Girls Basketball: WRC Preview

By Eric Eaton
HoosierAuthority.com

Led by their 5’1” point guard Meghan Doss, the Turkey Run Warriors no doubt surprised some people last season when they went undefeated in the Wabash River Conference at 7-0 and upset the two-time defending conference champion Attica Red Ramblers which featured Indiana's Miss Basketball, Brittany Rayburn.

Well Doss, who averaged 11.6 ppg last season, returns for her senior season this year, which should make the Warriors prohibitive favorites to repeat as conference champs.

Turkey Run, which will attempt to win back-to back sectional titles for the first time since 1983, is by no means a one person show though.

In fact, the Warriors have a fine post player in 5’10” sophomore Adrianne Francis, who averaged 10 points and 8 rebounds a game as a freshman.

Incidentally, Adrianne is joined on the team by her two twin sisters Chelsea and Meghan, who are both 5’7”.

If you’re looking for a dark horse contender who could quite possibly challenge for a top-3 conference finish, you might want to take a look at Fountain Central.

The Mustangs graduated three starters and nearly 30 points per game from a squad that went 10-12 last season. However, the offseason move-in of 5’8’ senior guard Natalie Robinson from North Montgomery should help to offset some of the production from the departed players. Robinson, who averaged nearly 12 points a game last season, was a three-year letter winner for North Montgomery.

Attica, which finished 15-7 last season, and joined Turkey Run (19-6) as the only two conference schools to post winning campaigns during 2007-08, will likely go through a rebuilding year under first-year coach Matt Harmeson after losing nearly 30 ppg to graduation in the previously mentioned Rayburn. Besides Rayburn though, nine other Red Rambler ball players departed after last season due to graduation.

In other coaching news: Josh Douglas succeeds Kyle Kersey as head coach of the Riverton Parke Panthers and Jeff McCoy takes over for Jim Foster at Rockville.

Here’s a capsule look at all eight conference schools for the 2008-09 season

Attica
Coach: Matt Harmeson
Record last season: 15-7 (5-2 WRC, T2nd place)
2008 State Tournament: lost to Turkey Run 37-29 in the semifinals of the 1A Covington sectional
Key graduation losses: Brittany Rayburn (Purdue); averaged 28.8 ppg and was named 2008 Indiana Miss Basketball, Steffi Rayburn, Kylee Troika, and Mary Mattern
Returning starters: 0
Top players:
Kayla Allison, Sr.
Kasey Randles, Sr.

Covington
Coach: Troy Bever
Record last season: 6-14 (3-4 WRC, 5th place)
2008 State Tournament: lost to Rockville 46-30 in the semifinals of the 1A Covington Sectional
Key graduation losses: Holly Paris, Hannah Clingan, and Brittany Smith
Returning starters: 2
Top players:
G-Whitney Allen: 5’8”, Sr. (averaged 13 ppg last season)
G-Taryn Kellams: 5’5”, Sr.
C-Chelsea Cates: 5’11”, So.

Fountain Central
Coach: Brad Odom
Record Last season: 10-12 (5-2 WRC, T2nd place)
2008 State Tournament: lost to Carroll (Flora) 64-58 in the championship game of the 2A Clinton Central Sectional
Key graduation losses: Kelsey Everett, Katie Hesler, Kylie Hesler, and Katie Rice
Returning starters: 2
Top players:
G-Natalie Robinson: 5’8”, Sr. (move-in from North Montgomery where she averaged 11.9 ppg last season)
G-Megan Robinson: 5’4”, Jr.

North Vermillion
Coach: Terry Naylor
Record last season: 5-16 (1-6 WRC, T7th place)
2008 State Tournament: lost to Attica 43-28 in the quarterfinals of 1A Covington Sectional
Key graduation losses: Whitney Davis and Kelly Yoho
Returning starters: 3
Top players:
G-Derryn Axtell: 5’6” Sr.
F-Hillary Lively: 5’10” Jr. (averaged 10 ppg and 10 rpg last season)

Riverton Parke
Coach: Josh Douglass
Record last season: 4-17 (1-6 WRC, T7th place)
Key graduation losses: Amy Wheeler and Chelsy Riggen
Returning starters: 3
Top players:
G-Whitney Mathas: 5’4”, Jr.
G-Rosa Gossett: 5’’7”, Jr.
F-Hannah Byers: 5’9”, Jr.
F-Makenzie Haltom: 5’10”, Jr.

Rockville
Coach: Jeff McCoy
Record last season: 7-15 (2-5 WRC, 6th place)
2008 State Tournament: lost to Turkey Run 53-37 in the championship game of the 1A Covington Sectional
Key graduation losses: Chelsie Stout and Hannah Flaurr
Top players:
F-Kiernan McMullen: 5’9” Sr. (averaged 14.0 ppg and 7.3 rpg last season)

Seeger
Coach: Brent Rademacher
Record last season: 9-12 (4-3 WRC, 4th place)
2008 State Tournament: lost to Fountain Central 50-43 in the semifinals of the 2A Clinton Central Sectional
Returning starters: 1
Key graduation losses: Heather Stivers, Faith Foxworthy, Kayla Allison, Amanda Allison, and Laci Craven
Top players:
G-Brianna Hensley: 5’4”, Jr. (averaged 6.2 ppg last season)
C-Madison Tarter: 5’9”, Sr. (averaged 6.5 ppg and 7.9 rpg last season)

Turkey Run
Coach: Sam Karr
Record last season: 19-6 (7-0 WRC, 1st place)
2008 State Tournament: lost to Southern Wells 35-30 in the championship game of the 1A Tri-Central Regional
Key graduation losses: Sarah Patton
Returning starters: 4
Top players:
G-Meghan Doss: 5’1”, Sr. (committed to Vincennes University; averaged 11.6 ppg and
5.4 apg last season)
G-Chelsea Newnum: 5’4”, So. (averaged 8.4 ppg last season)
G-Chelsea Francis: 5’7”, So. (averaged 6.6 ppg, 4.2 rpg, and 3.9 apg last season)
C-Adrianne Francis: 5’10”, So. (averaged 10.0 ppg and 8.2 rpg last season)

Conference Overview
“Graduation has hurt some schools, but Turkey Run is the top team returning in the conference. After that: Rockville, North Vermillion, and Fountain Central should come in next.” – Covington coach Troy Bever

“The WRC is to be very weak from top to bottom. Turkey Run should be the team to beat, but don't overlook Fountain Central and Rockville. Turkey Run is led by Vincennes bound Megan Doss and she is surrounded by a bunch of talented sophomores. Rockville has Kiernan McMullen that should lead them, and don't forget about my big girl, Hillary Lively.” – North Vermillion coach Terry Naylor