HYDE — The 2014-15 Clearfield Area High School girls basketball team must overcome a lack of height and long range shooting, but coach Joey Castagnolo believes that the Lady Bison can compensate with experience, quickness, speed and depth to get back to double-digit wins after two lean seasons.
“I feel we’ve got some talent and that we should have a winning season,” Castagnolo proclaimed in looking ahead to his 16th season at his alma mater.
Two scrimmages have bolstered his outlook that the Lady Bison should show significant improvement over last season‘s 4-18 record.
“We ran the floor, showed some speed and played some tough defense,” he explained. “The girls built some confidence, and I like the team chemistry.
“I’m happy right now.”
Castagnolo is banking on a quartet of two-year letterwinners to lead the way.
Seniors Emily Aveni, Mary Ishman and Maggie Sopic and junior Emily Ryan logged extensive playing time as the Lady Bison struggled through the past two winters with only 10 victories.
Sopic was the leading scorer last season with 165 points, a 7.5 average, while backcourt mates Aveni and Ryan matched 137-point totals to average 6.2. Ishman had scored 48 points before a broken finger cut short her season after 12 games.
The Lady Bison have three other letterwinners in senior Tessa Waring and juniors Margo Castagnolo and Rachel Glenny (3.0 ppg), and coach Castagnolo is confident all of the team’s experience plus help from several newcomers will make a big difference, especially late in games.
“Last year, we were winning at least 10 games at halftime and lost,” he pointed out. “I‘ve got so many choices this year.”
The Lady Bison can go 12 deep with senior Janessa Riddell, juniors Chesney Boal and Sam Rockmore, junior Ally Lindstrom and freshman Brooke Cline also in the mix.
“We have depth and we have flexibility,” Castagnolo said. “That’s what I really like about this team.”
Sopic and Ishman will be working inside with Aveni and Ryan in the backcourt every night.
Opposing defenses will dictate who will join them, with Margo Castagnolo getting the nod against North Clarion in the opener Friday afternoon at the Brookville Tip-Off Tournament.
Glenny, Boal and Rockmore will provide support in the post.
“Chesney Boal has come a long way,” coach Castagnolo noted.
He anticipates the Lady Bison faring better against pressing defenses with Aveni, Ryan and Lindstrom handling the ball.
“Ally is figuring in a lot of it,” Castagnolo said. “She’s quick and can be the point guard or on the wing.”
Running the floor, attacking the basket and cashing in at the foul line will be all-important if the Lady Bison are to improve on last season’s 36.5-point average.
“We’re not going to be looking for threes as much as in past years,“ Castagnolo said. “I don’t know who will shoot threes besides my daughter, but I’m hoping Aveni and Ryan can contribute some. They still don’t have the long range shooting but they’ve improved mid range.
“And we’ve set a goal to shoot at least 68 percent from the line. You can win games making free throws, and we work at that every night.”
With no player taller than 5-8, the Lady Bison will try to hold their own under the boards by good positioning and blocking out.
“We’re trying to teach them to use their bodies more,” Castagnolo said. “Defensively, I think we’re going to be fine because the girls know my system.”
Clearfield faces a challenging schedule in the tough Mountain League after a 2-12 finish in 2013-14 as well as non-league encounters with some of the better teams in District 9.
“We don’t get any breaks, and we have to get off to a good start because we play nine games in 25 days,” Castagnolo said. “We can‘t hit a lull, because these girls kind of dwell on the past too much and don‘t look forward.”
Brianna Spencer (149 points, 6.8 ppg) was the lone senior on the 2013-14 squad. She accounted for 33 of the Lady Bison’s 39 three-pointers and wound up with 195 points with 39 threes during an injury-plagued career.
Castagnolo, whose record is 182-188, will be assisted again by junior varsity coach Jerry Stewart (16th year) and Stan Solarczyk (10th year).
The roster, with (*) denoting letterwinner:
Seniors – Emily Aveni (*), 5-5; Mary Ishman (*), 5-6; Janessa Riddell, 5-6; Maggie Sopic (*), Tessa Waring (*).
Juniors – Chesney Boal, Margo Castagnolo (*), Rachel Glenny (*), Sam Rockmore, Emily Ryan (*).
Sophomores – Niki Chew, Justina Gaylor, Ally Lindstrom.
Freshmen – Brooke Cline.
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The schedule, with (ML) designating Mountain League games and tip-offs at 7:30 p.m. unless noted:
December
5 – North Clarion (3 p.m.) at Brookville Tip-Off Tournament; 6 – Clarion-Limestone or Brookville (TBA) at Brookville Tip-Off Tournament; 10 – at Central (ML); 12 – HUNTINGDON (ML); 15 – PUNXSUTAWNEY; 16 – BELLEFONTE (ML); 19 – at Tyrone (ML); 22 – at Brookville; 29 – CURWENSVILLE.
January
5 -at Punxsutawney; 7 – BALD EAGLE AREA (ML); 9 – at Penns Valley (ML); 13 – PHILIPSBURG-OSCEOLA (ML); 16 – ST. MARYS; 21 – CENTRAL (ML); 23 – at Huntingdon (ML); 27 – at Bellefonte; 30 – TYRONE (ML).
February
4 – at Bald Eagle Area (ML); 6 – PENNS VALLEY (ML); 10 – at Philipsburg-Osceola (ML); 13 – at Curwensville.