‘Yote Notes –
Oct. 21, 2002
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Mike Safford Jr.
– Sports Info. Director
msafford@albertson.edu
GENERAL
ATHLETICS NEWS:
GOLFERS FARE WELL AT
BOISE STATE: Paced
by a 13th-place finish from Travis Gibbens, the Albertson men’s golf team
finished in a tie for sixth-place at this week’s Bronco Round-Up, hosted by
Boise State University at SpurWing Country Club.
SEASON TICKETS ON
SALE: Men’s and
women’s basketball season-tickets are now on sale. Mailers have been sent out to
last year’s season ticket base - with an October 25 deadline to be guaranteed
your seats from last season. Plenty of great seats are available for the
biggest show in town, for as low as $40 dollars for student and seniors and $60
for adults - with at least 22 great games on the docket. Contact Dave Hahn at
(208) 459-5835 for more information.
WOMEN’S SOCCER (7-5 CCC, 9-7): Weekend trip to Southern, OIT will answer playoff questions
after big win over Warner
LAST WEEK: Defeated Warner Pacific, 4-1
COMING UP: at Southern
Oregon, Friday, 4 p.m.; at Oregon Tech, Saturday, 1 p.m.
IN UNCHARTED WATERS: With a 4-1 victory over
Warner Pacific on Saturday afternoon, the Albertson women’s soccer team reached
a plateau that no other team in the 14-year history of the program had achieved
– winning their ninth game of the season.
The victory exonerated years of frustration within the program and gives
the Lady ‘Yotes a stepping stone into the future. Along with the individual effort of the players, both head coach Aisha Reed, soccer director John Calpin, and former coach Bill
Blazek should all be credited with the building of the program.
PLAYOFF PICTURE: With four remaining
games, Albertson controls its own playoff destiny in search of only their
second-ever post-season berth. The 1989
team advanced to the District 2 final against Willamette. The Lady ‘Yotes sit in fourth-place, two
points ahead of Warner Pacific for the final spot in the four-team Cascade
Conference tournament, set for Nov. 8-9.
If the Coyotes can win two of their remaining four games, they will
clinch a spot in the tournament. One
Albertson win, along with one loss by either Southern Oregon or Warner Pacific,
and the Lady ‘Yotes head to the post-season.
TEAM EFFORT AGAINST WARNER: For years, it has been
one player who dominates the headlines for the Coyotes. In 1999, it was now head coach Aisha Reed,
in 2000, it was Marci Condie, and last year it was now senior, Becky Robertson (Othello, Wash. /
Columbia Basin CC). In 2002, help is coming from all
over, and that was never more present than in Saturday’s big win over Warner
Pacific. Senior Chelsea Stevens (Bend, Ore. / BYU-Idaho)
had her best
game in three years with the Coyotes, scoring a pair of goals and assisting on
a third. Sophomore Heidi Pitman (Bishop, Calif. / Bishop
Union HS) knocked
home the other two goals, marking the first time that Albertson has won a game
this season where neither Robertson, nor Alyssa Latham (Walla Walla, Wash. /
Walla Walla CC) scored a goal.
MORE ON OVERALL TEAM EFFORT: The defense put the
clamps on Warner Pacific in the second half, holding the speedy Knights to just
two shots. Kristi Dalsoglio (Boise, Idaho / Meridian
HS) organized
the defense very well, and was complemented by junior Kelly Asbjornsen (Washougal, Wash. / Washougal HS). Also playing strong in the back for
Albertson was juniors Katie Rupert (Boise, Idaho / North Idaho CC) and Dana Landon (Idaho Falls, Idaho /
Idaho Falls HS). Landon, along with midfielder Jessie Harwood (Walla Walla, Wash. /
Walla Walla CC) each recorded an assist in the victory.
RECORD BREAKING SEASON: In the win over Warner,
the Lady ‘Yotes not only established a school record for wins in a season, but
eclipsed the mark for assists in a season.
Through 16 games, 38 assists have been recorded this year, breaking the
mark of 36 set in 1993. The
single-season goals record is also in jeopardy, as the ladies need just two
goals to break the mark of 36, also set in 1993.
LATHAM INCHES CLOSER TO MARK: With
two more assists this weekend, Alyssa Latham continues to add to her record
setting season. The junior now has 12
goals and 17 assists as a Coyote, just six points behind the school mark of 47
set by Kristine Halter (Jones) in 1993.
