By Craig Pearson
In what will be the last basketball season of the Tri-River Conference, teams from North Central, Clay City, Union, Shakamak and Linton are hoping to go out on top.
Union and North Central shared TRC honors in 2008-09. The Bulldogs lost several standout seniors graduate, while the Thunderbirds return the core of their team. The TRC race in 2009-10 should be hotly contested with Shakamak, Clay City and Linton also in the mix.
Every school mentioned besides North Central is already a member of the SouthWestern Indiana Athletic Conference. NC will join the SWIAC next season.
• • •
Following are season previews for these two conferences:
• Shakamak — Second-year coach Troy Fougerousse had a 9-13 debut with a young group that is now a year older.
“We’ve got everybody back, and we think we ought to have a better season than [last year],” Fougerousse said. “We hope we can compete for both the SWIAC and Tr-River.”
Fougerousse will have a pair of senior starters with 5-foot-8 Marki Collins and 5-6 Casey Fougerousse returning in the backcourt after averaging 12 points last season.
Sophomore Mikayla Crane averaged 12 points and nine rebounds, and she’s joined by senior 5-9 forward Kristi Pearson in the frontcourt.
Jade Gambill, a 5-7 sopohomore rounds out the starters as the fifth starter.
Fougerousse said the girls worked hard during the summer and the fact that he’s in his second year should help the Lakers get off to a faster start.
“Now all the girls know what to expect,” he said.
• North Central — The Thunderbirds return many key players from last year’s TRC co-champion squad, but coach Gretchen Brown will be without the services of Megan Stone, who suffered an ACL injury during volleyball season.
Kate Brown, a 5-2 point guard, is the leading scorer after averaging 12 points last season, and 5-11 center Jocelyn Boyll averaged 9 points and 9 rebounds last season.
On the wing, coach Brown will have 5-6 seniors Amber Kemp and Maria Drake in addition to 5-10 junior Hannah Randolph. 5-10 sophomore Ariel Hester will be a key reserve in the post.
“The goal is to stay healthy and keep working toward that sectional at the end of the season,” Brown said. “We have a great starting five and if we can get some experience on our bench we should do OK.”
• Union — After a 13-9 campaign in 2008-09, coach Benji Boyd will be facing a major rebuild this season.
Boyd’s two returning players are Cheyenne Goodman, a 5-0 sophomore guard, and Shayna Nicol, a 5-9 junior forward.
“Nicol was our top rebounder last year so inside the cupboard’s not bear. She can play a little bit,” Boyd said. “Cheyenne’s a good shooter and good ballhandler.”
Additions to the squad are 5-4 guard Morgan Stanifer, sophomore forward Taylor Woods, junior Chelsea Goodman, sophomore Tori Martindale and freshmen Conner Kendall and Stephanie Dickison.
• Clay City — Second-year coach Chris Ames had an 8-13 in his first season, and with many key players back, hopes are high for the Eels.
Sophomore Carmela Roeschlein is back after averaging 12 points as a freshman. The 5-5 point guard is joined by sophomore guard Brielle Drelick and her 10 ppg average.
In the post, 5-9 senior Kelly McCullough and 5-10 sophomore Allie Miller are back after solid seasons last year.
Sloan Miller, a 5-7 senior, and Abby Reed also have varsity experience.
“We’re pretty young and we’re going to play a lot of different girls,” Ames said. “We’re not very big either. We’re working on rebounding. We have to do whatever it takes to get the ball.”
The Eels hope to be in the mix for conference and sectional titles.
“If we play hard, I think we can compete with most people,” Ames said. “If we don’t do the little things we’re going to sruggle.”
• Linton — Coach Brad McKinney is expecting big things from the Miners after a 5-16 campaign last winter.
For one, Linton returns several starters: All-conference point guard Savannah Mason, 5-9 senior Olivia Wells and junior Bradlea Beard and senior Alex Deluga.
The Miners’ key addition is 6-1 senior center Stephanie Fougerousse, a transfer from White River Valley.
“She’ll definitely help us on the inside,” McKinney said. “She averaged about 18 points and 18 rebounds for WRV. She’s a handful inside.”
Linton also adds forward Olivia Robinson, a Linton native who returned home after moving to Oklahoma.
“She’ll help with her outside shot,” McKinney said.
Overall, the Miners hope to compete in what should be tight conference races.
“I really feel like we can take some big steps forward,” McKinney said. “With the experience and newcomers we have, we’ll be really competitive.”
North Central
Tuesday — White River Valley, (n)
Wednesday-Saturday — Terre Haute Classic
Nov. 21 — at Eminence, 2:30 p.m.
Dec. 3 — Shakamak, 7:30 p.m.
Dec. 5 — at Sullivan, 12:30 p.m.
Dec. 8 — at North Daviess, 7:30 p.m.
Dec. 14 — at Clay City, 7:30 p.m.
Dec. 19 — Robinson, Ill., 2 p.m.
Dec. 21 — Marshall, Ill., 8 p.m.
Jan. 7 — at Bloomfield, 7:30 p.m.
