Girls team looks to new coach for stability

By DEREK PYDA Eagle Staff Writer

November 21, 2005 Last Updated: November 21, 2005 01:38 PM High School

FOXBURG — The A-C Valley girls basketball team is in dire need of some stability.

And Dave Etzel is hoping to provide it.

Etzel, an assistant coach on last year's team that finished 8-14 who took over as head coach in April, is the Falcons' fourth coach in four seasons.

"The first thing I told the kids was that I'm here to control the things I can," said Etzel. "Everything else is in the past and we're not going to focus on that. This year is about these girls."

The first and foremost task is to find some offense.

The Falcons lost Cassie Morrison (15.9 points per game) to graduation and Annie Hickman (17.2 points) transferred to Cranberry High School.

Seniors Alisa Snyder and Sara Doran, junior Lorin Kaufman and sophomore Shannon Blauser saw significant varsity action last season, though Kaufman is the team's leading returning scorer with 2.9 points per game.

Etzel is counting on a team effort on both ends of the court this season.

On offense, the Falcons will run two different sets. One will be a 2-3 high post, with 6-foot sophomore center Markeea Hart down low.

The rest of that set will feature Snyder at point guard and Doran at shooting guard. The forwards will consist of a combination of Jacque Kriley, Jennie Kaufman, Blauser and Lorin Kaufman.

"That will be our half-court offense," said Etzel. "At other times, we'll run a three-guard offense. With that, we'd like to get more of a transition game going."

Up to 10 girls could see time on the court in any given game.

"These girls have the potential to develop into quite a good team," Etzel said. "Our strength is going to be speed.

"I'm certain we can play tough defense. My fear is getting into a game where the other team is bigger than us inside and we have to start shooting 3-pointers. I may be proven wrong, but I don't think the perimeter game is going to be a strong point of the team."

Every team needs a leader and Etzel is looking to three players to fill that capacity this season.

"(Kriley, Doran and Snyder), they seem to be the leaders at this point," he said. "The other girls will be able to rally around them."

Etzel hopes he can turn his team into a fundamentally-sound group.

"We need to take the basic things and do them well," he said. "If we get beat by a better team, I can handle that. I just don't want to beat ourselves."

Goals for the Falcons this season don't deal with wins and losses.

"I told the players that our motto is 'Play hard, play smart, play together and have fun,'" Etzel said. "If they do the first three things, they are certain to have fun.

"Personally, I'm going to stay positive and we are going to be team-oriented."

UNION HIGH SCHOOL 2005-06 Basketball Schedule

Dec. 2-3-

at Karns City Tip-Off Tournament;

Dec. 5-

at Rocky Grove;

Dec. 7-

at Brookville;

Dec. 9-

VENANGO CATHOLIC;

Dec. 13-

CLARION;