Mid-January greetings all. This is Duerrisms for the week of January 21, 2010. And we appear in this space thanks, as always, to the support of our good friends at ADVANCE Physical Therapy.
We are just three weeks away now from the KHQA/SUBWAY/Superfan Shootout. Two days. Eleven games. Big Fun. If you are a high school basketball fan, mark February 5th and 6th on you calendar now and plan to join us for what should be a thrilling weekend of hoops. One ticket price buys you entrance to all eleven games, including Saturday's marquee battle between QND and defending Missouri Class 3 State Runner-up Whitfield, which means you are roughly paying the bargain price of a seventy some odd cents per game. I defy you to find a better entertain option anywhere for that price. We will be breaking down each and every game for you over the next few weeks, just so you can know to expect. It is always a blast and a packed house at 10th and Jackson. Don't miss the fun.
Be sure to check in with us every Friday right after Sports Final for our Live Chat Interactive, where we talk all things high school basketball and NFL Playoffs. It starts at 10:35pm. Just go to our website and look for the alert banner atop the page. Click there and you will be taken right to the live chat site. It's fun and free and you can participate actively or just watch. Hope to see you there. And remember, you can follow us on Twitter as well at ChrisDuerr@Twitter.com.
And for those of you who are going through Message Board withdrawls, our friends over at TriStateFans.com have fashioned a really fun forum for you: check it out right here: http://www.tristatefans.com/forum.php
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KHQA/ADVANCE PHYSICAL THERAPY STUDENT ATHLETE OF THE WEEK
The KHQA/ADVANCE Physical Therapy Student Athlete of the Week program has started anew for the 2009-2010 school year, and once again we will awarding a pair of scholarships to the most accomplished high school male and female seniors in the region. Our nominating board met most recently on January 11th and selected eight new honorees, each of whom will be profiled on Wednesday during the KHQA Evening News. This was our second to last selection meeting for the school year. We convene one last time on March 15th for our final batch of ten seniors for this calendar year. Which means: time is running short. If you know of a deserving senior who sports a minimum 3.5 GPA, please contact your high school athletic director and have them fill out a form on that student's behalf. If your AD doesn't have the form, have them contact me at cduerr@khqa.com. This is your last chance of the year to get some much deserved recognition for the great kids in our region.
2009 Honorees
Week One: HANNAH KVITLE, Quincy High Volleyball
Week Two: TAYLOR BAXTER, Palmyra Softball, Basketball
Week Three: MICHAEL LAFFERTY, Illini West Football, Baseball
Week Four: MICHAEL JOHNSON, Pittsfield/Griggsville-Perry Football
Week Five: BRIAN ELLIOT, Macomb Football/Wrestling
Week Six: BRADLEY CRAIGMYLE, North Shelby Baseball/Basketball
Week Seven: LEXI NEISEN, Liberty Basketball/Volleyball/Softball
Week Eight: JOE CHINN, Monroe City Football/Track and Field
Week Nine: DEVON JOHNSON, Pittsfield Wrestling, Football
Week Ten: SCOTT BROOKSHIER, Van-Far Football, Basketball
Week Eleven: SEAN CONRAD, Holy Trinity Cross Country, Basketball
Week Twelve: KELLY LISTER, Scotland County Softball
Week Thirteen: ZACH FORBES, Quincy High Soccer, Basketball
Past Scholarship Winners
2008: MATT PATTERSON, South Shelby (Truman State)
CHLOE BARNES, Quincy High (Ball State University)
2007: LUKE GUTHRIE, Quincy High (University of Illinois)
2006: KATELYN BASTERT, Illini West (Duke University)
2005: MIKAL BENECOMO, Clopton (Southeast Missouri State)
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BASKETBALL 2010
KHQA Power Rankings-High School Boys
1) QND
A rare road win at Voshall Gymnasium earns the Raiders (14-3) pole position here. Strength of schedule eclipses Macon and all other suitors. Scott Douglas preaches defensive dominance and this team has delivered, holding foes to just 44 points a night and allowing only one opponent (Triad) to tally more than 60 points this season. If the Raiders ever find a rhythm shooting the basketball, QND will be nails down the stretch. I would venture to say, at best, we have only seen 75% of what the QND offense can offer. When this team breaks out, and the odds suggest it will, the Raiders will be a juggernaut. And what better time for that icy shooting to thaw then with superpower Peoria Manual headed for town Saturday night.
