Valley Looking For Experience To Lead Youth

AKRON - It's not easy to replace a great player. In the area alone, there is an abundance of examples. Wawasee experienced a drop-off in success after Shanna Zolman. Warsaw may have to rebuild a bit with the departure of Jaclyn Leininger.

Valley head coach Gary Teel hopes that with the loss of Rebekah Parker, his Viking squad can avoid a superstar hangover.

Parker, a freshman at the University of Evansville, led the Vikings with 18.4 points per game, 8.5 rebounds per game and 5.1 assists per game last season and was name to the Indiana all-star squad.

"It's a big loss when you have Rebekah being an Indiana all-star, all-time leading scorer in Tippecanoe Valley history, all-time leading assists, all-time steals. She was just one of those kids who comes along once in a lifetime," said Teel.

Parker along with the other seniors from last year's team, led Valley to a 21-3 regular season record that ended with a regional final loss to Fort Wayne Bishop Luers, 57-46.

Kara Kramer, Holli Jackson and Heather Rathbun lead this year's group of seniors.

Kramer, an Eastern Illinois recruit, led the team in points with 386, good for a 16.1 points per game average.

Jackson finished last year with 4.8 points per game and 3.4 rebounds. The 5-foot-9 senior is versatile as well, being able to play both guard and forward positions.

Both Jackson and Kramer were full-time starters last year and along with part-time starter Heather Rathbun will comprise an experienced starting five.

"We have those experienced players in Jackson, Kramer and Rathbun and we'll have to mesh that with our younger players," said Teel.

Junior Lela Roher and sophomore Chelsy Rhoades round out an athletic if not large starting five.

Rhoades was solid in her varsity debut, leading the Vikings with 18 points in Valley's season opening win over Bremen, 61-51 while Roher had seven points.

The senior tandem of Kramer and Rathbun added 12 and 15 against Bremen respectively.

With the exception of Rathbun, Valley doesn't have a player who is over 5-10.

Overall team speed will have to be what the Vikings use to compensate for a lack of size.

"We're not very big. We're kind of lean and lanky and quick, which goes along with our philosophy of what we want to do. We like pressure defense and transition basketball instead of having to run out of the half court," said Teel.

Aiding the Vikings will also be the ability to use all 10 varsity players in any given situation.

"With the 10 kids we have, we can mix them up and move them around, and there really isn't a change in play," said Teel. "We have 10 kids we can put on the floor and the thing I like is they can make positive contributions. No matter how small they are they each have those special things they can do for us to help the team."

One thing that will change is the role of Kramer. Last year, she enjoyed the attention Parker drew from other team's defenses. Now it will be Kramer who draws that attention.

"Her role maybe changes a bit," said Teel of Kramer. "She, along with the other seniors, will have to step up in leadership a bit. As far as scoring, she's going to have to be patient."

Patience isn't often used when talking about Valley's type of play. These Vikings like to get up and down the court. Last year's squad averaged 59.5 points per game compared to a 42.9 opponents average.

This year's opponents for Valley, especially those in the Three Rivers Conference, look to narrow that margin.

The TRC is as strong as it's been in a while with Valley, Manchester and Rochester but no clear-cut favorite.

Manchester boasts a team that returns nearly everyone from last year's roster while Tony Stesiak's Zebras will be tough despite the loss of fellow Indiana all-star and current teammate of Rebekah Parker at Evansville, Courtney Felke.

"I hope we're there to knock on the door. I think the conference could be wide open this year," said Teel.

Valley will receive an early season test Friday when they face Warsaw. The Tigers, under first-year head coach John Snyder, are trying to cope with life post-Leininger but still pose as an adequate measuring stick.

The Vikings own the bragging rights with last year's 54-45 win over the Tigers.

Valley is then off until they host the Valley Classic over Thanksgiving weekend.