Who will rule in OBC?

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Who will rule in OBC?

Sports

Wednesday, 01 December 2010 12:40

News-Gazette Photo/Andrew Sullivan

Dayana Rodriguez (30) joins her St. Cloud teammates to get pumped up before a recent game against Gateway.

Champ Poinciana will be challenged by several squads

By Ken Jackson
Sports Writer
Three county squads advanced to the regional playoffs last year, with Poinciana hosting as a district champion. The Eagles narrowly lost the Orange Belt Conference title to three-time champion Osceola.
That battle for the county title will be interesting this year, with the Eagles and Kowgirls joined in the fight by an experienced Celebration team and a St. Cloud team that may have finally found its identity after a few lean years.
Heritage Christian will again chase the Florida Christian Conference.
Osceola

The Kowgirls were 19-8, but ended a long string of playoff appearances, despite winning the OBC. Coach Barner Cooks watching several key seniors move on, including county Player of the Year Sarah DiLeonardo.
The team features only two seniors, but if Cooks is rebuilding, he’s doing it with talent.
“This will be the youngest team I have had here,” said Cooks, in his fourth season at OHS. “We will focus on getting better at each practice and game.”
Osceola’s strength will be in the post, with juniors Chanel Chillers (standing 5-11) and Iyanna Pryce (5-9) returning and senior Amber Paige (5-11) playing varsity for the first time. Sophomore Jasmine Ramos is another forward.
Senior Maria Lopez and freshman Montana Bass, who led the Kowgirls with 17 points in a 49-37 season-opening victory over Sebring, a District 5A-6 foe.
In that district, Winter Haven, Lake Wales and Haines City reside, making the road to the playoffs tough.
“But I prefer a challenge; you’re better for it if you get through,” Cooks said. “Hopefully, we will be able to compete for another Conference crown. Poinciana, Liberty and Celebration will probably be favored.”
St. Cloud
Chad Ansbaugh, the Lady Bulldogs’ sixth coach in six seasons, hopes to continue the positive steps the program made last year under Shanel Davidson.
“The overall win loss record did not reflect the gains, the girls lost several close games,” Ansbaugh said. “Our depth will help us break through in similar games this year.”
Unlike last year, there is depth. Seven players return from last year’s varsity roster: seniors Cierra Adams (forward/center), Jamie Brown (forward) and Dayana Rodriguez (guard) and juniors Alyssa Mediavilla (shooting guard), Nohemy Aguila (point guard), Anaya Reid (swing) and Jennifer Fullwood (forward).
The post will get a boost with the addition of 6-0 sophomore Sarah Sullivan and 5-11 freshman Kirsten Chambers. Seniors Ishanay Pacheco and freshman Seashell Sanchez also are newcomers.
“They will help us later in the year as they get used to the speed of varsity,” Ansbaugh said. “The best thing about this team is the chemistry that has been built in a short period of time.”
The Bulldogs started quick out of the gate with a 39-32 win over Liberty in OBC play to open the season.
Poinciana
The Eagles were 17-9 and claimed the school’s first-ever basketball district championship. Three starters return off that team: junior forward Kedesia Johnson and sophomore guards Brandii Walker and Geri Navarro, who as a freshman hit six three-pointers in the team’s 57-46 District 4A-7 championship win over Harmony.
Senior Felisha Lugo also saw varsity minutes last year, and sophomore Tralonnie Tisdale comes over from Liberty. The entire bench also is back from last year: Madijah Barnett, Derriyan Woodson, Ruth Cagiuas and Christina Jean Pierre.
Poinciana lost its regional playoff game to Leesburg, and Coach Jamerson Jones said he vowed not to be taken by surprise by a team like that again, so he’s beefed up the schedule with contending teams like the Yellow Jackets, Lake Wales and Dr. Phillips in their annual Christmas Tournament.
“Just getting to regionals isn’t good enough any more,” Jones said. “The bar’s been raised. The one voice is getting to Lakeland, and nobody on our team is saying different.”
Jones said he thinks his team can be in the hunt to win the OBC, the one award it hasn’t claimed.
“St. Cloud and Celebration are much improved, and Osceola always seems to put it together,” he said. “If we play well, we’ll be all right.”
Harmony
The Longhorns were 15-11 last year and made the school’s second regional playoff appearance under Coach Steve Smith, but Paul Strauch takes over the girls program as Smith switches the boys team with him.