The 17 assists put her in a league of her own, however, as six women in
NAIA history have recorded 19 or more assists in a single season. Closest to Latham is Nora Ohrnberg of
Lindsey Wilson (Ky.), who had 19 assists in 2000. The national record is 25, held by Kristen Tesch of William Penn
(Iowa) and Sandy Shaneyfelt of Nebraska Wesleyan. Incidentally, Latham holds the Walla Walla Community College
school record for assists in a season, having recorded 24 last season.
ROBERTSON NEEDS FOUR: Although she added two
assists to her statistical column on Saturday, Becky Robertson remains four
goals behind Kristine Halter (Jones) on the all-time goals scored list. The senior has 26 goals in her two-year
Coyote career, while Halter scored 30 goals in four years in an Albertson
uniform. Robertson now has 63 career
points, 17 behind the mark set by Halter.
LADY ‘YOTES PROMINENT IN STATISTICS: With the first complete
Cascade Conference statistical report being released this morning, Albertson
has a quartet of players that find themselves prominent in the numbers. It is pretty obvious that both Alyssa Latham
and Becky Robertson would be among the CCC’s elite. Latham ranks third in the conference in assists, fourth in shots
attempted, and sixth in both goals scored and points accumulated. Robertson is third in game winning goals,
seventh in both assists and points accumulated, and eighth in goals
scored. Also on the list is Chelsea
Stevens, who ranks 11th in assists, and keeper Danielle Dorsch (Boise, Idaho / Capital
HS),
who is fourth in saves.
BIGGEST ROAD TRIP IN SCHOOL HISTORY: For the first time,
anticipation is building for this weekend’s road swing into the depths of
Oregon – with the realization that a playoff berth could be clinched. After a kind 480-mile bus ride to Ashland,
the Coyotes meet Southern Oregon, who hope a victory over the Coyotes would vault
them back into the playoff hunt. The
Raiders (3-6-2, 4-9-2), who have advanced to the post-season the past two
years, have not been the same since a 3-2 loss to the Coyotes in Caldwell last
month. Southern has only one victory in
its past nine games, including ties against Cascade and Warner Pacific. Offense has been the downfall for SOU, as
the team averages less than one goal per game.
Katie Emerson leads the Raiders with five goals and one assist. Southern must win four of their last five
games to have any chance at the post-season.
Saturday, it’s up to the Klamath Basin for a return meeting with Oregon Tech. The Owls (2-9, 5-10) have been playing some
inspired soccer as of late, staying even with Western Baptist for 86 minutes,
before being clobbered on the road last weekend. Albertson defeated OIT 3-1 earlier this season, and both previous
meetings in Klamath Falls have ended in draws.
Courtney Kelly (seven goals) and Becky Ernstrom (six goals) are the
go-to players for the Hooters.
AROUND THE CONFERENCE: Having won 15 games in a
row, Concordia
jumped up to No.
5 in last week’s NAIA National Poll.
The Cavs have outscored Cascade Conference opponents 64-4 in their 13
games played. Western Baptist, a game behind the
Cavaliers in the CCC race, will try to end the streak on Saturday when they
host Concordia. Western set a school
record with a 12-0 whitewashing of Cascade on Saturday.
With a sweep of Oregon Tech and Southern Oregon, Evergreen is on the verge of
clinching its third-straight playoff berth.
Only three other Geoduck teams in the 22-year history of the program
have won more games than the 2002 Clams.
Eastern
Oregon is
also improving, playing Warner Pacific tough for 60 minutes on Friday before succumbing
2-1.
MORE INFORMATION ON THE LADY ‘YOTES: For game stories,
statistics, and information regarding the Albertson women’s soccer program,
head to the official site of Lady ‘Yote soccer: www.collegeofidaho.edu/athlete/wmenssoccer.htm.
CASCADE CONFERENCE HOTLINE: For up-to-date scores
from the Cascade Conference, call the Cascade Conference Hotline at (208)
459-5135. Nightly scores and CCC
standings are posted each evening on the conference standings page, part of the
Albertson women’s soccer website (www.collegeofidaho.edu/athlete/wsoccer/stats/standings.htm).
VOLLEYBALL (6-5 CCC, 10-12): High octane weekend split gets Lady ‘Yotes set for tough
road trip to the Willamette Valley
LAST
WEEK: Lost to No. 16 Southern Oregon, 3-1; defeated
Oregon Tech, 3-1.
