 1999/2000 Game ResultsLast Updated: December 17, 1999 |
December 5, 1999
Coaches' picks
1. Menomonie
2. Eau Claire North
3. Chippewa Falls
Burchill likes the status quo
Hudson isn't ready to end reign just yet
By Steve Beaudry
Leader-Telegram staff
Perhaps it happened when you were not paying attention.Maybe you were busy talking about how the Menomonie girls basketball team -- with its five returning starters, priceless playoff experience and masterful new coach -- is going to run roughshod over its Big Rivers Conference opponents this season.
Or maybe you were caught up in the buzz stirred by NCAA Division I signee Emilee Planert having transferred to Eau Claire North, thereby giving the Huskies one of female basketball'sb most electric backcourts west of Athens, Ga.
Or maybe your interests were piqued by the possibility of Chippewa Falls, with its trio of nimble and experienced 6-foot starters, towering head and shoulders above the rest of the BRC this season.
Whatever. You probably were distracted when it happened:
Allison Burchill arrived.
The versatile 5-foot-11 Hudson senior no longer is a serviceable role player. She is a dominant player.
Burchill is fierce, she is intelligent, she is battle-tested, and she's not about to let Hudson's five-year reign atop the Big Rivers standings end -- even though the Raiders landed fourth in the Leader-Telegram's 1999-2000 preseason coaches poll.
"I think it's to our advantage that people are overlooking us," said Burchill, who averaged 11.5 points, 6.8 rebounds, 3.4 steals and 3.1 assists per game in helping the Raiders win 13 of their 14 BRC games last year. "None of us knows what it's like to not win the conference, and we want it to stay that way."
If Burchill has the type of season Coach Dave Johnson expects from her, she could keep the BRC Player of the Year award in Hudson for a fifth straight season -- following 1999 graduate Randi Miller (in '98-99) and '98 graduate Corrin Von Wald (in '95-96 through '97-98).
Burchill gave a glimpse of her talents in the 1998 WIAA Division 1 state final, when she hit the winning 3-point basket in Hudson's 59-56 overtime victory over Milwaukee Washington. She added layers to her game over the past two summers, when she was an AAU Junior Olympic team member.
"Allison's become a well-rounded player," said Johnson, who has coached Hudson to a 60-2 Big Rivers record over the past five seasons. "She excels inside and outside. She's sharpened her defense and developed into a strong leader. I think she feels she's got something to prove."
Burchill, along with 6-1 teammates Katie Garms and Annie Nelson, plan on proving that despite league coaches' preseason prognostications, Hudson's luster hasn't tarnished.
- Coach: Jeff Olson, 3rd year (9-32). Overall: 7th year (91-63).
- Last year: 5-9 Big Rivers, 8-13 overall.
- Notes: The Cardinals have excellent height and experience, with 6-1 senior Becca Spaeth, 6-foot junior Angie Ott and 6-foot senior Jo Burdick … return all five starters from last season in Spaeth (12.0 ppg, 9.0 rpg, 2.0 bpg), Ott (9.5 ppg, 9.0 rpg, 3.0 apg), Burdick (6.0 ppg, 7.0 rpg), 5-7 senior guard Tina Balsiger (4.0 ppg, 3.5 rpg) and 5-1 junior guard Danni Borneman (3.0 ppg, 3.5 apg) … Spaeth was an All-BRC first-team and All-Northwest fifth-team selection last season.
- Coach: Steve Smith, 5th year (41-45).
- Last year: 10-4 Big Rivers, 14-7 overall.
- Notes: Bekka Lundquist, a 5-7 senior and a fourth-year letterwinner, received the second-most votes among players picked to the five-member All-BRC first team last season ... Lundquist was an All-Northwest fourth-team pick last year … the Old Abes return three starters in Lundquist (10.4 ppg), 6-foot junior Amanda Buchholz (7.9 ppg) and 5-10 senior Greta Fiedler (5.9 ppg) … Joanna Leafblad (7.9 ppg), a 5-8 junior, was a top player off the bench last season … team will count on major contributions from members of last season's junior-varsity team, which posted a 17-3 record.
- Coach: Dan Sippel, 1st year.
- Last year: 11-3 Big Rivers, 18-5 overall.
- Notes: Sippel, who had served as an assistant coach at North for eight years, steps in for Chico LaBarbera, who retired in June after guiding the Huskies to a 12-year record of 147-106 … return two starters in 5-8 senior Nicki Robinson (5.6 ppg, 3.7 apg) and 5-3 senior Scooter Aspen (4.9 ppg, 3.2 apg) … 5-11 junior Larissa Parr (11.2 ppg, 6.8 rpg), the first player off the bench last season, was the team's leading scorer and second-leading rebounder … Parr was an All-BRC first-team and All-Northwest third-team pick last season … roster bolstered by the arrival of 5-8 senior Emilee Planert, who transferred from Altoona after leading the Railroaders in scoring in each of the past three seasons … Planert, an All-Cloverbelt first-team and All-Northwest third-team pick last season, has secured an NCAA Division I basketball scholarship with Kent (Ohio) ... two of North's three BRC losses last season were in overtime, and the other was decided by two points.
Hudson
- Coach: Dave Johnson, 16th year (246-92).
- Last year: 13-1 Big Rivers, 16-5 overall.
- Projected roster: SENIORS--Allison Burchill, 5-11, G-F; Katie Garms, 6-1, C. JUNIORS--Katy Cari, 5-4, G; Lindsey Pearson, 5-10, F; Molly Simon, 5-6, G; Jessie Syfko, 5-8, G; Greta Tracey, 5-6, G. SOPHOMORES--Emily Anderson, 5-7, G; Megan Hanson, 5-10, F; Annie Nelson, 6-1, F; Kelly Peterson, 5-6, G.
