Second-year Huskies coach Dan Sippel employs a decidedly up-tempo approach to the sport, which makes conditioning a priority every practice. Whyte said "ladders" -- wind sprints that run the width of the basketball court -- are among the more trying tasks on his daily lesson plan.

"They tell us it's not punishment; that it's for our own good," said Whyte, a sprinter for the Huskies' track team. "I'm not so sure."

She may be now. Eau Claire North ran away with a 69-23 victory over Appleton East on Friday in the opening game of the Eau Claire Thanksgiving Showcase at Zorn Arena.

The event, which wraps up today, features six high school teams in one bracket and four college programs in another. Appleton East plays Eau Claire Memorial at 5 p.m. today, followed by Germantown vs. Eau Claire Regis and Menomonee Falls vs. North.

Sippel's team downed the Patriots (0-2) with 10-0, 12-0 and 10-0 runs in the first, second and third quarters, respectively. The Huskies (2-0) led 54-13 going into the final eight minutes.

Judging by the final score, there is a reason Sippel's "ladders" run the width of the court. He probably assumes his players get more than enough sprints the length of the court on game day.

"I told the girls that the teams we'd be playing today and tomorrow would be the best we played all year," Appleton East coach Greg Paton said. "We wanted to do a couple of things offensively, and (North) took them away.

"And when you're running like that you need a deep bench. We don't have that."

The Huskies do. North forced only 12 turnovers, but Sippel's reserves accounted for 25 points. His defense also limited the Patriots to 24-percent shooting from the floor.

The Huskies enjoyed a 36-23 rebounding advantage as well and hit a blistering 62 percent of their field goals.

Forward Larissa Parr was 5-for-6 from the field and converted her only 3-point attempt en route to a game-high 13 points. Whyte and point guard Lindsey Rongstad added 11 and 10 points, respectively, on a combined 9-for-11 shooting from the floor.

"This is one of the most athletic teams overall we've had here," Sippel said. "From the big people to the smaller players, everybody can run the floor."

Sippel played 14 players and said the added experience could help in what is expected to be a heated chase for the Big Rivers Conference title. Hudson, Memorial and North have been tabbed as the BRC's pacesetters.

The Huskies opened the season Tuesday with a 78-11 drubbing of Tomah.

"They're getting quite a bit of experience, and that will help us down the road," Sippel said of his reserves. "(The BRC) probably has three of the top 10 teams in Wisconsin. Every week is going to be a battle."

In which the track skills of Whyte and Rongstad, a decorated hurdler, most likely will play a role.

"(Andrea) Thorsness and Parr can get up the floor," Sippel said. "And Kricket and Lindsey -- I'd put them up against anybody in the state as far as quickness."

A matchup Whyte would welcome.

"We can't look ahead," she cautioned, "but our main goal is definitely to go to state."

APPLETON EAST (23)

FG-A FT-A TP: Carrie Knorr 1-4 0-2 2, Emily Eggert 0-5 0-0 0, Jamie Marlborough 0-1 0-0 0, Mikken Paton 0-6 0-0 0, Kim Kussow 0-4 0-1 0, Sarah Shefka 2-5 0-0 4, Katie Reitzner 2-6 2-2 7, Amy Fleck 2-3 1-4 5, Becky Heinsohn 0-0 0-0 0, Molly Kemp 0-1 1-2 1, Korah Petrasko 2-3 0-0 4. Totals 9-38 4-11 23.

EAU CLAIRE NORTH (69)

Annie Hoffman 2-3 0-0 4, Rian Bauerkemper 1-1 0-0 2, Heather Dekan 1-6 0-0 2, Anne Connell 1-4 0-0 2, Kricket Whyte 4-4 3-5 11, Lindsey Rongstad 5-7 0-0 10, Susie Evans 0-1 0-0 0, Stacey Anderson 0-0 0-0 0, Angie Ziehme 2-3 0-0 4, Corisa Demoe 1-1 0-0 2, Larissa Parr 5-6 2-2 13, Amanda Eisold 2-3 1-2 5, Andrea Thorsness 4-8 0-0 8, Kelley Boyle 3-3 0-0 6. Totals 31-50 6-9 69.

Appleton East 5 4 4 10 -- 23
Eau Claire North 15 22 17 15 -- 69

3-point goals: Appleton East 1-5 (Reitzner 1-2, Shefka 0-1, Knorr 0-2), North 1-4 (Parr 1-1, Connell 0-1, Rongstad 0-1, Thorsness 0-1). Rebounds: Appleton East 23 (Petrasko 3), North 36 (Thorsness 7, Eisold 6). Assists: Appleton East 5 (Eggert 1, Paton 1), North 14 (Connell 2, Rongstad 2). Fouls: Appleton East 11, North 12. Turnovers: Appleton East 12, North 13.

RECORDS: Appleton East 0-2, Eau Claire North 2-0.