By Mike Buchanan

 

Annapolis Area Christian ruled the IAAM C-Conference “X” Divison last year, going 15-1 in the regular season and capping it off with a win over Mount Carmel in the C finals at Goucher College. The Eagles, however, lost three starters to graduation and then took another hit recently when All-Conference center Alex Stelfox decided to transfer.

 

Two new coaches in this half of the conference are Sonya Howell at Beth Tfiloh and Bill Hartman at Key.

 

As for the race, several coaches polled gave the early inside track in the “X” to Lutheran and Beth Tfiloh.  Both finished with a record of 12-4 in the league last year, and hope to match that or better this year. 

 

Brent Johnson’s Lutheran Saints lost two starters in Ashley Canter in the middle and Allie Seymaour at the point, but return arguably the league’s top backcourt combo in All-Conference seniors Meghan Lepley and Rachael Keshishian.  That duo averaged nearly 26 points per game last season.

 

Beth Tfiloh, meanwhile, returns a solid core along with a well-oiled JV group that Howell coached last year to a 12-3 IAAM record. The Warriors also return one of the league’s top players in All-Conference guard Arielle Vogelstein. The Warriors lack size inside, but have definite speed and depth in the backcourt and will push the pace.

 

Pushing the projected front-runners will be St. Timothy’s and Anna[plis Area Christian.  STS, coming off a 7-9 league mark, has three returning starters In Lindsay Foster, Sammy Lichtenberg and Melissa Pearce, who combined for 19 points per game.  AACS lost starters Linzy Luzader, Kari McCuen and Jess Warren – as well as Stelfox – or about 65% of the offense, but Young has a number of athletic returnees, led by Danni Mink.

 

Oldfields, led by Kate Roesch, and Key, paced by Rae Pietkiewicz, will strive to improve on last year and push the other four teams.

 

Here is a quick run-down of the six teams:

 

ANNAPOLIS AREA CHRISTIAN

Coach:  Gary Young (2nd season)

Record 2006-07:  (15-1, 24-4)

Key Losses:  Three starters to graduation - Jess Warren, Kari McCuen and Linzy Luzader … plus one transfer – All-Conference C Alex Stelfox (15 ppg) transferred to Elizabeth Seton

Key Returnees:  Three – starter Danni Mink, and key reserves Amy Topp and Theresa Dark

Outlook:  Young, on this year’s Eagles, says “We will have to have inexperienced players learn quickly to be competitive.  I have five seniors, three juniors and three sophomores.  The only ones who received significant playing time were starter Danni Mink, first off the bench Amy Topp, and Theresa Dark.  We are excited about playing in our new gym at the Severn campus.”

 

BALTIMORE LUTHERAN

Coach:  Brent Johnson (4th season)

Record 2006-07:  (12-4, 15-10)

Key Losses:  Two – C Ashley Canter and G Allie Seymour

Key Returnees:  Four – SR G’s Meghan Lepley (14.2 ppg, 11.4 rpg) and Rachael Keshishian (11.3 ppg), Lindsay Hamilton (3 ppg) and Catherine Kennedy (2.4 ppg, 8.9 rpg)

Outlook:  “The losses of Canter and Seymour will hurt the Saints this season. SR F’s Janice Hejirika and Quinlin Porter and SO F Taylor Allen will have to continue to improve to make up for these losses. The Saints will rely on the duo of Lepley and Keshishian to keep the team competitive in the C Conference,” says Johnson.

 

BETH TFILOH

Coach:  Sonya Howell (1st season)

Record 2006-07:  (12-4, 19-8)

Key Losses:  Three – Samantha Richmond, Ali Copeland and Jenna Weinberg

Key Returnees:  Two – SR G Arielle Vogelstein and SR G Rachel Schulder

Outlook:  Howell, on this year’s Beth Tfiloh team, “The Warriors are starting a new with a new coach and six returning varsity players.  They will be led by two starting seniors, Arielle Vogelstein and Rachel Schulder, who I am looking to be leading forces on the court. Other players who will help are SR’s Ilana Spitz and Jen Marcus and JR’s Sara Hervitz and Judy Gersteinbiths.  Several players up from JV who will certainly make an impact are JR’s Michelle Safferman and  Lindsay Harris, and FR Jackie Lebau.  I am pleased with the make-up of our team going into the season.” 

 

KEY

Coach:  Bill Hartman (1st season)

Record 2006-07:  (1-15, 3-18)

Key Losses:  None

Key Returnees:  Three returning starters – Rae Pietkiewicz, Katy Bildahl and Katy Edwards

Outlook: New Coach Hartman will look to make the Obezags competitive in the conference.

 

OLDFIELDS

Coach:  Heather DeWees (4th season)

Record 2006-07:  (2-14, 2-15)

Key Losses:  One to graduation – Laura May; one to transfer – G Brittany Lewis (14.7 ppg)

Key Returnees:  Four – returning starters SR G/F Kate Roesch and SO G Kristen Johnson, and SO Lauren Roesch and SO C Marguerite Copeland

Outlook:  DeWees says “We will miss Lewis in the backcourt and May, our best outside threat; we will be young and enthusiastic, and hope to compete in the C.”

 

ST. TIMOTHY’S

Coach:  Mike Buchanan (2nd season)

Record 2006-07:  (7-9, 9-11)

Key Losses:  Two starters to graduation … F Nia Richardson (12.1 ppg, 11.6 rpg) and G Patty Sheahan (6.2 ppg, 3.3 apg)

Key Returnees:  Three starters… SR F Lindsay Foster (6.4 ppg, 6.8 rpg), SR G Sammy Lichtenberg (3.8 ppg) and SR G Melissa Pearce (7.7 ppg)

Outlook: “Will miss All-Conference forward Richardson, one of the top rebounders in the league, who averaged a double-double, and top defensive guard Sheahan ... the three senior Captain returnees above will have to lead the way ... Jr F Lizzy Rollo, SO F Delaney Lackey and SO F Caitlin Dill should all get quality minutes in post ... JR G's Maday Martinez, Taylor Pinnock, Ronnie Seeney and SO G Catherine Mudd should see quality minutes in the backcourt ... SR G’s Joy Kang and Nicole Royer and SO G Mollie Gillespie will push for minutes as well.  We will form a starting 10 and rotate two groups of five in and out, filling in the three alternates as needed, so that all 13 players get an opportunity to contribute to the total team effort,” Buchanan said of his team.