COMING
UP: at Western Baptist, Friday, 7 p.m. (PDT); at
Concordia, Saturday, 7 p.m. (PDT)
WEEKEND SPLIT KEEPS COYOTES IN PLAYOFF PICTURE: Three
weeks remain in the Cascade Conference volleyball season, and Albertson College
in the center of the playoff mix – literally.
Eleven games into the 18 game slate, the Lady ‘Yotes sit at 6-5 in loop
play, good enough for fifth-place in the ten-team conference. The top-six teams qualify for the conference
post-season tournament, slated for Nov. 15-16, at the regular-season
champion. Albertson has reached the
playoffs each of the last four years, and five of the last six.
TOP CASCADE CONFERENCE MARKS: With a
weekend split of four-game matches at home, not only did the Coyotes serve
notice that they can indeed play with the top teams in the conference, but put
up big numbers in the process. In the
two matches, Albertson combined for 139 kills, by far the biggest two-match
total in the league this year. Both the
72 kills against Southern Oregon and the 67 kills against Oregon Tech were the
top-two CCC performances in a four-game match this year. Also in the Southern match, Kristyn Price
(Bellevue, Idaho / Wood River HS) set a CCC four-game match standard
with 25 digs, while Amanda Basañez (Elko, Nev. / College of Southern
Idaho) did one better, recording the most assists in a match this season
with 62.
FINALLY, A CONFERENCE HONOR: After
dominating the weekly conference honors in 2001, the Coyotes finally have
received recognition during the 2002 season.
With big numbers in both matches this weekend, setter Amanda Basañez was
named Cascade Conference Setter-of-the-Week.
Along with the aforementioned 62 assists against Southern, the junior
recorded 52 assists and a season-high 18 digs in the win over Oregon Tech. Basañez averaged over 14 assists per game
over the week, and now ranks No. 3 in the conference in that category.
NAIL-BITING LOSS TO SOUTHERN: Over
the years, Southern Oregon has been one of the biggest nemesis of the Lady
‘Yotes. Once again, history proved
right, as the No. 16 ranked Raiders ran the slide to perfection, stopping
Albertson in four games. Reigning
Cascade Conference Player-of-the-Year Kristina Matchett dominated play with 24 kills,
including nine in Southern’s Game 1 win.
Kristyn Price had her best all-around game of the season, tallying 20
kills, 25 digs, and two aces. Four
other Coyotes recorded double-figure kill nights, led by freshman Annie Rice
(Eagle, Idaho / Eagle HS) with ten kills and a career-high 20 digs.
NICE REBOUND VS. HOOTERS: Behind
the one-two punch of Kristyn Price and Jessie Lassen (Buhl, Idaho /
Filer HS), the Lady ‘Yotes rallied from a loss in Game 1 to sweep the next three
sets to complete a season sweep of Oregon Tech. Price had 26 kills and 16 digs, the kill mark a season-high for a
four-game match. Lassen racked up 15
kills and a .393 attack percentage against the Owls, who came into the weekend
ranked No. 5 in the NAIA Region I.
THE 20-20 CLUB: With her first 20-20
match of the year against Southern, Kristyn Price moved into a tie for
third-place on the all-time NAIA list for 20 kill and 20 dig matches with
12. The senior joins Heather Bailey of
Western Oregon (1992-95) and Robin Rabello of Point Loma Nazarene (1991-94) at
that plateau. The national record is 30
set by Tracy Ainger of Fresno Pacific (1996-98). Price has more 20-20 matches than all other Albertson players in
school history combined.
MORE ON THE RECORD FRONT: Price
also surpassed Jessie Evett to take over the top spot on the career ace list
with 196, with the record breaker being a nice top-spin jump serve against
Southern. With 46 kills and 41 digs
this weekend, Price inches closer to elusive marks in those categories as
well. She now has 1,889 kills in her
career, just 111 away from becoming the first Coyote to reach 2,000 kills. Price also went over the 1,500 dig mark in
her career against OIT, an now needs 82 digs to break Brecia Gamett’s career
record of 1,594.
OTHERS INCHING CLOSER IN RECORD BOOK: Both Katy
Tipton (Ontario, Ore. / Ontario HS) and Laura Solberg (Castle
Rock, Wash. / Castle Rock HS) each continue to move up the charts in the
career volleyball records. With 13
kills and six blocks last week, Tipton moves ever so close to a pair of career
marks – she needs just 23 kills to move past Terra Nidever (1995-98) into
fourth-place on the all-time kill list and 28 kills to become the fourth Lady
‘Yote to reach 1,000 kills in a career.
