Point guard missing piece for Moniteau girls basketball

By JOHN ENRIETTO Eagle Sports Editor

November 30, 2005 Last Updated: November 30, 2005 12:08 PM High School

CHERRY TWP — The search is on for a point guard at Moniteau High School.

The Warriors' girls basketball team is coming off a 17-5 season, but point guard Natalie DeMatteis has since graduated and is now playing softball at Mercyhurst.

Filling her spot looms critical in terms of finding the final piece of the puzzle for this season.

"I'm playing Alyssa Deal at the point right now with hope that will change," coach Mark Yeager said. "I'd much rather have Alyssa at shooting guard.

"She's our biggest scoring threat and she can find her shot a lot easier that way."

Deal averaged 17 points and five assists per game last season, but had Dematteis to feed her the ball.

While she's capable of playing the point, Moniteau's offense would likely function better with her at two-guard.

"We need to find a fifth starter anyway, so I'm hoping it's a point guard," Yeager said.

Battling for that position going into the season are senior Jodie Davis, junior Amanda Gladd and freshman Maura McCaslin.

If Deal stays at the point, either 5-foot-11 junior forward Sam Kristufek or 5-8 junior center Kenzie Timblin will round out the starting five.

"We may mix and match for a while," Yeager said. "Go with a big lineup and a small lineup, depending on the opponent, until everybody settles in."

The coach doesn't rule out freshman McCaslin winning the point guard battle.

"Maura has the ability to play varsity," Yeager said. "She's fighting the jitters right now and has to develop the confidence to play there, but it could happen.

"Once she gets some junior varsity time under her belt and plays a few minutes with the varsity, her game could take off."

Besides losing DeMatteis, Moniteau also lost guard Jenna Beatty, who now plays at Butler County Community College.

Two other solid starters return in senior center Kristin Baronetski and junior guard/forward Amy Gladd.

Baronetski averaged 11 points and 9.6 rebounds per game last season. Gladd averaged four points per contest.

"I have a lot of confidence in Kristin," Yeager said. "She nearly averaged a double-double last season. Toward the end of the year, she was getting a double-double pretty much every night."

Deal said one of her responsibilities this year will be helping Baronetski under the boards.

"I know I have to rebound more," she said. "That's the one phase of my game I have to work harder at and improve."

The fourth starter will be senior Sara Vinca, a 5-7 guard/forward.

"We still don't have a whole lot of size," Yeager said. "We'll play up-tempo again, try to create offense from our defense. That's become our trademark here."

While Union is the heavy favorite to win the KSAC this year, Yeager isn't ready to hand the Golden Damsels the title.

He's been emphasizing that point to his team.

"Yeah, they've got the talent and they deserve to be the favorite," Yeager said. "But we can't concede anything to them. We can't go on the floor with them and assume they're going to beat us.

"We can play with Union and our goal is to prove it."

Yeager sees Clarion-Limestone, Cranberry and Karns City as other KSAC contenders.

MONITEAU HIGH SCHOOL 2005-06 Girls Basketball Schedule

Dec. 2-3-

at Kittanning Tournament;

Dec. 7-

at Keystone;

Dec. 9-

CRANBERRY;

Dec. 13-

KARNS CITY;

Dec. 16-