Jan. 9 — at Turkey Run, 11:30 a.m.
Jan. 14 — at Washington Catholic, 7:30 p.m.
Jan. 18 — Hutsonville-Palestine, Ill., 8 p.m.
Jan. 22 — Riverton Parke, 7:30 p.m.
Jan. 26 — Vincennes Rivet, 7:30 p.m.
Jan. 28 — at Rockville, 7:30 p.m.
Feb. 1 — Linton, 7:30 p.m.
Feb. 5 — at Union, 6 p.m.
Feb. 6 — North Vermillion, 6 p.m.
Shakamak
Tuesday — Vincennes Rivet, (n)
Nov. 17 — Clay City, 7:30 p.m.
Nov. 21 — at White River Valley, 7:30 p.m.
Nov. 24 — Bloomfield, 7:30 p.m.
Nov. 30 — Barr-Reeve, 7:30 p.m.
Dec. 3 — at North Central, 7:30 p.m.
Dec. 7 — at Riverton Parke, 7:30 p.m.
Dec. 14 — Sullivan, 7:30 p.m.
Dec. 17 — at Linton, 7:30 p.m.
Dec. 29-30 — Vincennes Rivet tournament
Jan. 7 — at West Vigo, 7:30 p.m.
Jan. 11 — at North Daviess, 7 p.m.
Jan. 16 — Tecumseh, 1:30 p.m.
Jan. 19 — at Washington Catholic, 7:30 p.m.
Jan. 21 — Eastern Greene, 7:30 p.m.
Jan. 25 — Union, 7:30 p.m.
Jan. 28 — Eminence, 7:30 p.m.
Feb. 2 — at Cloverdale, 7:30 p.m.
Union
Nov. 12 — Cloverdale, 7:30 p.m.
Nov. 17 — at Eastern Greene, 7:30 p.m.
Nov. 19 — Eminence, 7:30 p.m.
Nov. 30 — at South Knox, 7:30 p.m.
Dec. 3 — White River Valley, 7:30 p.m.
Dec. 5 — at Bloomfield, 1:30 p.m.
Dec. 7 — Washington Catholic, 7:30 p.m.
Dec. 14 — at Palestine-Hutsonville, Ill., 8 p.m.
Dec. 17 — Clay City, 7:30 p.m.
Dec. 28-29 — Red Hill Invitational
Jan. 11 — at Riverton Parke, 7:30 p.m.
Jan. 14 — Linton, 7:30 p.m.
Jan. 18 — Oblong, Ill., 8 p.m.
Jan. 21 — North Daviess, 7:30 p.m.
Jan. 25 — at Shakamak, 7:30 p.m.
Jan. 28 — Shoals, 7:30 p.m.
Feb. 1 — at Medora, 8 p.m.
Feb. 5 — North Central, 6 p.m.
Linton
Monday — at Monrovia, (n)
Thursday — at North Knox, 7:30 p.m.
Nov. 19 — North Daviess, 7:30 p.m.
Nov. 24 — at South Knox, 7:30 p.m.
Dec. 3 — at Eastern Greene, 7:30 p.m.
Dec. 10 — at Clay City, 7:30 p.m.
Dec. 12 — at Shoals, 2:30 p.m.
Dec. 17 — Shakamak, 7:30 p.m.
Dec. 19 — Linton tournament
Dec. 29-30 — Vincennes Rivet tournament
Jan. 5 — Eminence, 7:30 p.m.
Jan. 14 — at Union, 7:30 p.m.
Jan. 16 — Washington Catholic, 2:30 p.m.
Jan. 18 — Bloomfield, 7:30 p.m.
Jan. 23 — Loogootee, 2:30 p.m.
Jan. 28 — at White River Valley, 7:30 p.m.
Feb. 1 — at North Central, 7:30 p.m.
Feb. 4 — at Barr-Reeve, 7:30 p.m.
Clay City
Tuesday — at Bloomington North, (n)
Friday — Eminence, 7:30 p.m.
Nov. 17 — at Shakmak, 7:30 p.m.
Nov. 23 — at Rockville, 7:30 p.m.
Nov. 30 — at White River Valley, 7:30 p.m.
Dec. 3 — Riverton Parke, 7:30 p.m.
Dec. 7 — Vincennes Rivert, 7:30 p.m
Dec. 10 — Linton, 7:30 p.m.
Dec. 14 — North Central, 7:30 p.m.
Dec. 17 — at Union, 7:30 p.m.
Dec. 30 — South Putnam tournament
Jan. 4 — at Cloverdale, 7:30 p.m.
Jan. 11 — at Owen Valley, 8 p.m.
Jan. 14 — Bloomfield, 7:30 p.m.
Jan. 18 — at North Daviess, 7:30 p.m.
Jan. 21 — Sullivan, 7:30 p.m.
Jan. 26 — at Northview, 7:30 p.m.
Jan. 28 — Eastern Greene, 7:30 p.m.
Feb. 2 — at South Putnam, 7:30 p.m.