The senior also has 337 career blocks, 18 behind Nidever for second on
the all-time list. Solberg had three
service aces in each of the two weekend matches, going over the 100 mark for
her career, becoming the fifth Coyote to do so. The junior needs seven aces to move past Brecia Gamett into
fourth-place in school history.
INSIDE THE LOOP NUMBERS: As a
team, Albertson ranks highly across the board in the first complete Cascade
Conference statistical summary of the 2002 season. The Coyotes rank first in assists per game (12.65), second in
attack percentage (.237) and kills per game (13.98), and third in blocks per
game (2.30). Individually, Kristyn
Price is the team’s stalwart, leading the league with a 5.14 kill per game
average, ranking second in attack percentage (.334) and third in digs per game
(.329). Middle blocker Kristen
Bailey (Fountain Green, Utah / Snow CC) ranks sixth in the CCC in
blocks per game (0.82) and 12th in attack percentage (.258), while fellow
middle Jessie Lassen ranks third in stuffs (0.96). Also in the summary are Amanda Basañez (third in assists), Laura
Solberg (14th in service aces), and Fran Hartman (Lakeview, Ore. /
Lakeview HS) (15th in attack percentage).
REGIONAL POLL: The NAIA Region I
weekly poll was nearly unchanged this week.
Concordia remains atop the standings, with Southern Oregon,
Montana-Western, and Carroll maintaining their two through four positions. Slots five and six were flip-flopped, as
Montana Tech moves from No. 6 to No. 5, and Oregon Tech vise-versa. The bottom four also remain intact, as
Lewis-Clark State, Rocky Mountain, Western Baptist, and Albertson all maintain
their position. Against teams in the
poll, the Lady ‘Yotes have a 4-5 record.
OFF TO WILLAMETTE VALLEY: If the
Coyotes are to move up the conference ledger, this weekend’s trip to Oregon’s
Willamette Valley will be the difference.
Although Albertson defeated Western Baptist in four games at home
in September, it will definitely be a tough task at the Jeffers Center. The Warriors (9-4, 14-6) are tied for
third-place in the standings, having won four consecutive matches. The ‘Yotes must find a way to corral
Western’s key gun, hitter Liz Howe (4.88 kills per game), who blasted 27 kills
in the earlier loss in Caldwell. Last
season, Western handed Albertson a three-game loss in Salem. Saturday, its time to battle the streak
again, when the team travels to Concordia. The Cavaliers (13-0, 14-2) extended their CCC consecutive match
win streak to 59 last week, having won their last 14 matches in a row
overall. What is even more impressive
is the fact that the Cavs have won 23 consecutive games in a row, dating back
to the first meeting with Albertson, a 3-2 victory in Caldwell. Five players average over two kills per
game, led by blocker Amy Nevills, and setter Mindy Wallis is one of the best in
the nation.
INSIDE THE CONFERENCE: Unless
something changes dramatically over the final three weeks of the season, the
six teams which will represent the conference in the post-season are pretty much
set. For the second consecutive week,
the bottom tier teams – Cascade, Warner Pacific, Evergreen,
and Eastern Oregon went a combined 0-7.
Northwest, who sits in sixth-place, holds a three-game lead on
the final playoff spot. On the
flip-side, Southern Oregon continues to stay one-game behind Concordia
for the loop lead, with Nov. 2 circled on the Raiders calendar – the rematch
with the Cavs at McNeal Pavilion in Ashland.
Oregon Tech, despite losing to Albertson, continues to have its
best season in school history – with first-year head coach Amanda Mitzner at
the helm. The Owls sit tied with
Western Baptist in third-place, three games ahead of Albertson in the win
column.
ON THE INTERNET: All home volleyball games are broadcast live over
the WorldWide Web, courtesy of the Albertson athletic website. Archives of five previous games can also be
heard by logging on at www.collegeofidaho.edu/athlete/vball/profiles/2002/radio.htm.
MORE INFORMATION ON THE LADY
‘YOTES: For game stories, statistics,
and information regarding the Albertson volleyball program, head to the
official site of Lady ‘Yote volleyball: www.collegeofidaho.edu/athlete/vball.htm.
MEN’S SOCCER (7-3 CCC, 11-4): Coyotes clinch playoff spot but lose chance at CCC Title,
three big games on the schedule
LAST
WEEK: Won at Warner Pacific, 1-0; lost at Western
Baptist, 4-1.
COMING
UP: vs. Northwest Nazarene, Tuesday, 3 p.m.; at
Evergreen, Friday, 3 p.m.; at Northwest, Saturday, 1 p.m.
