Published: November 10, 2009 11:28 pm         

Girls Prep Basketball Previews: Wabash River Conference teams have lofty goals heading into season

Hope springs eternal for all girls high school basketball teams prior to their season openers. Expectations of winning seasons, winning a conference title, postseason glory …

The four Wabash River Conference teams — Turkey Run, Rockville, Riverton Parke and North Vermillion — in the Tribune-Star coverage area this year have all set lofty goals.

A talented influx of incoming freshmen at three of the schools is the basis for this optimism. The fourth is a two-time sectional champion, stacked with juniors from a strong freshmen contingent from two years ago.

These four teams have not had winning seasons the same year, according to historical data on the IHSAA Web site dating back to the 2000-01 season.

The closest occurrence was three winning teams in the 2000-01 and 2001-02 seasons, the exception being Riverton Parke. The Panthers did come close with eight and nine wins in those two seasons, respectively.

Those teams featured some excellent talent. To wit, Brigett Branson (Turkey Run, later played at Indiana University), Allison and Ashley Hughes (North Vermillion, later played at St. Joseph’s), Courtney Veach and Jessica Stewart (Rockville, later played at Evansville).

Since then, there have been three years of just one winning team, three years of no winning teams. Last year, there were two — Turkey Run and North Vermillion — with the Rox finishing at the .500 mark.

What has everyone excited this season? Previews of the four WRC teams follow:

• Turkey Run — Turkey Run has enjoyed success the past two years with a 40-9 record (21-3 in 2008-09), two sectional titles and two regional appearances. Its success was buoyed by a strong freshman class two years ago, now a strong junior class — all starters this year.

But while the Warriors have a young yet veteran group returning, they will miss the leadership of graduated senior Meaghan Doss, who has taken her point guard skills to Vincennes University.

“It will be hard to replace someone like [Doss]. We’ll struggle with that aspect of the team … she was the heart and soul of our team,” admitted coach Sam Karr.

Karr’s all-junior lineup consists of 5-foot-9 Chelsea Francis, 5-10 Adrianne Francis, 5-7 Jordan Hunt, 5-6 Chelsea Newnum and 5-6 Shelby Davies. Chelsea Francis, one of a set of triplets, will take over Doss’s role at point guard.

“[Point guard] will be new for her. By the end of the year we will have her where we’ll like her to be,” Karr said.

Adrianne Francis, a second triplet, will be in the post again, but will start the season on the injured list with a broken hand. Karr said her best case scenario is missing two weeks.

Hunt was the first player off the bench last year and will be a shooting guard this year. She scored 16 points in a regional game. Newnum is currently “about 90-percent” recovered from a ACL injury suffered during last year’s sectional.

Davies is the team’s defensive stopper. “You can’t teach what she does … gets all the loose balls,” says Karr.

A top reserve is 5-10 senior Logan Cox. Cox will replace Adrianne Francis in the starting lineup until her return.

Another key reserve is 5-8 senior Tiffany Marshall. She started as a freshman, led the team in scoring a few times as a sophomore, but sat out last year with an ACL injury.

Providing depth from last year’s junior varsity team is 5-7 junior Meaghan Francis, the third triplet. “A different player thus far … could start against certain teams. She will get a lot on minutes,” Karr said. Also in the mix is 5-7 sophomore Hayley Cox.

“Replacing the point guard position is the biggest thing we’re addressing,” Karr said. “We’ll be a little different this year, not as much up and down the floor. We will be a better rebounding team and better in our half-court offense.”

• Rockville — The success of the Rox (10-10 last year) falls to a pair of returning juniors, both committed to play at the Division I level in sports other than basketball.

Beth Mahurin will play volleyball at Indiana State, while Lindsey Greene will play softball at Illinois State. “Basketball is the second thing for them, but they are very good,” stated Rox coach Jeff McCoy.

Mahurin and Greene were all-WRC performers last year. Mahurin, a 6-2 center, ranked in the top 10 in Indiana in blocks and in the top 25 in rebounding. The 5-7 Greene will handle the point guard duties.

