KC teams to lean on solid core of players
KARNS CITY — Coach Steve Andreassi won't have to look far for his senior leadership this season.
A look at his starting five should suffice.
The Karns City boys basketball team's starting five make up the senior players this year, so Andreassi will be looking to get the most out of them.
"Cameron Turner, Mike and Matt McConnell are basically three-year starters," said Andreassi. "I'll put pressure on them to be the leaders. They've been around the longest, and that's the way they want it."
Turner averaged 11.9 points, 9.9 rebounds and three steals per game last season while Mike McConnell averaged 7.0 points and Matt McConnell 4.6 points (24 3-pointers).
The other two seniors, Dan Everetts and Cory Terwilliger, have been a solid part of the program. Chris Harmon, another senior who had the potential to start, will miss the season with a shoulder injury.
"Our juniors will be asked to make the next step," said Andreassi. "When you make a traditional program, you need everyone to raise their level of play every year.
"Unfortunately, we have a small group, but it's an athletic group. ... We definitely have more athleticism than last year. Last year, we were a half-court offense,"Andreassi added.
At some point this season, Andreassi expects each junior to make a contribution.
The Gremlins (16-9) returned to the District 9 playoffs last season, where they lost to Kane in the first round.
Much the way the Gremlins boys have a trio of players who will set the tone, so does the girls team.Seniors Allyson Kepple and Kylee Rankin, along with junior Ashley Campbell, will try to help the squad grow up in a hurry."We will be inexperienced early until everyone gets up to varsity speed," said Karns City coach Dave Kerschbaumer. "With the youthfulness, I don't know what to expect, but it's exciting.'Haley Callihan (11.4 points, 8.7 rebounds per game, 21 3-pointers) has graduated, but the Gremlins will have a fellow Butler County first-team all-star in Kepple (12.8 points, 3.5 assists, 34 treys)."Ally has been a leader since Day 1," said Kerschbaumer. "She was quiet the first couple of years, but she gives us a lot more leadership now."Campbell averaged 9.4 and 4.7 rebounds per game as a sophomore and looks to take a bigger role in the Gremlins' plans."Ashley's a presence inside, but she may play outside some this year," said Kerschbaumer. "Each night there could be five or six different players that could help. We'll take advantage of what some teams throw at us."Rankin averaged close to four points per game while Katie Weibel, a 5-9 forward, is the team's third senior of the team. Campbell is joined by three other juniors — Hannah beck, Sara Fleeger and Taylor Kerschbaumer."Last year, we were set on these five (players) do this and those five do that," said Kerschbaumer. "This year, it's different. You can test your mind, test your creativity."There are nine sophomores on the roster although many will play on the junior varsity team.Caitlin Davis, Maureen McGreevy and Stephanie Stoughton are among those vying for varsity time."This keeps us fresh," said Kerschbaumer. "These young girls have been going to team camps, playing summer basketball. In the first couple of scrimmages, we've gotten different contributors. It's exciting to see and we'll see how they blend together."I'm confident in all of them when they go in,"Kerschbaumer added.With Kerschbaumer believing the KSACis balanced this year, his team will have to develop as the season goes on, something he is familiar with."We've always had that little bit of experience at key positions and filtered others in," said Kerschbaumer.