PLAYOFF PICTURE: By virtue of their win over Warner Pacific on
Friday, the Albertson men’s soccer team has clinched a spot in the four-team
Cascade Conference post-season tournament, to be held at campus locations Oct.
31 and Nov. 2. Concordia has clinched
the No. 1 seed in the tournament and home field advantage with two games
left. The Coyotes, currently second,
can clinch a semifinal home game with victories at Evergreen and Northwest. Albertson holds a one-game lead on Western
Baptist, while Evergreen sits two games back.
The regular-season conference champion and the post-season tournament
champion receive automatic berths to the NAIA Region I tournament, Nov. 8-9, in
Burnaby, B.C. If the same team wins
both the CCC regular-season and post-season tournament, berths will be awarded
to independent and CCC teams based on longo rating and regional rankings.
ROAD WIN STREAK STOPPED AT
TEN: It had been since Oct. 27,
2000 that the Coyotes had lost a Cascade Conference match on the road until last
Saturday. Western Baptist came out of
the gates running on all cylinders, catching Albertson on their back feet,
jumping to a 3-0 halftime edge en route to a 4-1 victory in Salem, ending the
win streak at ten. Danny Agee scored
two of the three first half goals as Western won for the sixth time in seven
outings. Only a Jason Southward (Hailey,
Idaho / Wood River HS) goal off a Nate Burns (Boise, Idaho /
Capital HS) chip over the defense kept the ‘Yotes from being shutout.
THE RED CARD BUG: For the fourth time this season, an Albertson
player will have to miss games due to cards.
Jason Southward, who had to sit out two games earlier in the year (one
for a red card violation, the other for card accumulation), received a red card
late in the Western game, must serve a mandated two-game suspension for his
second red card of the year. Last
season, the Coyotes had just one red card all season.
WARD STEPS UP AT WARNER: Unlike Saturday afternoon, Albertson came out with
guns blazing on Friday in Portland, utilizing a stellar defensive game to
defeat Warner Pacific, 1-0. The Coyotes
lone goal came from true freshman Scott Ward (Rexburg, Idaho /
Madison HS), who took a John Mitchell (Boise, Idaho / Boise
State) feed and beat the defense to goal.
The game-winning goal for Ward was accentuated for the fact that it was
his first collegiate start.
STEELE MOVING ON UP: With the shutout of Warner Pacific, Coyote keeper Jake
Steele (Salt Lake City, Utah / Viewmont HS) continues to move
himself up the national record list.
Steele now has 28 shutouts in his illustrious career, tying him with
Doug Seigle of Viterbo College in Wisconsin for eighth-place on the NAIA
all-time list. Seigle had 28 shutouts
from 1991 to 1994. Next on the list is
Chris Steffy of Pacific Lutheran, with 32.
Steele, who has played in 7,532 minutes in his career, will end the
season with Albertson career records for games played, games started, goals
against average and shutouts.
CALPIN TIED FOR 19TH ALL-TIME:
Head coach John Calpin is also making
his assault on the NAIA record books.
With the Coyotes win last week, the 17-year veteran now has a career
mark of 170-99-11, placing tying him with Charlie Matlack, who coached at
Earlham College in Indiana from 1954-78, for 19th-place on the all-time wins
list. Also in reach is Manfred Tschan,
who coached at Concordia and George Fox from 1984-98, who had 173 wins in his
career. Calpin’s all-time win
percentage of .635 is also among the top-25 in NAIA history.
NO CONFERENCE HONOR: For the first time this season, an Albertson men’s
soccer player was not named Cascade Conference or NAIA Region I
Player-of-the-Week. Danny Agee of
Western Baptist earned the nod this week, after Roger Aguliar (Payette,
Idaho / Payette HS), Jason Southward, and on two occasions, Coe
Michaelson (East Wenatchee, Wash. / Northwest Nazarene) took home
the awards for the Coyotes.
REGIONAL RANKINGS: With the loss to Western Baptist, Albertson fell
another slot in this week’s NAIA Region I poll. Simon Fraser continues to lead the group, followed by Concordia,
Western, the Coyotes, and Evergreen. By
virtue of being ranked No. 4, Albertson will be dropped from the “others
receiving votes” category in Tuesday’s NAIA National Poll.
