.m.