Eau Claire North Girls Basketball

1998-99 GIRL'S BASKETBALL RECAPS

December 4, 1998

Every guard in the league benefited from Von Wald

Coaches' picks

North
Hudson
Memorial

BRC teams get the point

Leader-Telegram staff

If the thank-you letter isn't already in the mail, it should be on its way to Milwaukee soon.

It will read something like this:

Dear Corrin,

How are things in Brew Town? Congratulations on your awesome game against the Badgers on Nov. 17. Wow. In the second half, you almost beat them all by yourself!

Things are going pretty good up here -- especially since you've graduated. Thanks for leaving behind your legacy. It was always a challenge to play against you. You showed me how hard I have to work to be an elite point guard.

Now it's my turn to be in the spotlight. Wish me luck!

The note could be signed by Menomonie's Jackie Dummer. Or Eau Claire North's Nicki Robinson. Or Eau Claire Memorial's Crystal Walker. Or Hudson's Melissa Anderson. Or River Falls' Sara Elling.

"This might end up being the year of the point guard in the Big Rivers," Menomonie coach Mark Marsden said. "You look up and down the conference, and there are so many terrific, experienced point guards back.

"And every one of them is better for having played against Corrin Von Wald."

If there is a level beyond greatness in BRC girls basketball, Von Wald held the elevator key for four seasons.

Before taking her whirlwind talents to UW-Milwaukee on an NCAA Division I basketball scholarship this year, the Hudson hurricane was named first-team all-state twice by the Associated Press and became the first player ever to be named first-team All-Northwest for three straight seasons.

Von Wald led Hudson to four Big Rivers championships, three WIAA Division 1 state-tournament berths, a state title last season and a 47-game BRC winning streak which still exists.

According to league coaches, the Raiders' string will be snipped this year. And North will be holding the scissors.

Of the seven conference coaches who responded to the Leader-Telegram's preseason questionnaire, five picked the Huskies to dethrone Hudson.

"They're off their rockers," said North coach Chico LaBarbera, whose team returns four starters and 10 letterwinners from last season's fourth-place squad. "I'll believe it when I see it."

Chippewa Falls

Coach: Jeff Olson, 2nd year (1-20. 6th year overall, 83-32).
Last year: 0-12 BRC, 1-20 overall.
Cardinals notes: Have excellent size, with 6-1 junior Becca Spaeth, 5-11 sophomore Angie Ott, 6-1 junior Jessica Johnholtz and 6-foot junior Jolyne Burdick ... Spaeth (8.0 ppg, 4.0 rpg) and Ott (7.5 ppg, 3.0 rpg, 2.0 apg, 3.0 spg) are returning starters who were All-BRC honorable-mention picks last season ... Tina Balsiger, a 5-8 junior, was a starter last season, and 5-8 junior Eve Schroeder is expected to be an important contributor ... roster lists no seniors, nine juniors and two sophomores.

Eau Claire Memorial

Coach: Steve Smith, 4th year (27-38).
Last year: 8-4 BRC, 15-7 overall.
Old Abes notes: Crystal Walker, a 5-3 junior, and Bekka Lundquist, a 5-6 junior, are two-time letterwinners ... Atty Klingensmith, a 5-4 senior, is the only other returning letterwinner ... Walker (4.4 ppg, 3.3 apg), an All-BRC honorable-mention pick last season, is the lone returning starter ... starting lineup is unsettled, with several forwards vying for frontline roles.

Eau Claire North

Coach: Chico LaBarbera, 12th year (129-101).
Last year: 6-6 BRC, 12-9 overall.
Huskies notes: Everyone on the 10-player roster was a letterwinner last season ... returning starters include 5-9 senior Kristi Gehring (8.1 ppg, 4.2 rpg), 6-3 senior Chandra Johnson (7.9 ppg, 7.4 rpg), 5-9 junior Nicki Robinson (7.4 ppg, 3.0 apg, 56-for-62 FT) and 5-4 senior Rachel Evjen (7.3 ppg, 3.6 rpg) ... Johnson already has signed an NCAA Division I basketball scholarship to UW-Green Bay ... roster lists six seniors, three juniors and one sophomore.

