The 2005-06 Community School girls' varsity basketball team finds itself in much the same situation as this fall's Cutthroat volleyball team—young and facing a Northside Conference loaded with seniors.
But ninth-year coach Ryan Waterfield (54-71) feels the 13 girls in this year's program are up to the challenge and ready to improve during the 11-game slate that opens Thursday, Nov. 17 at home against Twin Falls Christian Academy.
Game time is 6 p.m. Thursday at The Fish Tank in Sun Valley for the varsity-only game.
"We're young (9 sophomores, 3 freshmen and 1 senior) but we're a team of competitors," said Waterfield. "If we can stay positive this year and continue to work as hard and stay focused, these girls might earn some respect in this league.
"Certainly many of our players need to 'grow into' their potential and we recognize the tough competition we'll have this year with the older, more experienced teams in our league, but these young ladies are the hardest-working bunch I've had in 10 years of coaching and the most focused to practice."
Last winter's 2-11 Cutthroat squad that averaged 34.1 points per game and yielded 50.4 ppg was led by first-team All-Conference senior post player Jackie Goddard (15.6 ppg). Goddard scored 25 in the Cutthroat near-upset of Carey 47-45 (2 OT) in the first round of the Northside 1A Sub-District tournament.
The other seniors, Gussi Ochi (6.0 ppg), Blake Ellis (4.5 ppg) and Caitlin Cairncross (3.5 ppg) teamed with Goddard to make up nearly all of the Cutthroat offensive output.
Realizing they'd have to take up the scoring slack this winter, the Cutthroats started working behind the scenes and in the off-season.
Waterfield said about her players, "They spent a lot of time this summer going to camps (a team camp in Utah and a shooting camp in Indiana) and I have no question about their level of dedication."
The lone Cutthroat senior is Corinna Pidgeon.
Sophomores are Cody Curran, Jessie Curran, Emily Eshman, Caroline Fairchild, Hannah Hennessy, Ashley Bradley, Chloe Lynn, Jean Montgomery and Amaya Ingram.
The freshman players are Elizabeth Beesley, Sylvie Krekow and Marin Shepardson.
Waterfield's new assistant is Willy Felton, who has joined The Community School staff from Holland Hall in Salt Lake City, Utah. Felton is on the math faculty. He will coach the junior varsity squad and help Waterfield with the varsity.
2005-06 Community School Girls Basketball Schedule
A total 11 varsity games on the regular-season slate for the 2005-06 Cutthroat girl cagers; 6 home and 5 away. Of the 11 games, 10 are Northside Conference varsity match-ups (identified with an *). Home varsity games at the Community School gym, Sun Valley are listed in bold type. Also listed are 15 JV games.
DATE, DAY OPPONENT LOCATION
Nov. 17, Thursday Twin Falls Christian (V) Home, 6:00
Nov. 28, Monday ISDB (JV) Gooding, 5:00
Nov. 29, Tuesday Carey* Away, 6:00/7:30
Dec. 1, Thursday Bliss (JV) Home, 6:00
Dec. 6, Tuesday Richfield* Away, 6:00/7:30
Dec. 9, Friday Shoshone* Home, 3:00/6:00
Dec. 16, Friday Carey* Home, 3:00/6:00
Jan. 3, Tuesday Dietrich* Away, 6:00/7:30
Jan. 6, Friday Bliss (JV) Away, 4:30
Jan. 7, Saturday Camas County* Home, 3:00/6:00
Jan. 12, Thursday Shoshone* Away, 6:00/7:30
Jan. 14, Saturday Richfield* Home, 3:00/6:00
Jan. 16, Monday Camas County* Fairfield, 3:00/6:00
Jan. 19, Thursday ISDB (JV) Home, 5:00
Jan. 24, Saturday Dietrich* Home, 3:00/6:00
Jan. 25, Wednesday Northside 1A Sub-District (V/JV) Shoshone
Jan. 26, Thursday Northside 1A Sub-District (V/JV) Shoshone
Jan. 28, Saturday Northside 1A Sub-District (V/JV) Shoshone
Jan. 30, Monday Northside 1A Sub-District championship Shoshone
Feb. 1, Wednesday Northside 1A Sub-District second-place game Shoshone
Feb. 8, Wednesday Fourth District 1A finals Murtaugh
Feb. 15, Wednesday State 1A tournament Nampa
NOTES—The 2006 Northside 1A Sub-District girls' BB tournament is Jan. 25-26, Jan. 28, Jan. 30 and Feb. 1 at Shoshone High School, followed by the state-qualifying Fourth District 1A finals Wednesday, Feb. 8 at a Southside location. The combined Northside/Southside gets 5 berths to state, with the Northside assured of state berths for its top two teams....The 16-team State 1A girls' tournament is Feb. 15-18, 2006 at Nampa (Feb. 15-16) and Skyview (Feb. 15-18) high schools.