2) MACON
Best record in Tri State Boys Basketball at 11-1, but after watching the Tigers three times last week, I have two gnawing concerns. One, Macon has a nagging habit to date of playing down to the level of its competition, riding out one big run here or there to ease past opponents that they should be putting to rest with far more ease. Two, the Tigers have a tendency to look very ragged and forced on offense at times. No real flow. Nothing organic about the half court offense. And an inordinate amount of high risk passes that net more turnovers than you would expect. By the same token, no area team is better in transition. The Tigers have the most offensively gifted big man in the area in Robert Freeman, a deep well of guard play, and the ability to make opponents look lost at the defensive end. Plus, I would suggest that Josh Bailey has really sculpted his game (bad hand and all) and become one of the most dynamic wings around.
3) PITTSFIELD
It may not seem like it, but this current three game losing snap the Saukees (15-4) are mired in may have better long range impact than any of the fifteen wins Pittsfield has put on the board to date. This stretch of schedule is brutal and the Saukees have risen up to meet it. Brad Tomhave's crew has shown in stints it has the weaponry to bedevil QND and 3A power Cahokia, losing to the later by just one point in overtime Monday night. What the Saukees are lacking right now (and perhaps learning on the go) is the art of the close. No team plays harder at both ends of the floor. And there is a certain inherent toughness in how the Saukees conduct their business, which makes me think this group really takes the lessons of these tough losses to heart and gets better from them over the next few weeks. Again, the Saukees are doing at Jerseyville what QND did in Bloomington: getting the "wind tunnel" effect from better competition and finding flaws that Brad Tomhave can grind down before its too late in the postseason.
4) CENTRAL
Todd Plattner for Coach of the Year, anybody? The Panthers are riding a 10 game win streak with four underclassmen in the starting lineup. Everyone on this team has willingly accepted their role and bought in. You've got gritty leadership and tone setting intensity from Jacob Conley and Patrick Flesner. You've got bench weapons who can come in and give you a Vinnie Johnson type offensive pop (Alex Walter, Brandon Ihrig et al) You've got a blue collar, physically imposing kid in Zack Reuschel gobbling up offensive rebounds and trash baskets. And you've got a pair of the outstanding combo options on the wing in Spencer Rhea and the luminous Zac Main. If you are investing in basketball futures, is there a more intriguing situation right now than the one playing out in Camp Point?
5) QUINCY HIGH
After skidding off track in Collinsville, Sean Taylor's squad is starting to find its traction again. See also the stellar second half the Blue Devils fashioned on the road at Rock Island. Or the absolute demolition they they administered to Peoria Central in the first quarter on Saturday night. Granted, a healthy Zach Forbes really does mean that much to this team. Yes, he scores 51 combined points this week but that really is only scratching the surface. Look at the confidence his presence instills in everyone else on the floor when Zach is back out there doing his thing. Heck, in microcosm, look at Isaiah Johnson's play with Forbes in tow and without. The kid is back doing his best Chris Paul impersonation and that wasn't the case when Forbes was on the MASH unit. The key down the stretch, however, is going to be how much Sean Taylor gets out of complimentary kids like Nick Doellman, Austin Beebe, Alex Miklius on a nightly basis; not so much in terms of scoring, but in doing all the little things to set the stage consistently.
6) HOLY TRINITY
Triple Overtime victory over formerly unbeaten and tenth ranked Danville Friday night improves Loren Menke's squad to 10-2 on the season and gives the Crusaders arguably the biggest signature win of any team in the area. We've apparently been overly cautious in ranking HTC, given concerns over graduation loses (most notably, Nate Lieving) but the 'Saders have picked up the slack with terrific offensive balance (led by swingman John Vonderhaar at 10.5 points and 5 rebounds per game) and a tone setting point guard in Ben Rector who has helped keep the mix running at maximum efficiency, when not opting to occasionally
7) MACOMB
Why is Dan Watson so highly regarded in this region? Because you can deal him any set of cards and finds a way to make the best possible hand out of it. He's won with Matt Buren. And he's won without any hint of a post presence. Whatever you throw the guy, he adapts. And this year, the Bombers have made an art form out of winning without glitz or glamour. Look, I am not going to lie to you and say the Bombers are the most exciting ticket buy in Tri State Basketball. But with a defense that gives up just 44 points per night, an unflappable Mark Price-styled point guard in Seth Wickert, and a number of guys who can set up and hit jump shots, basketball "sex appeal" becomes highly overrated in McDonough County.