Hudson

Coach: Dave Johnson, 15th year (230-87).
Last year: 12-0 BRC, 25-2 overall.
Projected roster: SENIORS--Melissa Anderson, 5-6, G; Randi Miller, 5-11, F; Stacy Obermueller, 5-9, F; Trina Peters, 5-7, G. JUNIORS--Allison Burchill, 5-11, F; Katie Garms, 6-0, C; Jamie Page, 5-10, F. SOPHOMORES--Molly Simon, 5-6, G; Jessie Syfko, 5-8, F; Greta Tracey, 5-7, G. FRESHMEN--Annie Nelson, 6-0, C.
Raiders notes: Won 1998 WIAA Division 1 state championship, downing Milwaukee Washington 59-56 in overtime in the final ... lost in the state semifinals in 1997 and 1996 ... last BRC loss came 47 games ago, in December 1994 to Menomonie ... graduated three All-BRC first-team players ... Miller (6.6 ppg, 4.9 rpg) is a three-year starter and Anderson (7.0 ppg) a two-year starter. Both were All-BRC second-team picks last season ... Burchill (3.3 ppg), Garms (2.7 ppg) and Peters (2.0 ppg) head a cast of seven other returning letterwinners ... Miller had surgery on a torn anterior cruciate ligament in the offseason.
Coach's outlook: "We have a nice blend of ability and good size, but we're going to need several young players to step up their games."

Menomonie

Coach: Mark Marsden, 6th year (62-44. 21st year overall, 203-68).
Last year: 10-2 BRC, 16-5 overall.
Indians notes: Return no starters from last season, though 5-9 sophomore Jackie Dummer (8.0 ppg, 3.4 apg), an All-BRC honorable-mention pick, saw lots of playing time at point guard ... return four other letterwinners: 5-5 Meghan Fieber (3.9 ppg), 5-9 Jess Larson (3.0 ppg), 5-10 Sara Kahl (3.0 ppg) and 6-2 Amanda Veith (2.7 ppg), all juniors ... Veith had a school-record 45 blocked shots last season ... three of their five losses last season were to Hudson.

New Richmond

Coach: Jim Kannel, 5th year (54-34).
Last year: 12-2 Middle Border, 20-5 overall.
Projected roster: SENIORS--Michelle Berget, 5-8, G; Megan Needham, 5-10, F; Sarah Spinks, 5-9, C. JUNIORS--Heidi Demulling, 5-8, F; Micaela Ellevold, 5-4, G; Kristi Emerson, 5-7, F; Cindi Gunness, 5-8, F; Julie Neuman, 5-6, G; Peggy Sager, 5-7, F. SOPHOMORES--Sam Berget, 5-11, C; Heather Gillen, 5-7, F; Jessie Ulrich, 5-5, G.
Tigers notes: Enter their first year in the BRC ... placed second to Durand in the Middle Border Conference last season, then upset Durand in the WIAA Division 2 playoffs ... graduated three All-MBC players ... Berget (4.0 ppg) is the lone returning starter ... other five returnees averaged a combined 8.6 points per game last season.
Coach's outlook: "We're hard-working and have a lot of desire, but we're vertically challenged -- we're not too tall. Being in a new conference, this year will be a learning experience."

Rice Lake

Coach: Holly Ellenson, 4th year (18-46. 8th year overall, 74-84).
Last year: 3-9 BRC, 5-16 overall.
Projected roster: SENIORS--Kristy Fisher, 5-5, G; Jackie Gagner, 5-9, F; Jennifer Gagner, 5-6, G. JUNIORS--Heidi Anderson, 5-9, F; Cassie Antczak, 5-5, G; Cassie Fogarty, 5-6, G; Emily Lundquist, 5-11, C; Linsey Wichman, 5-9, F. SOPHOMORES--Stephanie Coe, 5-5, G; Katie Lundquist, 5-7, G-F; Holly Olson, 5-7, G-F.
Warriors notes: Return seven players who started last season, including All-BRC second-teamer Jackie Gagner (9.1 ppg) ... Wichman (9.3 ppg), Jennifer Gagner (7.6 ppg) and Anderson (8.4 ppg) were All-BRC honorable-mention picks last season ... Antczak (4.1 ppg) and Fogarty (3.4 ppg) are returning letterwinners.
Coach's outlook: "I expect us to move up in the standings. We expect to be over .500."

River Falls

Coach: Rita Hurtgen, 1st year.
Last year: 3-9 BRC, 5-16 overall.
Projected roster: SENIORS--Jessica Bartelt, 5-8, F; Molly Baumgartner, 5-2, G; Sara Elling, 5-7, G; Erin May, 5-11, F; Molly Schock, 5-6, G. JUNIORS--Carlye Greene, 5-10, F; Christina Koehler, 5-11, F; Katie Liddle, 5-3, G; Katy Rohl, 5-7, G. SOPHOMORES--Abigail Brendum, 5-9, G; Ashley Magee, 5-9, F; Jackie Obermueller, 5-8, G.
Wildcats notes: Return four starters in Greene (5.5 ppg), Elling (5.0 ppg), Schock (4.6 ppg) and May (3.3 ppg) ... other letterwinners back are Magee (5.9 ppg), Koehler (3.7 ppg) and Rohl (3.1 ppg).
Coach's outlook: "We have a lot of team unity and expect to be balanced. The conference as a whole looks very balanced."