1999-2000 GIRL'S BASKETBALL RECAPS

July 26, 1999  

Great Lakes Shootout

Colfax senior comes up big for Junior Olympic team

By Steve Beaudry Leader-Telgram staff

MENOMONIE -- Jessica Nohl was itching to make something happen when she stepped onto Johnson Fieldhouse's Court 1 Sunday.

Earlier in the week, the Colfax senior was itching. Period.

"At first I thought it was some sort of allergic reaction. But it turned out to be shingles," Nohl said Sunday, showcasing a faint, reddish rash across her back and upper left arm. "It was burning like crazy on Thursday. I tried not to let it bother me today."

The shingles, an inflammation of spinal nerves usually spurred by heat or stress, didn't curtail Nohl during the waning seconds of the championship game of the AAU Great Lakes Shootout's Girls 17-18 Gold division.

The 6-foot-2 center, playing for Wisconsin Junior Olympic Red, came off the bench with 13.1 seconds left in regulation. Her team held a tenuous 37-36 lead over Dakota Blue of South Dakota.

Dakota point guard Mandy Kappel was dribbling the ball on the left wing toward her basket. Kelly Schwerman, a Kettle Moraine senior, was defending Kappel.

"Kelly looked like she might be in trouble, so I rolled off the girl I was guarding," said Nohl, who was blanketing forward Brenda Davis on the right block.

Nohl and Schwerman sandwiched Kappel under the hoop. From behind, Schwerman punched the ball out of Kappel's hands. Nohl snared it and immediately uncorked a bullet pass to teammate Jamie Gray 50 feet upcourt.

Gray's layup at the buzzer sealed Viking Club's 39-36 victory.

Gray, a 6-1 forward from Kenosha Bradford, led Viking Club's balanced offense with 10 points. Schwerman, the 1998-99 Associated Press high school player of the year in Wisconsin, had nine points.

In limited playing time, Nohl mustered one field goal. But it was a biggie. With 50 seconds left in the first half, she jousted her way past Dakota 6-footers Jodi Schroeder, Lacy Johnson and Melissa Luers to grab an offensive rebound and score. It pulled Viking Club within 21-17 and keyed an eight-point run.

Up next for Viking Club are the Junior Olympics, which begin in Cleveland on Wednesday.

"We're really starting to click as a unit," Nohl said.

And Nohl's play lately has drawn serious interest from several NCAA Division I coaches. According to Wisconsin AAU president Keith Noll, representatives from Iowa, Wisconsin, Bowling Green and Xavier have inquired about Nohl.

"I've been involved with girls basketball for 18 years," Noll said. "I've seen a lot of good players come and go. I've never seen anyone work as hard as Jessica Nohl. She's got a bright, bright future."

11TH ANNUAL AAU GREAT LAKES SHOOTOUT

At Johnson Fieldhouse, Menomonie

Sunday's Results

GIRLS

High School Varsity Gold

Championship: Chippewa Falls 30, Flambeau 29. Third Place: Eau Claire North and Fargo (N.D.) did not play due to heat.

High School Varsity Blue

Championship: Onalaska 46, Osseo-Fairchild 38. Third Place: Verona 37, Cashton 36.

High School Junior Varsity

Championship: Eau Claire North 39, Altoona 35. Third Place: Menomonie (II) 36, Simley (Minn.) 17.

17-18 Gold

Championship: Wisconsin Viking Club Junior Olympic Red 39, Dakota Blue 36. Third Place: FEBA (Ill.) 64, Wisconsin Viking Club Lynx 55. Fifth Place: Wisconsin Viking Club Junior Olympic White 40, Indiana Rebels 34, OT. Seventh Place: Wisconsin Higher Level Camps 51, Wisconsin Viking Club Green Bay 50.

17-18 Blue

Championship: Illinois Lady Wildcats 51, Indiana Stars 39. Third Place: Minnesota Hoopsters. Fourth Place: Wisconsin Higher Level Camps.

16-Under

Championship: St. Louis Hoops 55, Wisconsin Viking Club Velocity 27. Third Place: Green Bay Metro 42, Illinois Fox Valley South 39.

15-Under

Championship: Wisconsin Viking Club Select Red 55, Milwaukee Lightning 35. Third Place: Wisconsin Viking Club Velocity 52, Minnesota Lady Hawks 47.

14-Under

Championship: Burlington (Iowa) 43, Wisconsin Viking Club Badgers 33. Third Place: Wisconsin Viking Club Lynx 23, Madison Wildcats 21.

13-Under

Championship: Glenwood (Minn.) Shockers 38, Illinois Hoopla 32. Third Place: Wisconsin Viking Club Velocity 53, Thorp 26.

11-12

Championship: Minnesota Elks 38, Minnesota Blizzard 29. Third Place: Colfax 39, Kettle Moraine Lasers 7.

BOYS

High School Varsity

Championship: Minnesota Hawks 47, Barron County 43, OT. Third Place: Wisconsin Strictly Hoopers 49, Glenwood City 47. Fifth Place: Kenosha Express 60, Glenwood City (II) 57. Seventh Place: Colfax 55, Wisconsin MPA Panthers 43.

Junior High School Gold

Championship: Wisconsin Northern Storm 51, Team Minnesota 49. Third Place: Arrowhead. Fifth Place: Minnesota Magic.

Junior High School Blue

Championship: Neenah 69, Spirit of Ohio 47. Third Place: Shelby (Ind.) Shooters. Fourth Place: Wisconsin Higher Level Camps.

Sixth Grade

Championship: Bath County (Ky.) Dawgs 43, Spring Valley 28. Third Place: Augusta Hot Shots 35, Glenwood City Panthers 32.