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Season half full for Warrior girls’ basketball team

Darin Olde, Tribune staff writer
Dan ThriftGeorge Whittell High coach Lindsay Wines directs Jenna Hayes while working on offensive plays during a Saturday morning practice in Zephyr Cove. The Warriors open their season a week from today vs. Smith Valley
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With a beefed-up preseason schedule and half of the varsity returning from last year, basketball coach Lindsay Wines sees the 2002 Warrior season as half full, not half empty.

Seniors Ashley Wines, Marie Peterson and Heather O’Brien return to guide the team. Jackie Laurian could be a key fourth senior, but she’s undergoing tests for mono to determine whether she will play this year.

Junior Jenna Hayes and sophomores Whitney Gielow and Anna Kingman are expected see significant playing time again this year. Also suiting up varsity are juniors Ashton Gibson and Katlin Willens.



In addition to the likely varsity band, which includes four sophomores, Wines may see a bright star in freshman Katrina Kacirek.

The news isn’t all good, however. Wines needs someone to fill O’Brien’s shoes, as she is still recovering from torn ligaments in her knee from fall soccer. As well, junior Elise Thomas did not return to the team this year, leaving a big hole.



But a strong group of underclassmen is coming up through the ranks from JV. Showing promise are sophomores Ariana Rodriguez and Katie Green.

Green is the largest player on the team at approximately 5-foot-10. She frequently racked up double digit points last year.

“I’m really excited,” Green said about her first year on varsity. “Last year was different. I was so much taller than everybody — by like four inches. This year, I’ll be competing with girls my own size.”

And then some.

Some 2A teams such as Hawthorne and Lovelock return outstanding players such as Sydney Orndorff and Dedi Jurinigan, who are expected to play Division I ball in college next year. The Serpents have won the 2A state championship two years in a row, and the 3A state championship three of the final four years they were in a larger division.

The varsity Warriors haven’t been strong in league play, and that league is only going to get tougher.

The NIAA dissolved the Northeastern League last year to beef up the Northern and Southern Leagues. New in the North are Battle Mountain, West Wendover and Silver Stage, the latter of which is new to basketball outright.

Tonopah and White Pine moved to the South.

The top six teams from the North qualify for zone. One minor exception could land the seventh-place team in zone, depending on the outcome of the Southern League standings.

That could help Whittell, which finished 0-8 last year in the North.

But Whittell started the 2001/2002 season by winning the Coleville tournament. The Warriors will go back to defend that title Dec. 6-7.

Wines said Whittell Athletic Director Brian Mehrer arranged a strong preseason for the Warriors, more so than in recent memory, which may help the team improve before league play heats up.

“We’ve got a long way to go, but a long time before league, so that should help,” Wines said.

Coach: Lindsay Wines, 12th year

Last year: 0-8 in league, 3-17 overall

Key returners: Ashley Wines, Marie Peterson, Jenna Hayes, Whitney Gielow and Anna Kingman

Key to success: Dedication, hard work, intensity and scoring down low to get open up top

Opener: vs. Smith Valley, Dec. 3 at home

Whittell High schedule

Date Place Opponent Time

12/3/02 Home Smith Valley 6 p.m.

12/6-7/02 Away Coleville Tournament TBA

12/10/02 Home Quincy 5 p.m.

12/11/02 Home North Tahoe 6:00 p.m.

12/17/02 Away North Tahoe 4:30 p.m.

12/20-21/02 Away VC (Comstock Classic) TBA

12/26-28/02 Away Manogue Tournament TBA

01/7/03 Away Incline 6 p.m.

01/9/03 Away Smith Valley 6 p.m.

01/10/03 Home Battle Mountain 6 p.m.

01/11/03 Home Silver Stage 5 p.m.

01/18/03 Home West Wendover 1 p.m

01/21/03 Away Lovelock 6 p.m.

01/24/03 Home Hawthorne 6 p.m.

01/25/03 Away Battle Mountain 3 p.m.

01/28/03 Home Incline 6 p.m.

01/31/03 Home Lovelock 6 p.m.

02/01/03 Away Silver Stage 4 p.m.

02/08/03 Away West Wendover 1:30 p.m.

02/14/03 Away Hawthorne 6 p.m.

02/20/03 TBA League Playoff TBA

02/26/03 Reno State Tournament TBA


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