8) PARIS
I've got a buddy in the media who only half-jokingly refers to the Coyotes as "him" rather than "them." And granted, Jon Gilliam does score a higher percentage of his teams points (nearly 43%) than any other player in Tri State Boys Basketball. That established, I really like some of the pieces in play here, particularly rising power forward Cole Lockhart, who is a long armed, active rebounder with quick hands and nice presence at the defensive end. Despite pedestrian scoring numbers, Tyler Dunlap is a kid who could pop for 18-20 points on a given night and will give you great energy and legit rebounding value for his size at nearly six per night. And Hezzy Long gives the Coyotes (9-3) a kid with too much athleticism for most Class 1 and 2 teams to handle. Clearly, if Jon Gilliam goes down tomorrow, the Coyotes would not be the state ranked team they are today. By the same token, labeling this group a one man team is a little misleading...
9) WEST HANCOCK
Still trying to work out all the Hancock County Tournament Title permutations in my head, but of the teams we saw in Warsaw last week, I still like the Titans best right now. Go figure on that one. Illini West has more athletes. Southeastern has the best individual player in Regan Bruenger. And Reno Pinkston's roster has more "design" flaws than either team. But the Titans (13-3) find ways to win and play with a Seal Team Six mentality. They've got maybe the smartest floor general in the Tri States in Seth Pinkston. They've got a kid in Ryan Runge whose body temperature must run at near 64 degrees, because he is an icy cold killer from the perimeter. They've got a kid in Mac Schlicher whose game kind of just defies description or comparo, save for maybe the Tasmanian Devil in those old Bugs Bunny cartoons. Kyle Jenkins busts his tail every night, usually against taller foes, and just continues to grade out much higher than you think he would fighting the good fight. It's a team on paper that should not work this well together. And it does. Just one more strange bit of successful coaching alchemy from Reno Pinkston, who has fashioned a hall of fame career turning lead to gold.
10) MARK TWAIN
Greg Gatson crew drops here a bit, not from anything more that relative inactivity. The Tigers (7-2) have only played nine games on the year and only twice in the calendar year 2010. I am still picking Twain to win the Tony Lenzini Invitational this week (partly because Colt Carper singlehandedly killed all my sleeper buzz on Anthony Davis and Van-Far) largely based on these premises. One: Steven Phillips, who is the combo forward with skills and toughness needed to take pressure off David Stark, has come to life. Two, because the Tigers feature my favorite set of guards West of the Mississippi (and depending on the day... right in the mix with Payson and Macomb on the overall area tote board) led by glue guy Jared Runyon. And three, because I think David Stark is poised to deliver a statement tournament. No one talks about the kid but he is this far away from jumping right into the thick of the Player of the Year race. This would be a great window of opportunity.
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THE NEXT LEVEL
11) ILLINI WEST
The powder keg team in Tri State basketball right now. The Chargers have shown glimpses of putting all of their considerable weapons and athleticism on the wing to very good use. John Hughs has a pair of kids in Jacob Schmudlach and Ser Whitaker who are capable of going for 25 points on just about any defender in the region on a given night, not to mention a point guard smart enough in Cody Carson to read the tea leaves and get the right guy the ball in the right situation.
12) CENTRAL LEE
Sophomore Sensation Andrew Mathison is fast becoming a nightly double/double threat for the Hawks to pair with Floor Leader Brad Vogel. I was initially disappointed with the Hawks on early viewings. Now, the potential is starting to become far more evident for Clay Vass and crew
13) WEST CENTRAL
A lousy start vs Carrolton at the WIT was a killer, but Saturday's demolition of Payson, fueled by sniper Nolan Roberts and Dylan Guthrie was eye opening. Jeff Abell's crew (15-5) has a lot of balance, some decent inside presence with Ryan Jefferson, and lynchpin kid in Jacob Peak, who covers ground by the yard with each step.