COYOTES IN THE STAT RANKS: Four Coyote players are among those listed in the
first complete Cascade Conference statistical report of the season. Leading the way is keeper Jake Steele, who
leads the conference in goals against average (1.37) and shutouts (5). Coe Michaelson also has his name among the
top of the list in many categories – he ranks first in game winning goals,
third in shots per game, and fourth in points scored, goals scored, and
assists. Jason Southward is second in
goals scored (first if counting only CCC games), fourth in points scored, and
fifth in shots per game, while Roger Aguilar is seventh in assists.
FINAL REGULAR-SEASON HOME
TILT: The final regular-season home
game for seniors Jake Steele and Coe Michaelson takes place this Tuesday, when
the Coyotes meet cross-county rival Northwest Nazarene. Outside of two victories over Walla Walla
College, the Crusaders (2-12) have scored just four goals and have been shutout
on nine occasions, including a 1-0 loss to Albertson on Oct. 1. NNU has been in turmoil all season, having
then head coach Stefan Mangeac resign just seven games into the season. Now led by Jeff Glasenapp, the Crusaders
counter with a solid defense and an attack led by Greg Kester. Albertson has won the past eight meetings
and hold a 39-10-2 all-time advantage over their Canyon County brethren.
TWO KEY GAMES TO END
CONFERENCE PLAY: The Puget Sound area
will beckon the Coyotes this weekend to close out the regular season. Albertson opens with Evergreen,
looking to clinch a playoff spot and sweep the season series with the
Idahoans. The Geoducks (5-5, 8-8) are
having their best season since 1995, but have been banged up as of late. Midfielder Jason Gjertsen (10 goals, 8
assists) is the cog that makes the Clams go, but Evergreen has struggled since
forward Chris Pugh (8 goals, 2 assists) went down with a severe ankle injury
two weeks ago. Saturday, the ‘Yotes hit
the Field Turf in Kirkland for a tilt with Northwest. The Eagles (3-7, 6-10) are always tough on
their fast track at home, but were defeated 5-0 by the Coyotes earlier this
season. All-Conference striker Bryan
Chud (10 goals) has been a thorn in the side of CCC opponents for years. Northwest must defeat Evergreen and
Albertson this week to have a chance at the post-season.
INSIDE THE CONFERENCE:
Concordia clinched the top spot in the
loop by heading north, sweeping both Evergreen and Northwest. The Cavs will take their six-game win streak
to Salem for a match-up with Western Baptist, who has won four
straight. Cascade took home a
split on the same road trip, but were eliminated from post-season play with
their loss at Evergreen on Saturday. Warner
Pacific, despite playing nearly every team in the CCC tough, has also been
eliminated from the playoff chase. If
the playoffs started today, Concordia would host Evergreen, and Albertson would
host Western.
MORE INFORMATION ON THE
COYOTES: For game stories, statistics,
and information regarding the Albertson men’s soccer program, head to the
official site of Coyote soccer: www.collegeofidaho.edu/athlete/menssoccer.htm.
MEN’S BASKETBALL PREVIEW
(2001-02: 13-5 CCC, 23-10):
When looking back over the
2001-02 Albertson College men’s basketball season, head coach Mark Owen must be
thinking of déjà vu. The 1999-00 season
ended with Oregon Tech making a desperation toss at the final horn in the
playoffs, with the following Coyote team having to be built from the ground
up. Last year, the ‘Yotes dropped a
heartbreaker to Southern Oregon in the playoffs on another half court prayer,
and face a rebuilding task in 2002-03.
But in the back of Owen’s mind is a thought – his first rebuilding
campaign ended with a trip to the NAIA Division II Tournament. Will this saga of history repeating itself
happen again?
Last season, the Coyotes loss
in the first-round of the Cascade Conference tournament capped a strange 23-10
season, which included a 13-5 mark in league.
Injuries played a huge role, as All-American forward Ty Shaw missed the
majority of the season with a devastating knee injury, and All-American guard
Neal Robertson missed the playoffs with a broken hand. From that group – seven seniors, who played
72-percent of the minutes last season, have moved on, leaving a void to be
filled.
“Anytime you lose four
starters off a pretty good team, it will be tough,” said Owen, in his third
season as ‘Yote head coach. “In our
system, it takes us a while to get use to things, plus all of the new players
learning how each other plays is a challenge.
It will take some time.”
Fans enjoyed the final weeks
of last season, as Albertson employed a run-and-gun type scheme, which put
points on the board and W’s in the win column when it counted. Owen believes that an up-tempo attack this
season is not out of the question.
“Tempo – yes, we will still play the up style tempo. Sometimes as teachers of the game, we put in
too much offense – sometimes it is good to just let the kids play.