Strauch’s team will be young. Juniors Nia Frederick and Megan Gilbert, post players, were varsity starters a year ago but they’re coming right off the volleyball court.
Seniors Tori Keelean, Yujandra Cardenas and Melissa Rivera should contribute. Freshmen Jodi Nestle and Katlyn Sparks round out the roster.
“We will be very young and inexperienced but hope to have made big strides by the end of the year,” Strauch said.
“Poinciana and Celebration look like the teams to beat in our district. St. Cloud will be well coached and play tough. Liberty and Osceola will be very tough county opponents.”
The Longhorns beat West Shore, 51-36 in their season opener.
Celebration
Coach Rob Mouchet returns the bulk of his starting lineup, including much of the scoring, and could quietly put together a county and district contender.
Senior point guard Julianna Milan averaged 17 points per game last year, and scored that many in a 48-41 season-opening win over Ocoee. Twin sister Monique Milan is a forward.
Mouchet also welcomes back senior forward Catherine Infantolino, junior guards Sami Romero, Alex Machecek and Christina Ricci and sophomore guard Gabby Ortiz.
Senior guard Jacquelynn Wilson, junior forward Gida Wilson and sophomore forward Shazaaya Liranzo are newcomers.
The Storm will challenge itself with other tough early-season opponents like Olympia and play in a tough Christmas tournament in Madison County.
“We should have a deep bench. The schedule should be challenging,” Mouchet said. “The top team in our county and district should be Poinciana. Coach Jones returns a very talented team.”
The Storm took the early lead in the OBC with a 52-49 win at Osceola on Monday, breaking the Kowgirls’ three-year unbeaten streak in the conference.
Gateway
The Panthers had a 14-11 record, the school’s best ever, which earned them the school’s first playoff spot. They’ll have to come together quickly to do it again, as four starters graduated.
Senior center Jovanna Smith, who averaged a double-double during the last half of the season, is back. Sophomore forward Tiffany Charneco played a lot of minutes last year off the bench.
Beyond that, the varsity roster is made up of newcomers or those who played limited minutes last year. They are sophomore guards Jamie Olivo and Jelisha Peterman and junior wing Maya Nelson. Sophomore Amanda Lopez transferred from Miami and may get into the mix at guard.
Coach Steve Robertson said the young team may take some lumps early, but will be better for it later on in District 6A-6 with defending champion Vero Beach, Palm Bay Bayside, Treasure Coast and Centennial. The Panthers don’t play a district game until Jan. 7.
“By January, everybody should be used to each other and be ready to compete for regionals again,” he said. “Vero Beach lost a lot like we did. Centennial and Treasure Coast should come back strong. I think we’ll be in the race.”
Gateway claimed its first OBC win of the year with a 57-53 victory over St. Cloud.
Liberty
Coach Ramses Kelly returns all five starters from last year, and hopes to quietly sneak up on the county powers and those in District 5A-5.
“We’ve got confidence after winning the Midnight Summer League,” Kelly said. “Now we have to translate that into the regular season.”
Seniors Ineliz Otero and Yaritza Tejada and junior Kelila Naules are the guards. Senior Stephanie Docsol and junior Kjordan Olivo are forwards.
Juniors Shanice Smith, Chantel Bridges and Cassandra Tabules will come off the bench.
Kelly doesn’t have a notion of how the Chargers will end up, but be said they will be competitive all season, as shown by a narrow loss on the road last year at eventual district champion Winter Haven.
“We just ran out of gas in that one,” he said. “We’ve got to play within ourselves and be disciplined, especially because we’re young off the bench. I’m confident we’ll be all right.”
Heritage Christian
Graduation and transfers cost the Eagles all of their starters from last year. Coach Butch Wike has six players from last year’s roster back: Centers Megan Lima and Camila Belo, forwards Bethany Jarrell and Maria Escobar, and guards Catherine Ortiz and Abby Daiuto.
Forward Laura Oritz and guard Kalie Kleinhans are new and will come off the bench.
Wike said that quickness, rather than height, is the team’s strength.
“We’re going to press a lot, we’ll try that until teams break it,” he said.
New Dimensions
The Tigers, for the first time, are fielding a girls team, coached by Jodi Joostberns.
Senior D.J. Pitter, junior Jessie Maldonado and freshman Josephina Vega are among the first Lady Tigers.