14) JACKSONVILLE
The best 7-10 team in the state of Illinois. Just ask 3A powerhouse Lincoln, which watched a nine point lead evaporate against the Crimsons Monday in Chatham and had to hold on for a 36-34 squeaker. J.R. Dugan's handiwork is starting to pay great dividends with Blake Burgess and company.
15) PAYSON SEYMOUR
Everyone's favorite sleeper team apparently took an Ambien in the later stages of the WIT and delivered a real clunker performance against West Central in the third place game (save for Vince Wernowsky's Sensational Seven turn) Brian Rea better flip the switch quick because a similar effort vs Central could be absolute murder.
16) BOWLING GREEN
Steve Boeh has the makings of a very decent inside/out offensive team with space eaters Evan Cervan and Jeff Neimeyer inside and Ryan Cox making the transition to combo point guard in the wake of Brandon McCann's graduation. The Bobcats also have athleticism on the wing (Pease, Behlman, Brown) and a kid I love in Devan Schukenbrock. I am convince this offense will eventually click. Defensively, Boeh is an underrated gem and gets as much out of his kids as a Dan Watson, Scott Douglas or Reno Pinkston, without much fanfare. Very good skipper with some intriguing weapons to work with.
17) SOUTHEASTERN
What a strange run the Suns (11-7) had through the Hancock County Tournament, coming within both a whisker of winning the Title and losing to West Prairie on the same night.
18) LIBERTY
No disrespect intended Eagle fans. You SHOULD have been on our Power Poll two weeks ago, but your idiot Sports Director fell asleep at the wheel typing this at 2:00am. Strong showing out of the seven seed at WIT behind one of the best young frontcourts (Wade Murfin is fun incarnate) in the region. Carrollton, however, exposed numerous lingering concerns about the Eagles guard play.
19) BROWN COUNTY
Long football season, lack of size may have finally caught up to the Hornets in Winchester, although Ace Henricks had a really nice stretch of play during the week.
20) KEOKUK(tie)
Another team plagued by a run of inactivity. Keokuk posted a very tidy road win over Fort Madison on Friday. But a team that relies on its shooting prowess needs more reps. Time for Iowa to revisit its forced Christmas Break rules.
20) HANNIBAL(tie)
The Pirates come one shot shy of taking out Macon this week. Is there a more positively improved basketball team in our area?
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THE BEST OF THE REST
21) CANTON
22) HIGHLAND
23) GRIGGSVILLE
24) ROUTT
25) TRIOPIA
26) SOUTH SHELBY
27) UNITY
28) VAN-FAR
29 ) KNOX COUNTY
30) PALMYRA
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RISING STOCK
MARCUS MILNER, South Shelby
Channeling Oscar Robertson right now with back to back triple doubles for a South Shelby squad that seems to have come back to life after a nightmarish loss to Highland. Always a great shooter, Milner has really honed his floor vision and distribution skills to a whole new level of play as the Cardinals floor leader.
ANTHONY DAVIS, Van Far
Think David West styled game. Athletic power forward with a very soft touch and a knack for cleaning up offensive rebounds. And he just happens to have that kind of take over presence and fearlessness in the paint you look for. The Indians are a nice collection of weapons.
JORDAN FRERICKS, QND
Hard to believe that Eric Orne is going to get to go to war with Tori Kuhn AND Jordan Frericks the next two years, which has the potential to be the area's best frontline since the vaunted Fray/Dixon days at Southeastern. Jordan has prototype wingspan and terrific eye-hand coordination, as evidenced by her 10 steal night Monday against Clopton.
KELLY LONERGAN, Routt
Caught her act in the finals of the North Greene Lady Spartan Classic Saturday and saw a young lady at the absolute height of her powers. No one on either West Central came remotely close to stopping her during her second quarter scoring binge that ultimately doomed the state ranked Cougars and handed the Lady Rockets a red letter win of the highest order. Get this nifty Routt guard anywhere near the basket and she has a talent for making shots and being at the right place at the right time. After breaking into the state ranks last week, expect Joe Eilering's crew to make another big move on Tuesday.