Returning off guards – senior Jon
Thomas and sophomore Zach Rasmussen – each benefited from the change
in pace late last season. Thomas
averaged 15 points a game during the stretch run, while Rasmussen provided an
average of 16 minutes a game off the bench in crunch time. Also look for transfer Andy Harper,
who averaged 18 points a game at Columbia Basin CC, to play a key role as a
shooter – something Owen knows he has.
“I am a firm believer that all teams have shooters. Let’s just hope that we have some “makers”.”
Without a true point guard for
the last two season, Owen is excited for his current recruiting class. Topping the list is sophomore transfer Joe
Green. The former Idaho State
Player-of-the-Year ran the show at BYU-Idaho last year and does the little
things right. “Right now, Green is the
starting point-guard,” said Owen. “Joe
has the potential to be one of the better point-guards we have had at
Albertson. He really doesn’t make any
mistakes.
Also part of the 2002
recruiting class are freshmen Derek Brown and Jake Reynolds, who
played point-guard in their prep career.
Brown, a flashy south-paw, holds nearly every major school-record at
Desert Pine High in Las Vegas, and is the quickest player on the team. Reynolds learned how to win in high school –
he was named Utah’s 1A Player-of-the-Year leading Waterford High to the state
championship.
The toughest challenge for
Owen will be the lack of height in the frontcourt. Gone is the All-American Shaw at 6-7, along with 6-8 post Mike
Homik, a two-year starter. Returning to
his slot at forward, however, is Cascade Conference All-Newcomer Team member Eric
Hare. After an up-and-down junior
season where he averaged 11 points and a team-high seven rebounds a game, the
native of Mexico worked extremely hard in the off-season to improve all facets
of his game. “Eric Hare should have a
very productive year,” remarked Owen.
“He knows our system and was playing well at the end of the year.”
Joining Hare under the basket
is junior Justin McCarthy and transfer Tom Perkes. McCarthy played in 31-of-33 games as a
sophomore, averaging just under three points and three rebounds a game. Perkes just might step into the shoes left
by Shaw – becoming a major threat for opponents. At Big Bend CC, the junior averaged 24.2 points a night, second in
the NWAACC, earning All-Conference honors.
“Tom Perkes – well lets hope that he can put up close to the numbers
that he had in junior college,” Owen stated.
“He is a player who has a knack for scoring. Once we get him into shape, I hope that he will be an impact
player.
This season, unlike most, the
Cascade Conference race seems wide open.
The top-two teams last season, Evergreen and Western Baptist, lost most
of the firepower that led them to the national tournament. Who will be on top when the dust settles, is
anybody’s guess. “I have heard that
Southern Oregon is the team to beat,” Owen believes. “We will go out and play each game as they come and take care of
ourselves. Also, you never know how
Cascade College and Evergreen will be, both of the were very impressive last
year.”
The 2002-03 non-conference schedule
opens once again in Las Vegas (Nov. 1-2), meeting Great Plains powers Dakota
Wesleyan and Bellevue. Two Division I
schools, Idaho State and Boise State, will be a tough task, as will the trip to
Salt Lake City (Nov. 7-9) where the Coyotes meet three tough NAIA Division I
teams. Throw in the Albertson Fall
Classic (Nov. 15-16), the annual Golden Rule Shoot-Out (Dec. 6-7), and the
inaugural Cascade Conference Tip-Off Tournament (Nov. 21-23), and Albertson has
13 stiff challenges before the 18-game conference race begins. “Our overall schedule is a tough one,” said
Owen. We could get off to a rocky start
similar to two years ago – until the new players learn how to play with each
other. We will just wait and see.”
The optimism is high in
Caldwell, with the Coyotes hoping for their past to repeat like the movie
“Groundhog’s Day,” and a return exodus to the NAIA Division II national
tournament.
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL PREVIEW (2001-02: 11-5 CCC, 20-11):
One game away from the NAIA Division II National
Tournament – that is where Reagan Rossi and the Albertson College
women’s basketball team stood at the end of what was penned as “a rebuilding
year.” As the 2002-03 season quickly
approaches, the nucleus of last season’s team returns, along with some talented
newcomers, each hoping that the end of this season’s road takes place in Sioux
City, Iowa.
In her first year as
head coach, Rossi had just one starter returning from the 2000-01 team that
finished as runner-up at the NAIA Tourney.
She quickly developed talent to the tune of a 20-11 record, an 11-5 mark
in conference play, and a runner-up finish in the Cascade Conference
Tournament.