- Notes: The Raiders have won five straight BRC titles … won WIAA Division 1 state title in 1998 … had their 49-game BRC winning streak ended last Jan. 5 with a 58-50 loss to Eau Claire North at home … lost to North 39-35 in a WIAA Division 1 regional final last season … return three starters in Burchill (11.5 ppg, 6.8 rpg, 3.4 spg, 3.1 apg), Garms (10.5 ppg, 6.7 rpg) and Nelson (8.4 ppg, 7.0 rpg) … Burchill was an All-BRC second-team and All-Northwest fifth-team pick last season … Simon, Syfko and Tracey are returning letterwinners and, with Anderson, are vying for the spot vacated by graduated point guard Melissa Anderson … graduated 5-11 G-F Randi Miller, the 1998-99 BRC Player of the Year and an All-Northwest first-team pick.
- Coach's outlook: "I'd hate to guess who's going to win the conference this year. It's shaping up to be a real dogfight."
- Coach: Jim Negrini, 1st year. Overall: 13th year (240-60).
- Last year: 9-5 Big Rivers, 18-6 overall.
- Notes: Negrini replaces Mark Marsden, who led the Indians to an 80-49 record in six seasons and then accepted the head girls basketball coaching job at Janesville Craig … Negrini resigned as the Eau Claire Regis girls coach last March after 12 seasons at the helm, leading the Lady Ramblers to a 240-60 record and two WISAA Division 2 state titles … the Indians return all five starters from last season's WIAA Division 1 sectional-finalist squad in 5-9 junior Jackie Dummer (11.5 ppg), 5-9 senior Jess Larson (9.3 ppg), 5-5 senior Meghan Fieber (8.4 ppg), 6-3 senior Amanda Veith (8.3 ppg) and 5-10 senior Sara Kahl (7.6 ppg) ... Dummer was an All-BRC second-team and All-Northwest second-team pick last season.
New Richmond
- Coach: Eric Russell, 1st year.
- Last year: 0-14 Big Rivers, 1-20 overall.
- Projected roster: SENIORS--Heidi Demulling, 5-8, F; Micaela Ellevold, 5-4, G; Kristi Emerson, 5-8, G-F; Julie Neumann, 5-6, G; Peggy Sager, 5-7, G-F. JUNIORS--Samantha Berget, 6-0, F; Megan Brown, 5-8, F; Becky McNamara, 5-4, G; Tessey Mike, 5-8, F; Chris Salmon, 5-6, G-F; Jessie Ulrich, 5-5, G. SOPHOMORES--Erin Timm, 6-0, F.
- Notes: Russell replaces Jim Kannel, who coached the Tigers to a 55-54 record in six seasons … the team made an inauspicious debut in the BRC last season after having been in the Middle Border Conference … had a 20-5 record in 1997-98 … Neumann, Ellevold and Sager are returning starters … Heather Gillen, a 5-6 junior guard and a letterwinner last season, is out for the season with a knee injury … Ellevold is recovering from two knee surgeries.
- Coach's outlook: "We have strong leaders and a sense of unity. But, with our injuries and lack of height, it will be hard for us to match up with BRC teams."
Rice Lake
- Coach: Lorne Majewski, 1st year.
- Last year: 5-9 Big Rivers, 6-15 overall.
- Projected roster: SENIORS--Heidi Anderson, 5-9, F; Cassie Antczak, 5-5, G; Meredith Bird, 5-8, F; Cassie Fogarty, 5-6, G; Bobbi Ingbretson, 5-10, F; Emily Lundquist, 5-11, C; Linsey Wichman, 5-9, F. JUNIORS--Ellen Berndt, 5-8, G; Katie Lundquist, 5-9, G; Holly Olson, 5-9, F; Natalie Popko, 5-8, F; Stephena Smith, 5-4, G.
- Notes: Majewski replaces Holly Ellenson, who resigned after coaching the Warriors to a 24-61 record over four seasons … Majewski formerly was the program's junior-varsity coach … return three starters in Wichman (8.0 ppg, 4.7 rpg), Anderson (3.8 ppg) and Emily Lundquist (3.5 ppg) … other returning letterwinners are Olson (6.6 ppg), Fogarty (3.3 ppg), Katie Lundquist and Bird … Antczak missed most of last season with a knee injury … Emily Lundquist shot 33-for-37 from the free-throw line a year ago … graduated top scorer Jackie Gagner and point guard Jennifer Gagner … Jackie Gagner was an All-BRC second-team pick last season.
- Coach's outlook: "We have a lot of experience but lack overall quickness. It should be an interesting year, with all the new coaches in the conference."
River Falls
- Coach: Rita Hurtgen, 2nd year (9-15).
- Last year: 3-11 Big Rivers, 9-15 overall.
- Projected roster: SENIORS--Carlye Green, 5-10, F; Christina Koehler, 5-11, F; Katie Liddle, 5-3, G; Katy Rohl, 5-7, G. JUNIORS--Abigail Brendum, 5-9, G; Ashley Magee, 5-9, F; Jackie Obermueller, 5-8, G.
- Notes: The Wildcats won a WIAA Division 2 regional championship last season for the first time in team history, knocking off perennial power Durand along the way … Greene is a third-year starter … Magee, Koehler and Rohl are third-year letterwinners … Magee and Obermueller were All-BRC honorable-mention picks last