AUSTIN MILLER, Macomb Wrestling
Some artists work in oils and watercolors. Miller, the state's top ranked 130lb Class A Grappler, chooses body bending as his medium of choice. And watching him run the table at the QHS Invitational weeks after a broken wrist (and essentially working one handed) just further proof of just how much better this kid is than everyone else in the state. Bonus points for having the best surgery scar ever. One of my favorite lines ever, about one of my favorite athletes, was that Marvelous Marvin Hagler "wears his scar tissue like fine jewelry." See also Austin Miller....
JONAH COGGESHALL, Central Wrestling
No brainer pick of the week. Comes into QHS Tournament as the three seed at 140lbs and wins the whole darned shooting match with a very composed, smart and patient approach on the match, highlighted by his 16-2 demolition of Bloomington's Justin Oliger, which you can watch right here: http://www.connecttristates.com/sports/story.aspx?id=402818. Give Rod Houston's crew plenty of credit. Central's show at the QHS Invitational would be the equivalent of say the Panther basketball team going to the State Farm Classic in Bloomington and finishing in the top four in the AA Bracket. Big time performance from a rising group of wrestlers.
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KHQA PLAYER RANKINGS
Girls Point Guards
1A) LEIGH MCLAUGHLIN, Quincy Notre Dame
There are two allowable arguments here. Both equally acceptable. Both come with state tournament pedigree. Leigh McLaughlin is the most natural true point guard to come our way in a decade. Jessie Logsdon is a combo guard who handles the ball out of necessity, and yet she's playing so strongly that she might be the most potent backcourt weapon in Tri State Basketball. For the purpose of this debate, we will adhere to our traditional strict position standard. Under that guideline, Leigh's passing ability and generalship of the floor make her the most ideally suited weapon for her specific team. McLaughlin has shown an ability over the last three years to command a team. More saliently at talent-laden QND, she has managed to play with two potential 25 point per game scorers at the same time, keeping them both and all of their teammates perfectly plied with scoring opportunities. We've gone over her floor vision (particularly on the break) and handle on this column numerous times but what I have failed to note in this column is the fact she plays the position with undeniable presence. There is a confidence to her passes, an ability to seize a given moment that makes her special in that department. And she is, without dispute, the full court defensive presence in the region, covering space like Darrelle Revis in coverage. Offensively, she's so unselfish that its easy to miss the work she has done in cleaning up her perimeter game. You can't really cheat off her jump shot like you could two years ago. The bulk of her scoring comes in transition finishes and occasional top-of-the-key jumpers. There is no real "strike fear in your heart" factor on that side of the ball like there is with Ms Logsdon, but that also isn't what Leigh is asked to do. And the things that are Leigh's calling card? No one else can touch her.
1B) JESSIE LOGSDON, Canton
I think it was Tyler Tomlinson who first posited the notion that three years from now, given all the really great prospects in our area, the local kid with the best chance of being an All American some day was Jessie Logsdon. She is one of the most intelligent players (and for that matter, kids) in Tri State Sports. She is playing for a tremendous coach in Dan Chapla at a rising power program in William Woods. She has just a seemingly natural, unforced ability to score the basketball. And she plays the game, for lack of a better comparison, like Nathan Goudschaal played Defensive Line at Brown County: relentless, fearless, and with a kind of chip on her shoulder in that better competition or bigger stage moments bring out an extra gear in Jessie. To wit, in all honestly, I don't think Jessie is one of the top ten handle kids in our area. Put her in a big game, however, and she seems to get four or five notches better with basketball security and lower risk passes. She just seems to play better whenever the stakes are higher or the competition is better. The scary undercurrent of this is that Jessie (All Stater that she is) has just scratched the surface of what she can ultimately deliver as a combo guard at the next level. Her natural fade away jumper is almost impossible to block as it is and she seems to be shooting it with the same confidence now that she has on her terrific slashing forays to the basket. She is just naturally suited for the college game as a scorer and perhaps as a defender as well, given her quick hands and instincts. I picture Jessie as that rare kid whose numbers may actually increase going from high school to college.
