For the week of November 20 - 26, 2002

Carey looks to make inroads in Northside

Girls’ basketball debut

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Everybody is chasing the Dietrich Blue Devils in the Northside Conference girls’ basketball wars this season—and that includes the 2002-03 Carey School basketball team.

1999 state champ Dietrich (40-15 two seasons) won the state consolation championship in 2000 and 2001, then went all the way to the 1A title game before falling to Kendrick 56-54 last February.

And Gene Shaw’s Blue Devils return four starters including all-everything Raysa Parker, a 5-9 senior.

Second-year Carey coach Greg Carlson said, "Dietrich is powerful. Their girls play so well together. They are physical and athletic and they’re good shooters. They run that pressure defense in the corners. It’s tough to get out of it."

Dietrich and Shoshone (48-6 two seasons) have dominated the Northside since 1988, but Carlson hopes Carey is ready to take a serious run at the Northside’s two automatic berths to the State 1A meet.

"I think we can do it. We can play with Shoshone. I think we’re going to be right there, and we’re certainly aiming for the top three in the conference," he said.

Carlson (6-16 last season) said the Carey girls were disappointed with last year. In fact Carey has endured two losing girls’ seasons since the Panthers went 18-7 and made the school’s third state tournament appearance in 2000.

"This group seems to be playing together a lot better," Carlson said. "We’re a little bigger this year with Sarah Lynn Shaffer. We’ve got girls like Ginger and Cheyanne Bingham who are fairly athletic and quick on their feet."

Carey doesn’t have a true outside shooter, so the Panthers will have to play in the paint and work hard on their rebounding to get second shots, Carlson said.

Ginger Bingham (a team-leading 7.0 ppg last season) is one of seven seniors on Carlson’s 10-player varsity. Junior varsity coach is Amy Bovey.

Ginger is a 5-9 forward/post. Jesse Molyneux (6.1 ppg) plays the same positions, and junior Sarah Lynn Shaffer (5.0 ppg) is a 6-0 post.

Other seniors are Lindsay Fiscus, Laren Peterson, Pamela Reay, Joanna Alvarez and Nicki McAfee. The other two juniors are Cheyanne Bingham and Katrina Harmon.

Coach Carlson expects Cheyanne Bingham, Laren Peterson and Joanna Alvarez to do the ballhandling.

Carey’s varsity season debuts Dec. 3 against The Community School in Sun Valley, then Richfield comes to Carey for the home opener Dec. 5.

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