Published: November 10, 2009 12:02 am         

Girls Prep Basketball Previews: S. Vermillion, Sullivan look to improve in 2009-10

South Vermillion and Sullivan took some lumps in girls high school basketball last season, scuffling around in the lower half of the Western Indiana Conference standings and finishing with identical 4-17 records.

That’s liable to change this winter.

The Wildcats continued to improve last season, even if their record didn’t always show it, and they did so with a lineup sprinkled liberally with freshmen. Those players are a year older and a year wiser now.

“At the end of the year we started to look a little better,” coach Tim Terry said recently. “We’re already ahead of last year.”

Coach Julie Meeks of Sullivan will be using some freshmen — and no seniors — this year, but not from a position of weakness. The Golden Arrow ninth-graders didn’t lose a game last year — few foes of that team could even make it close — and at least a couple of them are varsity-ready.

• South Vermillion — The fact that Allie Milam led the Wildcats in scoring and rebounding last season is something of a mixed blessing for Terry’s team.

Yes Milam, a senior and a three-year regular, is one of the best players in the WIC. She’s also 5-foot-4, however, which illustrates one of the main challenges the Wildcats face.

“They’re not very tall, but they’re pretty scrappy,” Terry said of his players. “We’ll have to block out well and play good defense.”

Three other starters return for the Wildcats: 5-6 senior Lauren Samuelson, 5-9 junior Jalen Brower and 5-4 junior Mandy Kelly. Samuelson, another player with plenty of experience, and Kelly, the Wildcats’ best female distance runner, figure to be the starting backcourt with Brower at center.

A third senior, 5-11 Alex McMasters, has returned after not playing basketball a year ago. Her height alone gives her an opportunity to contribute, but otherwise the battle for playing time is among seven sophomores — 5-7 Kenzi Cheesewright, 5-7 Kendall Kirby, 5-6 Gretchen Riggen and 5-7 Brittani Wright up front and 5-0 Ashley Farrington, 5-1 Jessie Lubovich and 5-4 Morgan Samuelson in the backcourt.

It’s a group Terry is happy to go to battle with, which he will tonight in the season opener against Seeger.

“I feel good because of their work ethic,” he concluded.

• Sullivan — The Golden Arrows won nine straight games in a two-day tournament at Robinson, Ill., this summer and wondered afterward why their coach was so excited.

“I told them, ‘You just won nine games. That’s more than we won the last two years,’ ” said Meeks, whose Arrows were also 4-17 during the 2007-2008 season.

Don’t expect Sullivan to stop at four victories this season — or nine either, most likely.

The Golden Arrows have five juniors, all of whom have been starters at one time or another, and a sophomore who came on strong at the end of last season. And they add two freshmen who bring ingredients that complement the other six players perfectly — the ability to score, and the confidence from being consistent winners.

The veterans are 5-4 Joscelyn Mann at guard; 5-5 Delaney Gadberry and 5-5 Kelsey Burr at guard or forward (Gadberry was a double-figure rebounder in Saturday’s scrimmage against Class A powerhouse Vincennes Rivet); and 5-9 Lara Benningfield and 5-8 Lane Bond up front. Bond has an injury issue right now, but the Arrows don’t have a game until they meet South Vermillion on Nov. 19.

The sophomore is 5-6 Sierra Walters, who adds strength and an aggressive mind-set.

Don’t be surprised if the two freshmen lead the team in scoring a few times, however.

Rhagen Smith’s debut is much anticipated, particularly after her brother Rhett stepped in as a freshman star with the Sullivan boys team last winter, and she is 6-1 and strong. Caelan Jones is 5-2 and fearless, ready to run the offense and be the team’s best 3-point shooter — unless Smith is.

“We can win a lot of games this year,” Meeks said after seeing her team scrimmage.



Sullivan schedule

Nov. 19 — South Vermillion (WIC), 7:30 p.m.

Nov. 20 — At Washington, 7:30 p.m.

Nov. 24 — At Terre Haute South, 7:30 p.m.

Dec. 1 — At West Vigo (WIC), 7:30 p.m.

Dec. 5 — North Central, 12:30 p.m.

Dec. 10 — Terre Haute North, 7:30 p.m.

Dec. 12 — At Brown County (WIC), 2:30 p.m.

Dec. 14 — At Shakamak, 7:30 p.m.

Dec. 17 — Evansville Harrison, 8 p.m.

Dec. 19 — Bloomfield, 2:30 p.m.

Dec. 22 — At Edgewood (WIC), 6 p.m.

Dec. 29-30 — At Vincennes Rivet Tournament, TBA

Jan. 7 — At South Knox, 7:30 p.m.

Jan. 14 — Vincennes Lincoln, 7:30 p.m.

Jan. 18 — North Knox, 7:30 p.m.

Jan. 21 — At Clay City, 7:30 p.m.

Jan. 29 — Northview (WIC), 6 p.m.

Feb. 2 — North Daviess, 7:30 p.m.

Feb. 5 — At Owen Valley (WIC), 6:30 p.m.

WIC — denotes Western Indiana Conference game



Sullivan roster

Player Ht. Yr.

Lara Benningfield 5-9 Jr.

Lane Bond 5-8 Jr.

Kelsey Burr 5-5 Jr.

Delaney Gadberry 5-5 Jr.

Joscelyn Mann 5-4 Jr.

Sierra Walters 5-6 So.

Caelan Jones 5-2 Fr.

Rhagen Smith 6-1 Fr.



S. Vermillion schedule

Today — Seeger, 7:30 p.m.

Wednesday — vs. Terre Haute South in HI-99/Terre Haute Savings Bank Classic at West Vigo, 6 p.m.

Friday and Saturday — HI-99/Terre Haute Savings Bank Classic at West Vigo, TBA

Nov. 19 — At Sullivan (WIC), 7:30 p.m.

Nov. 24 — At North Putnam, 7:30 p.m.

Dec. 1 — At Attica, 7:30 p.m.

Dec. 4 — At West Vigo (WIC), 6 p.m.

Dec. 8 — At South Putnam, 7:30 p.m.

Dec. 11 — Owen Valley (WIC), 6:30 p.m.

Dec. 15 — Covington, 7:30 p.m.

Dec. 18 — At Riverton Parke, 6:30 p.m.

Jan. 5 — Rockville, 7:30 p.m.

Jan. 14 — Turkey Run, 8 p.m.

Jan. 16 — Cloverdale, 2:30 p.m.

Jan. 19 — At North Vermillion, 8 p.m.

Jan. 22 — At Northview (WIC), 6 p.m.

Jan. 26 — At Edgewood (WIC), 7:30 p.m.

Jan. 30 — Brown County (WIC), 3 p.m.

Feb. 2 — Terre Haute North, 7:30 p.m.

Feb. 4 — Cascade, 7:30 p.m.

WIC — denotes Western Indiana Conference game



S. Vermillion roster

Player Ht. Yr.

Alex McMasters 5-11 Sr.

Allie Milam 5-4 Sr.

Lauren Samuelson 5-6 Sr.

Jalen Brower 5-9 Jr.

Mandy Kelly 5-4 Jr.

Kenzi Cheesewright 5-7 So.

Ashley Farrington 5-0 So.

Kendall Kirby 5-7 So.

Jessie Lubovich 5-1 So.

Gretchen Riggen 5-6 So.

Morgan Samuelson 5-4 So.

Brittani Wright 5-7 So.