Although only three everyday players are gone from last season, the Lady
‘Yotes brought in nine new players – a mix of freshman and transfers – to try
and push the team over the top. The
Coyotes will have to replace an All-American guard, Jeannie Thompson, who set a
multitude of school records in her four-year career. Thompson started more games, grabbed more rebounds, had more
steals, and dished out more assists than any other Lady ‘Yote in history. “I
feel the addition of these players will only make us stronger and give us
something we did not have last year – a bench,” said Rossi. “There will be competition for positions and
playing time.”
Running a three guard, two forward set, the Coyotes
frontcourt is pretty much set.
All-Conference selection Kristen Bailey is poised for a big
senior season, after shattering school-records as a junior. The 6-4 Bailey averaged 12 points and nine
rebounds a game, along with breaking the single-game, single-season, and career
marks for blocked shots – all in one year.
“Bailey made tremendous strides from the beginning of last year through
the post-season, and I expect her to continue where she left off,” replied
Rossi. “She is an emotional player who
works hard everyday, and has set some realistic goals for herself and her
teammates – that I know she has the ability to obtain.”
Joining Bailey is fellow senior Megan Henrichs. The lone four-year member of the program,
Henrichs stepped up as a junior, averaging 13 points and seven rebounds a
game. “Henrichs is our quiet leader,”
Rossi said of the Academic All-American.
“She has an incredible work ethic that is contagious, especially for our
freshmen. As an undersized post, she
has worked on her moves, perimeter shooting, and defending larger posts. Whatever I ask of her, she always gives it
110-percent.”
Others vying for roles under the basket include
junior college transfers Lindsey Karren and Sarah Wilkin, along
with Amanda Basañez, who doubles as the setter for the Coyote volleyball
team. Karren, from Salt Lake CC, is a
quiet player who will get her points and rebounds without people noticing. Wilkin will give the Lady ‘Yotes a different
look in the post as a physical presence underneath the hole.
Three players, two with starting experience, will
battle for the point-guard slot.
Juniors Carley Williams and Krystal Thacker shared the
duties last season, but will be pushed by three-sport standout Alyssa Latham. “Right now, it is anybody’s guess who will
start at the point,” stated Rossi.
“Williams and Thacker have an advantage because they already know our
system and know what I am looking for.
However, Latham (who is currently playing soccer) is incredibly athletic
and has the ability to learn quickly. I
am anxious to see how it all works out.”
Shooting guard Heidi Goicoechea returns as
an outside threat after averaging 11 points and five rebounds a game last
year. The sophomore already ranks in
the Coyote career top-ten in ten different categories. “Early on last year, team focused on “Goic”
and her ability to shoot the three,” Rossi said. “She responded to her frustration by improving on other parts of
the game – rebounding, passing, and shooting off the dribble. She has become a more complete player and I
feel she will be a constant threat for us.
Rossi is also high on true freshman Dani
Cotterell, who set a plethora of school records at Nampa High. “Cotterell has really come in and impressed
us with her shot,” Rossi said. “Now the
challenge will be for her to improve in the other areas that Goicoechea
has.” Other guard possibilities include
junior Tia Sinclair, transfer Melissa Murray, and true
freshmen Annie Roeser and Kim Strunk.
For the first time ever,
all ten Cascade Conference schools will field a women’s basketball team – which
gives the CCC a second automatic berth to the NAIA Division II Tournament. Last season’s CCC Tournament champion,
Southern Oregon, looks to be one of the front-runners, along with the Lady
‘Yotes, Concordia, and Western Baptist.
“Southern Oregon will again be the team to beat,” Rossi believes. “They return four starters and have added
some fine players. Concordia will be a
battle as they lost just one contributor, and Western Baptist will be a challenge,
as they have a new coach and a strong nucleus.”
Once again, Albertson
has a very difficult pre-season schedule.
Highlighting the slate is the first-ever game against NCAA Division I
Boise State, a home-and-home series with rival Northwest Nazarene, and four
tournaments – one in Montana, Utah, Washington, and the Lady ‘Yote Classic in
November. “The schedule this year is as
difficult a schedule as I think this program has ever had,” Rossi said. “We want to play against teams that are
going to make us improve our level of play to beat them, thus preparing for the
future.”
With a solid cast of
characters, a trip to Sioux City in March is not out of the question. “We need to learn from all of our
experiences to get to where we as a team want to go,” Rossi said.
- ALBERTSON -