2003-2004 Girls Basketball  'Renegade' Poll: Week 1 A USA-365.com Special Report (11-18-2003)

1.) Valparaiso (3-0)

Valparaiso started fast with wins over Munster (74-21), Jefferson (48-33) and Carmel (43-38) to go 3-0. Valpo is 22-5 against Jefferson all time.  Center Cassie Kerns (14.3 ppg.) has dominated inside and Lauren Hutton (11.0) is off to a good start at guard.  Valpo suffered an injury to 6-2 junior Lindsey Humes (9.0). They would miss her experience, but center (or post player) is a strong position for the Lady Vikings.

2.)  Gary West Side (0-0)

The Cougars don't open until the 26th against Hobart and they aren't truly challenged until Dec. 4 at Kokomo. Junior Guard Belinda Drake (9.0 points, 7.0 assists) is a premier lead guard and 5-7 Isabell Rhenwick has lots of potential.  5-10 forwards Ashley Cheairs and Michelle Hamblin are solid and 6-1 Karima Davies is a good defensive center. This team has speed and size. They'll press everybody full court.  The Cougars schedule is better this year including superpowers like Kokomo and St. Joseph's.

3.)  MERRILLVILLE (1-0)

Good start for the Pirates, winning 52-37 against an overmatched Highland team. The trick for the Pirates will be to find a way for transfer Julie DeMuth to play without pushing 6-2 sophomore Brittany Moore out of the lane. Against Highland, DeMuth scored 18, Marshay Jolly had 10 and Moore scored three. The Pirates face a test against smaller, quicker East Chicago Wednesday (Nov. 26) night.

4.) East Chicago (2-0)

5-10 sophomore Kelly Watts scored 18 Saturday (Nov. 15) at Clay in a 56-34 win. Dee Dee Jernigan put up 16 in a 62-36 win over Hammond high. EC is just 23 of 45 from the foul line. That's what killed them in the sectional last year.  Region fans don't know it but the game against Chicago's Hope high is a major confrontation on Nov. 21.  EC also plays St. Joseph's, Thornton, Hamilton Southeastern and Merrillville.

5.)  LAKE CENTRAL (1-1)

Senior swing man Linsey Smith scored 22 in a 61-51 win over Jefferson. Carmel bombed LC 60-40, but LC was without 5-11 Jen Vander Zanden in that game.  LC was 31-of-45 (68.8%) from the foul line in two games, good numbers to start with.  Angie Funston scored 17 against Jefferson and that's a good thing. LC needs scoring depth.

      6.)  CROWN POINT (2-0)

Crown Point started well against lesser competition beating Hebron 66-38 and Kankakee Valley 62-31. Cassie Pruzin scored 20 with 8 rebounds, 7 assists and 7 steals against Hebron. Senior guard Mallory Michaels (11.0) scored in double figures in both of her first two varsity starts. Soph guard Hannah Plumley (8.5) made her varsity debut with 11 against the Hawks.  The Lady Bulldogs forced 66 turnovers which is very good. CP was a miserable 18-of-41 from the foul line, which is very bad.  CP may go 3-0 Friday against Portage, but the good times come to an end Saturday night (Nov. 22) at 4A No.1 Warsaw.

7.)  Chesterton (1-0)

Chesterton started fast with a 58-24 victory over Munster. Center Stephanie Boyle scored 17 at the start of her third year on the varsity. Chesterton may have trouble scoring in league play. They have depth and play well defensively. They'll just struggle to score. The Trojans host Crown Point on Nov. 28.

8.) LOWELL (1-0)

Lowell has more depth than they had last year and a 61-44 win over a North Newton team the Devils usually struggle with, was impressive.  McKensey Wietbrock scored 18 points and Lisa Schulfer added 15. Lowell was only 11 of 22 from the foul line.  The Devils should win at home against Morton Friday (Nov. 21) and they need a win at rival Hanover Central on Nov. 26.

