December 12, 2002

Delaware's Polytech on the prowl

Frick's Picks by George Frick

The 2002-03 basketball season didn't start off the way Polytech High's girls coach, "Jumbo John" O'Connor, hoped it would. The astute and affable O'Connor, the Panthers' athletic director and head gals' mentor rolled into one, watched in distress as his veteran team - one that GF and oodles of others believe is destined for the state's "Final Four" in February - lost to the defending girls' titleists, St. Mark's 50-36 Tuesday at P-Tech.

It wasn't so much that the Panthers lost to the visiting Spartans, the heavy choice to repeat as No. 1, it's the way they did it ... with an uncharacteristic plethora of turnovers, quick shots and, well, the young ladies just weren't "cool."

But, tonight they have a chance to right themselves against one of their most likely Henlopen North Conference challengers (along with Seaford and Sussex Tech). Coach Bill "V for" Victory's Caesar Rodney Riders, who, despite an eight-point opening win at Cape Henlopen Wednesday, were also a bit sluggish.

The Panthers, who went on a winning "prowl" on their way to the state semifinals (The Final Four!) last winter behind superstar Tyresa Smith, a first-team All-Stater, have senior "Smitty" back along with other senior standouts; 5-foot-7-inch Dena Dempster, an All-State honorable mention in 2001-02 who is striving to go higher, and solid 5-foot-11-inch rebounding center, Kim Rowley.

In addition, John "O" has a pair of rangy juniors, 5-9 Nikki Hayes and 5-10 Andrea Harper and two 5-5 senior backcourters, Jackie Graves and Erica Freeman, speedsters who know their roles as spark plugs to ignite O'Connor's high-powered offense.

After having eagerly awaited this season's start-up, O'Connor is confident his lithesome young ladies "will be all right" starting tonight.

CR, which will take the short bus ride from Camden to Woodside, has a true scoring machine in 6-foot-2-inch sophomore Micki Younger who is set up nicely by that Rider tri-sport bundle of energy, 5-foot-3-inch guard Katie Miller, who also leads the way in assists on both the soccer field and volleyball court.

Also seeing plenty of action for the veteran Victory's young squad are junior guard Trish Millner; a couple of flashy freshman "finds," forward Nakia Anderson and Jaimie Brittingham; senior forward Erin Shonewolf; junior front courter Marquia Reed; twin second-year guards Monet and Tiana Carty and the backcourt soph with the songbird sounding name, Sonsecharae Everson.

Quizzed briefly about his girls during a change of classes at CR Thursday, Billy V. smiled and said, "They're young and very athletic. They'll be in the thick of things." Sooo, the stage is set; tipoff time, shortly after 7 p.m.