The other three starters will be 5-7 Hillary Woodard, 5-5 sophomore Jerica Carrington and one those aforementioned freshmen, 5-8 Raeann Sutherlin. “Plays like a sophomore or junior,” McCoy said of Sutherlin.

Providing depth is 5-5 sophomore Megan Rice, 5-6 sophomore Chelsea Tucker, 5-7 freshman Jennifer Lee, 5-9 senior — the only senior — Scheyanna White and 5-8 sophomore Kelsey Sandusky.

“Our incoming freshman class is talented and adds depth to the team,” McCoy noted.

“This will be a sectional to watch. We could have a state contender down the line. We also toughened up our schedule, adding Terre Haute South and Clinton Prairie. South was gracious enough to play us at home (Nov. 19) this year.”

• North Vermillion — After a Class A state championship (2001-02) and a runner-up finish (2002-03), the Falcons fell on hard times. How hard? Winning just eight games over the next four years.

But coach Terry Naylor began his tenure at NV last year and led them to a respectable 14-9 record. He’s excited normally, but is pleased to have four returning starters along with the addition of at least seven quality freshmen players.

The excitement and buzz around the Falcons’ team is the freshmen group, having gone undefeated the past two years. But more on them later.

The four returning starters are 5-11 senior Hillary Lively, junior Bethany Chew, 5-8 junior Kylee West and 5-8 senior Taylor Poynter. Another returnee is 5-8 sophomore Casey West.

The top trio of these freshmen include 5-6 Taylor Turchi, 5-10 Darby Martin and 5-6 Mikayla Kinneer.

“We should be better defensively, a lot quicker,” Naylor predicted. “Offensively, we’ll be a lot more of a threat outside. Our girls really compete with each other, which makes for good practices.

“Our goals are simple. Win conference, win sectional. It’s not out of our reach to win the conference. Turkey Run is good, but we match up pretty well. I look for a successful year. It’s not unattainable to win 17, 18 games.”

• Riverton Parke — “We have a good mix of young and old … five freshmen and only two seniors,” said coach Josh Douglass. The Panthers were 3-17 last year.

When asked the heights of his players, Douglass stated he has three players listed at 5-10 and one at 5-3. “The rest are all 5-6 or 5-7, all pretty much the same height,” he laughed.

Returnees with the most experience include 5-10 senior Makenzie Haltom, 5-10 senior Hannah Byers, 5-10 sophomore Elizabeth Dickey, sophomore Sheldan Falls and junior Chelsea Dailey.

Two expected to fill the point guard spot are sophomore Sarah Burnham and freshman Sarah Dickey.

Other contributors are expected to be senior foreign exchange student Fran Buehler, juniors Randi Cookus and Ashley Kinne and sophomores Taylor Mannisinne and Fawn Mitchell.

The Panthers also have a strong freshman class, including the aforementioned Sarah Dickey, Paige Yando, Mackenzie Pollard, 5-3 Kori Wood and Ashley Carvin.

“We have tons of guards,” Douglass said. “We were happy to compete last year. This year we expect to win. We should battle for sectional. We think we can win 10, 12, maybe 14 games. We’re keeping our fingers crossed.”



North Vermillion Wildcats

Tuesday — Southmont, 7:30 p.m.

Friday, Saturday — Banks of Wabash Tournament, TBA

Nov. 20 — Westville (Ill.), 7:30 p.m.

Nov. 24 — Turkey Run*, 7:30 p.m.

Dec. 1 — Seeger*, 8 p.m.

Dec. 10 — Fountain Central, 8 p.m.

Dec. 15 — North Putnam, 7:30 p.m.

Dec. 17 — Attica, 7:30 p.m.

Dec. 30 — South Putnam Tournament, TBA

Jan. 7 — Riverton Parke*, 7:30 p.m.

Jan. 9 — Fountain Central*, 2:30 p.m.

Jan. 12 — Attica*, 7:30 p.m.

Jan. 14 — West Vigo, 7:30 p.m.