9.) ANDREAN (0-0)

Lets be patient on Andrean. They may not fare well in the season opener Saturday night at Penn (2-0). The guard line will be interesting with 5-10 soph Suzanne Cunningham at the point with 5-10 Kim McCloskey (9.5) on the wing. Senior Katie Gianinni is a good defender and 6-0 Brooke Bosak can be a solid center.  Forward Amy Goetz (7.6 points, 3.9 rebounds) is solid. The 59er girls get a break with the football team not going to the state finals. They'll play on schedule in the key LAC game against Lowell on Nov. 29. They play at superpower Bishop Luers in Fort Wayne on Dec. 21 and they'll take on soon-to-be 3A No. 1 South Bend St. Joseph's at home on Dec. 2.

10. Boone Grove (1-0)

Somebody's got to do something about 5-5 junior Karissa Walter (24.7 ppg.), who scored 37 in a 67-64 victory over Calumet. Senior Rachel Jenkins (10.0 ppg.) and junior Becky Keller (9.7 ppg.) have quietly made their move to be double figure scorers. Freshman Cortney Flanigan is a coming star. This team scores most of their points in transition. They do not shoot well and that must improve in the next three months. The test comes Dec. 11 at Washington Township and Dec. 13 at Crown Point.

Could be good.....                    

   Calumet (1-1)

Calumet should have won twice but Boone rallied from 12 points behind to beat the Warriors. Senior Kiki Bytnar (27.0) had seven assists in the 64-47 win over Gavit. Jenell Echols had 10 points and eight rebounds. Calumet is a little short, size-wise and depth-wise, but one big scorer can carry you in the LAC.



Coming up.......

CROWN POINT (2-0) at Warsaw (0-0)
6:30 - CST - Saturday, Nov. 22

WARSAW - It isn't a given that both teams win Friday (CP hosts Portage, Warsaw is at Tippecanoe Valley) but if they do, this is a match-up of unbeaten teams. The Lady Bulldogs are going to have to play some half court zone because they don't have a match for 6-foot-1 forward  Jacklyn Leininger (21 ppg last season) and 6-1 center Michelle DeGeeter (10 ppg). CP's Cassie Pruzin (14.0 ppg.) will try to disrupt point guard Julie Seiss (14 ppg.) who leads the Tigers attack. This is a perfect test for CP's Duneland Athletic Conference schedule because they won't see three top players like this on any team. Warsaw was 21-2 last year.

Valparaiso (3-0) at MERRILLVILLE (3-0)
7:30 - CST - Friday, Nov. 21

MERRILLVILLE - The first of three meetings between the DAC co-favorites should draw one of Merrillville's largest girls crowds ever. Top Pirate scorers Julie DeMuth and Marshay Jolly have to find a way to break the Vikings' 2-3 zone defense which includes 6-3 Cassie Kerns, 6-0 Breanne Gustke and 5-11 Erica Humes. VHS may go without 6-2 Lindsey Humes, who was hurt last week. Merrillville's 6-2 Brittany Moore has to stay out of foul trouble and the Pirates have to get some outside shots to go in.  Merrillville needs to press full court to speed up the game. Merrillville loses a half court match, but they could run the Vikings into the ground.

HANOVER CENTRAL (0-0) at Wheeler (1-0)
7:30 - CST - Friday, Nov. 21

UNION TOWNSHIP - Hanover hopes to be improved and it needs to show up here in this nonconference matchup against the bigger Bearcats. These are opposite teams. Wheeler needs a floor leader to step forward under full court pressure, but they have a top frontcourt in 6-0 Maggie Schultz and sisters 5-10 Alyse Bruszewski and 6-1 freshman Becca Bruszewski. Hanover is good on the perimeter but has no inside game. The Lady Cats must press and steal the ball to go with double figure scoring from 5-10 Christie Wick and 5-10 Jill McElmurry. Becca Bruszewski scored 16 in her debut, a 56-30 win over Griffith. Hanover will rotate nine players, but they must shoot well because rebounds here are unlikely.

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