Date: Fri 08-Dec-1995

Publication: Bee

Author: KIMH

Illustration: I

Quick Words:

NMS-Girls-Preview-1995

Full Text:

NMS Preview, Girls 1995

B Y K IM J. H ARMON

Billy Girard might have thought he was moving into a furnished house when he

took over the coaching job with the Newtown Middle School girls' basketball

team, but all that former coach Jen Wyslick left behind was a chair and a

couple of end tables.

The Lady Lions were swept pretty clean through graduation, leaving coach

Girard the unenviable task of trying to piece together a cohesive unit in time

for the season opener on December 12.

"We have a lot of speed," he said, "but not much height this year. We're going

to have to rely on a balanced defense, where I could use 10 players pretty

continuously and try to wear down the other team. That's what we're going to

look to do."

The Lady Lions have lost the services of 12 players, now all in the ninth

grade, including: Michele DeLuca, Erin Jones, Evin Liljengren, Shana Eigen,

Jessica Carino, Lauren Cross, Tara Fiscella, Amanda Morici, Julie Brown,

Lauren Burkhart, Carissa Rotas, and Meghan Walcott.

With the weight of that hanging over his head, coach Girard will be relying on

Lindsay Moore, Jamie Cavanaugh, and Lauren Adamek, who return with experience.

In fact, Cavanaugh and Adamek may turn out to be the back bone of the team

come later on, said coach Girard, because of their speed, jumping ability, and

aggressiveness.

The Lady Lions will be looking towards Jayme Beckham and Laurie Miller for

their speed, Kate Bouteiller and Jessica Oswald for their shooting. Coach

Girard also has some good hustlers, players who could make the press work very

well, and for that he will look towards Jen Dorenbosch, Catherine Foster,

Megan Critelli, Amanda Marsilio and Danielle Saputo.

Saputo, coach Girard added, has the looks of a point guard.

Through the rest of the lineup, he will look to Caitlin Collier to do a little

bit of everything from rebounding to shooting while Katie Ryan, one of the

tallest girls on the team, is targeted for the center position. Allison Grant

will take her turns at the point with the ability to shoot while Cathy Byrne,

in her first season, has some good speed and good attitude and may be a dark

horse for the Lady Lions.

Ally Gellert, the only sixth-grader on the team, has a lot of experience from

rec basketball and camps and could become a big part of the team in her first

year.

"I told the kids I like to win," said coach Girard. "I think winning is a

combination of 50 percent talent and 50 percent attitude. My goal at this time

is to have the team on the court that has the best teamwork and the best

attitude. I have no idea what to expect from the other teams, but I'm looking

to improve with every game."

The Lady Lions will open their season on Tuesday, December 12, at Hillcrest.

Schedule

At Hillcrest, December 12; MADISON, December 14; ROGERS PARK , December 19;

ANSONIA , December 21; at Bethel, January 9; BROADVIEW , January 11; ROGERS

PARK , January 16; at Ansonia, January 19; CHALK HILL , January 23; MADISON,

January 25; HILLCREST, January 30; at Wooster, February 7; BETHEL, February

13; at Chalk Hill Tournament, February 15-16; WOOSTER, February 21; at

Broadview , February 27.

- signifies double-header, with both girls' and boys' teams playing.