The Scribe
11-25-2006, 06:04 PM
Third Region
Mark Mathis
Owensboro Messenger-Inquirer
1. Owensboro (16-14) Janae Howard gives the Lady Devils have one of the top players in the region and one of the top juniors in the state. The 6-foot-1 junior averaged 17.8 points and 8.6 rebounds.
“Janae has been working hard every single day and has been focused every day,” said Emily Hernandez, Owensboro’s first-year head coach.
Hernandez, an assistant with the program last year, has been working with the other OHS players to get them more involved all over the floor.
“Last year everybody was kind of waiting for her to do her thing,” Hernandez said. “It seems like everybody has kind of settled into the team concept. When all the pressure is on just two or three people to score our team becomes to easy to defend, but when each player can step up and make her contribution, that is when we will be successful.”
Howard is helped inside by 6-foot center Ashley Prince, who averaged 10.5 points and 5.6 rebounds a game. Brittany Douglas is a defensive specialist for OHS, picking up 3.5 steals a game to go with 11 points and four rebounds a game.
Hernandez wants her team to play uptempo and force turnovers.
“They kind of understand what’s going on,” Hernandez said. “People are
anticipating better than they were.”
2. Ohio County (25-8) The Lady Eagles are looking for a big year with a lot of experience returning from a team that lost to Muhlenberg North in the regional championship game.
“We have a lot of experience returning,” head coach Brad Johnson said. “We do not have a lot of size, but we have a close-knit bunch of girls that believe in the system and work well together. We plan to be more up-tempo this year, and want to create offense with our defense. We have the best team chemistry I’ve ever been around.”
Lauren Goff is the team leader and a three-year starter at guard. She
averaged 13 points a game and made 94 3-point shots.
Erin Adams is a phenomenal athlete and one of the best soccer players in the state. The 5-11 forward scored 17 points a game.
Mariah Robinson will be at point guard and could become one of the best backcourt players in the region.
3. Apollo (26-6) The E-Gals graduated ultra-talented guard Latoshia Lawrence but has the other half of that backcourt tandem returning with Whitney Odum. The All-Region performer has scored 15 points a game each of the last two seasons.
“She’s hard-nosed and a good leaper and rebounder,” Apollo coach Jason Powers said. “She is strong in the post and has a good mid-range game.”
Ranisha Cason established herself as one of the better centers in the region and is back for her junior year. The 6-1 junior averaged 14.5 points and 10.5 rebounds a game. She should be more experienced and can be a dominating player.
“She has improved her inside game,” Powers said. “She is quick, has great
hands and is an excellent rebounder on both ends of the floor.”
The E-Gals should be balanced and can run the floor for easy baskets. Powers would like to see better defense and the team is trying to build depth.
4. Muhlenberg North (25-7) The Lady Stars have won the regional seven out of the last nine years, but they faced a huge question mark to start the season.
Center Rachel Underwood had knee surgery in late August and it isn’t known whether she will be able to play this season. The junior averaged 10.6 points and 6.2 rebounds a game and was one of the most experienced returning players for North.
“We will find out before December,” North coach Mike Harper said. “That’s
when they will tell her what she can start doing. There’s a chance she could be out for the season. Without her, we could be pretty small.”
Heather Mitchell is a senior guard who passed for 102 assists last year and
scored 8.4 points a game.
“We will be starting four guards every game,” Harper said. “It’s going to be
a challenge.”
5. Grayson County (23-8) The Lady Cougars have their own version of high scoring and slick passing Bird -- Brittany Bird.
The 5-3 senior has scored more than 15 points a game for the last two seasons and has been starting since the seventh grade.
“They’re very dangerous,” North’s Harper said. “Bird has been playing for a
long time. They have a nice team.”
Senior Molly Beeler also scored more than 10 points a game in each of the
last two seasons.
Top Players
1. Janae Howard, Owensboro, 6-1, forward, junior -- Could become one of the best players in the state by the end of the season.
2. Whitney Odum, Apollo, 5-8, guard, senior -- An explosive scorer and strong defender who will lead the E-Gals.
3. Lauren Goff, Ohio County, 5-7, guard, senior -- Knows how to shoot and run her team as a three-year starter.
4. Brittany Bird, Grayson County, 5-3, guard, senior -- A fine scorer and passer has five years of experience.
5. Erin Adams, Ohio County, 5-11, forward, senior -- Look out if her basketball season is as good as soccer season was.
6. Heather Mitchell, Muhlenberg North, 5-8, guard, senior -- A good passer with 102 assists who can also score and rebound.
7. Rachel Cason, Apollo, 6-foot, forward, junior -- Her improvement last season was dramatic.
8. Ashley Prince, Owensboro, 6-foot, center, senior -- Could team with Howard to be dominant front-line force.
9. Courtney Jones, Muhlenberg South, 5-9, forward, senior -- Gives the Lady Suns athleticism and scoring on the inside.
10. Rachel Underwood, Muhlenberg North, 6-1, center, junior -- How she recovers from a knee injury will mean a lot.
Mark Mathis
Owensboro Messenger-Inquirer
1. Owensboro (16-14) Janae Howard gives the Lady Devils have one of the top players in the region and one of the top juniors in the state. The 6-foot-1 junior averaged 17.8 points and 8.6 rebounds.