3) EMILY RUDKIN, Macon
To steal a phrase from my 15 year old daughter, Emily Rudkin is a "pint sized party" as a basketball player. She gives you everything on every play. Emily has no one attribute I would would say is a calling card, other than maybe her moxie and basketball IQ, but she does everything on the floor at a B+ level. Okay, I take that back. Watching Emily twist and contort into the lane and challenge forwards and centers on a nightly basis makes me abundantly happy. There are few other players who hit the runner as well...or gather more floor burns in the process. Beyond that, Emily can shoot the long range jumper at a very proficient level. She gets into the passing lanes and will get you timely steals. She has great recovery ability on defense if she gets beat (maybe her one lone flaw is that Emily isn't has nifty as a half court defender) she works hard to get back in front of her target without making cheap fouls. Point blank, she never gives up an easy defensive assignment. If you beat her, Emily is still right there in your face at the end of the play. To me, the really extraordinary thing about Miss Rudkin is she just seems to have what I like to call "the Steve Nash Alarm" in that she seems to know exactly when its time to quit playing facilitator and when its time to take over on the offensive end for a spike in production. She is, if you haven't guessed, a KHQA cult hero and one of our favorite players to watch.
4) KATIE SCHERDER, Bowling Green
Katie is kind of the Tyreke Evans of this class of floor generals in that she is taller that just about every other point guard in the region and she has the frame to physically overwhelm most of the young ladies who try to guard her. She can see over a defense and she can really whip the ball around and into windows in the paint for her Division One Point Guard. And like Reke, Katie has a knack for going to the basket offensively. From a college measurables standpoint, Katie is that prototype new generation point guard and that makes her an appealing recruiting target. She is going to have to work to better sure up her handle (both hands) to be a one guard at the next level but she has also the promise in the world and I think she will develop into a real defensive asset at the position down the road as well. The two other things I really like about Katie are how fluid she is, especially running in transition, and her ability to constantly create defense matchup issues. She has such a nice shooting touch and offensive feel when she comes down from the apex of the half court offense and mixes things up. Like Jessie Logsdon, a futures player who truly intrigues.
5) ASHLYN JACQUOT, West Central
The quickest player in all of Tri State Girls basketball, Ashlyn has the ability to make everyone else on the floor look like they are moving in slow motion. No one can stay in front of her and she has the Brandon Jennings-gear where she can make a sea of defenders part in front of her. And if you think that warp speed serves her well on offense, you should see her jump weak passes Rajon Rondo style and just clean up steals right and left. She is an impossible presence to ignore and can really electrify a game with her passing creativity and flair for making the entry pass. She sees and sometimes finds passing avenues other kids will never envision. She seems to be coming out of a frigid early season shooting slump, which saw not only Ashlyn but the entire Cougar squad uncharacteristically struggle to score points. The only real flaw here is that she is sometimes a little to quick for her own good, Allen Iverson style, in that she is going to make some turnovers and she runs the risk of foul trouble. You basically just learn to accept that as a coach and try not to stifle her creativity and confidence when you get a mistake. The overall good Ashlyn brings to the table far outweighs the odd sloppy pass here or there. And remember, she is still just a junior learning to harness all that speed. As she continues to polish up her game, Ashlyn Jacquot has a chance to be something extra special, even against the backdrop of a great collection of guards.
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THE NEXT LEVEL
6) RANDI LEE PLUNKETT, Marion County
Like Jacquot, emerging nicely from early season funk. The Mustang sophomore is a taller version of one-time KHQA Player of the Year runner-up Melissa Nichols.
7) JESSICA MURFIN, Highland
Dynamic floor leader returns from ACL injury with her quickness, long range shooting prowess intact, allowing freshman phenom Ashton Luttrell to become a full fledged two guard.
8) ASHLEY LONGSHORE, Keokuk
The quality table setter at nearly four dimes per game that quietly makes Stanley and Piper look so darned good every night. Longshore is a hidden gem who is fast becoming a defensive nightmare.
9) LEXI NEISEN, Liberty-Payson
Great perimeter shooter who has done a nice job managing the Eagles offense in the wake of Lucy Cramsey's graduation. High IQ player with great floor demeanor and poise.
10) TIFFANY MOHR, Illini West
She's not a natural point but the athletic Charger has done a very nice job shoring up the Charger backcourt...regardless, we like her here because she is a demon in the passing lanes.
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PROSPECTS RISING
BROOKE VONHOLT, CSE
STEFANI KELLER, Central Lee
LOREN NEWINGHAM, Pittsfield
AIMEE KERLEY, Brown County
DANI BUCKERT, West Hancock
DARION STEPHENS, Quincy High
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