Jan. 19 — South Vermillion, 8 p.m.

Jan. 21 — Covington*, 7:30 p.m.

Jan. 30 —at Georgetown-Ridgefarm (Ill.), 1:30 p.m.

Feb. 2 — Rockville*, 7:30 p.m.

Feb. 6 — North Central (Farmersburg), 6 p.m.

*Wabash River Conference game



Riverton Parke Panthers

Friday, Saturday — Banks of Wabash Tournament, TBA

Nov. 17 — Northview, 7:30 p.m.

Nov. 20 — Rockville*, 7:30 p.m.

Nov. 24 — Covington*, 7:30 p.m.

Dec. 1 — Cloverdale, 7:30 p.m.

Dec. 3 — Clay City, 7:30 p.m.

Dec. 7 — Shakamak, 7:30 p.m.

Dec. 10 — Seeger*, 8 p.m.

Dec. 15 — Turkey Run*, 7:30 p.m.

Dec. 18 — South Vermillion, 8 p.m.

Jan. 7 — North Vermillion*, 7:30 p.m.

Jan. 11 — Union (Dugger), 7:30 p.m.

Jan. 13 — South Putnam, 7:30 p.m.

Jan. 16 — Southmont, 1:30 p.m.

Jan. 19 — Covington*, 7:30 p.m.

Jan. 22 — North Central (Farmersburg), 7:30 p.m.

Jan. 26 — West Vigo, 7:30 p.m.

Jan. 28 — Fountain Central*, 7:30 p.m.

Feb. 2 — Attica*, 7:30 p.m.

*Wabash River Conference game

Rockville Rox

Tuesday — South Putnam, 7:30 p.m.

Friday, Saturday — Banks of Wabash Tournament, TBA

Nov. 19 — Terre Haute South, 7:30 p.m.

Nov. 20 — Riverton Parke*, 7:30 p.m.

Nov. 23 — Clay City, 7:30 p.m.

Dec. 1 — Southmont, 7:30 p.m.

Dec. 3 — North Putnam, 7:30 p.m.

Dec. 5 — Clinton Prairie, 2:30 p.m.

Dec. 12 — Indianapolis Metropolitan, 1:30 p.m.

Dec. 15 — Seeger*, 7:30 p.m.

Dec. 17 — Greencastle, 8 p.m.

Jan. 5 — South Vermillion, 7:30 p.m.

Jan. 7 — Turkey Run*, 7:30 p.m.

Jan. 14 — Covington*, 7:30 p.m.

Jan. 19 — Cloverdale, 7:30 p.m.

Jan. 21 — Fountain Central*, 7:30 p.m.

Jan. 25 — Attica*, 7:30 p.m.

Jan. 28 — North Central (Farmersburg), 7:30 p.m.

Feb. 2 — North Vermillion*, 7:30 p.m.

*Wabash River Conference game



Turkey Run Warriors

Tuesday — Terre Haute North, 7:30 p.m.

Friday, Saturday — Banks of Wabash Tournament, TBA

Nov. 17 — Crawfordsville, 7:30 p.m.

Nov. 24 — North Vermillion*, 7:30 p.m.

Dec. 3 — Southmont, 7:30 p.m.

Dec. 8 — Attica*, 7:30 p.m.

Dec. 15 — Riverton Parke*, 7:30 p.m.

Dec. 17 — Covington*, 7:30 p.m.

Dec. 29-30 — Vincennes Rivet Tournament, TBA

Jan. 7 — Rockville*, 7:30 p.m.

Jan. 9 — North Central (Farmersburg), 11:30 am,

Jan. 14 — South Vermillion, 8 p.m.

Jan. 16 — Fountain Central*, 2:30 p.m.

Jan. 19 — Benton Central, 7:30 p.m.

Jan. 21 — Seeger*, 7:30 p.m.

Jan. 23 — Greencastle, 2:30 p.m.

Jan. 26 — North Putnam, 7:30 p.m.

Feb. 4 — North Montgomery, 7:30 p.m.

*Wabash River Conference game