“Janae has been working hard every single day and has been focused every day,” said Emily Hernandez, Owensboro’s first-year head coach.
Hernandez, an assistant with the program last year, has been working with the other OHS players to get them more involved all over the floor.
“Last year everybody was kind of waiting for her to do her thing,” Hernandez said. “It seems like everybody has kind of settled into the team concept. When all the pressure is on just two or three people to score our team becomes to easy to defend, but when each player can step up and make her contribution, that is when we will be successful.”
Howard is helped inside by 6-foot center Ashley Prince, who averaged 10.5 points and 5.6 rebounds a game. Brittany Douglas is a defensive specialist for OHS, picking up 3.5 steals a game to go with 11 points and four rebounds a game.
Hernandez wants her team to play uptempo and force turnovers.
“They kind of understand what’s going on,” Hernandez said. “People are
anticipating better than they were.”
2. Ohio County (25-8) The Lady Eagles are looking for a big year with a lot of experience returning from a team that lost to Muhlenberg North in the regional championship game.
“We have a lot of experience returning,” head coach Brad Johnson said. “We do not have a lot of size, but we have a close-knit bunch of girls that believe in the system and work well together. We plan to be more up-tempo this year, and want to create offense with our defense. We have the best team chemistry I’ve ever been around.”
Lauren Goff is the team leader and a three-year starter at guard. She
averaged 13 points a game and made 94 3-point shots.
Erin Adams is a phenomenal athlete and one of the best soccer players in the state. The 5-11 forward scored 17 points a game.
Mariah Robinson will be at point guard and could become one of the best backcourt players in the region.
3. Apollo (26-6) The E-Gals graduated ultra-talented guard Latoshia Lawrence but has the other half of that backcourt tandem returning with Whitney Odum. The All-Region performer has scored 15 points a game each of the last two seasons.
“She’s hard-nosed and a good leaper and rebounder,” Apollo coach Jason Powers said. “She is strong in the post and has a good mid-range game.”
Ranisha Cason established herself as one of the better centers in the region and is back for her junior year. The 6-1 junior averaged 14.5 points and 10.5 rebounds a game. She should be more experienced and can be a dominating player.
“She has improved her inside game,” Powers said. “She is quick, has great
hands and is an excellent rebounder on both ends of the floor.”
The E-Gals should be balanced and can run the floor for easy baskets. Powers would like to see better defense and the team is trying to build depth.
4. Muhlenberg North (25-7) The Lady Stars have won the regional seven out of the last nine years, but they faced a huge question mark to start the season.
Center Rachel Underwood had knee surgery in late August and it isn’t known whether she will be able to play this season. The junior averaged 10.6 points and 6.2 rebounds a game and was one of the most experienced returning players for North.
“We will find out before December,” North coach Mike Harper said. “That’s
when they will tell her what she can start doing. There’s a chance she could be out for the season. Without her, we could be pretty small.”
Heather Mitchell is a senior guard who passed for 102 assists last year and
scored 8.4 points a game.
“We will be starting four guards every game,” Harper said. “It’s going to be
a challenge.”
5. Grayson County (23-8) The Lady Cougars have their own version of high scoring and slick passing Bird -- Brittany Bird.
The 5-3 senior has scored more than 15 points a game for the last two seasons and has been starting since the seventh grade.
“They’re very dangerous,” North’s Harper said. “Bird has been playing for a
long time. They have a nice team.”
Senior Molly Beeler also scored more than 10 points a game in each of the
last two seasons.
Top Players
1. Janae Howard, Owensboro, 6-1, forward, junior -- Could become one of the best players in the state by the end of the season.
2. Whitney Odum, Apollo, 5-8, guard, senior -- An explosive scorer and strong defender who will lead the E-Gals.
3. Lauren Goff, Ohio County, 5-7, guard, senior -- Knows how to shoot and run her team as a three-year starter.
4. Brittany Bird, Grayson County, 5-3, guard, senior -- A fine scorer and passer has five years of experience.
5. Erin Adams, Ohio County, 5-11, forward, senior -- Look out if her basketball season is as good as soccer season was.
6. Heather Mitchell, Muhlenberg North, 5-8, guard, senior -- A good passer with 102 assists who can also score and rebound.
7. Rachel Cason, Apollo, 6-foot, forward, junior -- Her improvement last season was dramatic.
8. Ashley Prince, Owensboro, 6-foot, center, senior -- Could team with Howard to be dominant front-line force.
9. Courtney Jones, Muhlenberg South, 5-9, forward, senior -- Gives the Lady Suns athleticism and scoring on the inside.
10. Rachel Underwood, Muhlenberg North, 6-1, center, junior -- How she recovers from a knee injury will mean a lot.