Lady Tigers Boast Youth, Experience
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
By Dale [email protected]
The fourth-year Warsaw Community High School girls basketball coach also knows her team is talented and experienced.
"We have three seniors on our team, a few juniors, and the rest are sophomores," said Harter, whose Lady Tigers were 11-10 overall and 3-4 in the Northern Lakes Conference last year. "We're still young, but one advantage we have over last year is we're experienced, and all 11 kids on my varsity team can play. We're young, but we have talent and experience."
Warsaw graduated just one player from last season's team – Kayla Stout, who led the team in scoring (15 ppg) and rebounding (8 rpg).
"Losing Kayla's scoring and rebounding leaves a big hole for us," said Harter, whose team opens the season Saturday at Huntington North. "We have some girls who can step up and fill that role. Jennifer Walker-Crawford and Sarah Heagy have both improved, and we have some other girls who will do a good job on the board. We have a hole to fill, but I think we're gonna be OK."
The Lady Tigers' roster includes seniors Madison Davis, Lauren Burish and Heagy; juniors Sarah Ray, Melanie Holladay, Lindsay Baker and Walker Crawford; and sophomores Ashley Ousley, Eryn Leek, Brooklyn Harrison and Nikki Grose.
Heagy is the leading returnee, at least statistically, having averaged nearly nine points and eight rebounds per game last season.
Baker averaged eight points a year ago, while Walker-Crawford and Burish added five points per contest.
"One nice thing about this team is that all 11 girls can play," said Harter. "I think we're gonna have some balance, and we want to play solid defense. That's going to be the key for us."
Harter's teams – whether it be the past three varsity squads or the junior varsity teams she coached for 17 years – have always been defensive-minded and played hard.
Harter's 2011-2012 varsity squad boasts some height, as Walker-Crawford, Heagy and Grose are all listed on the roster at 6-foot-1 and Baker at 6-0.
"Jennifer Walker-Crawford grew over the summer, and Heagy shot up over the summer," Harter said when asked about her team's height and length. "We hope to control the boards. We have some height."
Following Saturday's season-opener at Huntington North, the Lady Tigers play at 2011 Class 2A state runner-up and current No. 1 Fort Wayne Bishop Luers on Tuesday, and then at county rival Tippecanoe Valley on Nov. 18.
Warsaw opens NLC play Dec. 10 at Plymouth.
"That's one thing we're really looking for," Harter said when asked about the NLC. "It's always our goal to win the conference. Elkhart Memorial is going to be a tough team. NorthWood is going to be a strong team. Those two teams are going to be really good, and you can't count Northridge out, or Wawasee. I think it's going to be another great year in the NLC."[[In-content Ad]]
The fourth-year Warsaw Community High School girls basketball coach also knows her team is talented and experienced.
"We have three seniors on our team, a few juniors, and the rest are sophomores," said Harter, whose Lady Tigers were 11-10 overall and 3-4 in the Northern Lakes Conference last year. "We're still young, but one advantage we have over last year is we're experienced, and all 11 kids on my varsity team can play. We're young, but we have talent and experience."
Warsaw graduated just one player from last season's team – Kayla Stout, who led the team in scoring (15 ppg) and rebounding (8 rpg).
"Losing Kayla's scoring and rebounding leaves a big hole for us," said Harter, whose team opens the season Saturday at Huntington North. "We have some girls who can step up and fill that role. Jennifer Walker-Crawford and Sarah Heagy have both improved, and we have some other girls who will do a good job on the board. We have a hole to fill, but I think we're gonna be OK."
The Lady Tigers' roster includes seniors Madison Davis, Lauren Burish and Heagy; juniors Sarah Ray, Melanie Holladay, Lindsay Baker and Walker Crawford; and sophomores Ashley Ousley, Eryn Leek, Brooklyn Harrison and Nikki Grose.
Heagy is the leading returnee, at least statistically, having averaged nearly nine points and eight rebounds per game last season.
Baker averaged eight points a year ago, while Walker-Crawford and Burish added five points per contest.
"One nice thing about this team is that all 11 girls can play," said Harter. "I think we're gonna have some balance, and we want to play solid defense. That's going to be the key for us."
Harter's teams – whether it be the past three varsity squads or the junior varsity teams she coached for 17 years – have always been defensive-minded and played hard.
Harter's 2011-2012 varsity squad boasts some height, as Walker-Crawford, Heagy and Grose are all listed on the roster at 6-foot-1 and Baker at 6-0.
"Jennifer Walker-Crawford grew over the summer, and Heagy shot up over the summer," Harter said when asked about her team's height and length. "We hope to control the boards. We have some height."
Following Saturday's season-opener at Huntington North, the Lady Tigers play at 2011 Class 2A state runner-up and current No. 1 Fort Wayne Bishop Luers on Tuesday, and then at county rival Tippecanoe Valley on Nov. 18.
Warsaw opens NLC play Dec. 10 at Plymouth.
"That's one thing we're really looking for," Harter said when asked about the NLC. "It's always our goal to win the conference. Elkhart Memorial is going to be a tough team. NorthWood is going to be a strong team. Those two teams are going to be really good, and you can't count Northridge out, or Wawasee. I think it's going to be another great year in the NLC."[[In-content Ad]]
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