First Team Boasts Well-Rounded Game by JAMES D
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Thursday, 3.28.13 ON THE WEB: www.yankton.net sports PRESS DAKOTAN SPORTS DEPARTMENT: [email protected] 7 USD Ready For WBI Semifinal Showdown With McNeese State BY JEREMY HOECK Seekamp, a sophomore from Aus- come a long way. SDSU in the Summit League final, the has scored 61 points over two WBI [email protected] tralia, was a redshirt last year when USD “Being a Cinderella team right now is Coyotes have scored wins of 17, 4, 11, games. advanced to the second round of the a lot of fun.” 20, 10, 8 and 23 points in the recent 8- McNeese also has a third Baggett on VERMILLION — Amy Williams was WNIT — ultimately losing at home to Despite having 10 players available game stretch. It took some time for the the roster, in freshman Allison Baggett wrapping up her team’s quarterfinal run Colorado. because of pre-season injuries, the Coy- team to click, but clearly things are dif- who averages 6.2 points per game. through the NAIA Tournament. Nicole “I just can’t believe last year I was sit- otes rolled to a third-place finish in the ferent now, Seekamp said. “We’ll have to guard that three-point Seekamp was in street clothes on the ting out and now I’m out there,” said Summit League regular season. They “We’ve been beating teams by 20- line,” Williams said. “It’ll take a very spe- bench watching her Coyotes compete in Seekamp, who has turned a corner of then advanced all the way to the confer- some points, and we have to stop and cial defensive effort from us.” another tournament. late and has scored 27, 20, 33 and 13 ence championship game before losing think, ‘How did we do that?’ she said. Asked about McNeese State, Wilson That was a year ago. points over her last four games. by three points to South Dakota State. “It’s like we expected it to be a closer compared the Cowboys and their ath- Now, they’re joined together as coach “It’s gone really quickly. It’d be great Seeded No. 6 in the WBI, the Coyotes game and it wasn’t.” leticism to the styles of IUPUI and Lamar and player for the University of South to get a championship win, even if it’s then picked up road wins at higher- While USD has made a playoff push — teams the Coyotes went 4-0 against Dakota women’s basketball team, which the WBI.” seeded Utah State and Lamar (Texas). after nearly reaching the NCAA Tourna- this season. hosts McNeese State tonight (Thursday) There was a time early in the season, Tonight’s winner will travel to either De- ment, it’s opponent tonight has done the “I feel like we can do some of the at 7 p.m. in the Women’s Basketball Invi- though, when any kind of playoff run troit or Pennsylvania for the champi- same. things we did against those teams, if we tational (WBI) semifinals at the Dakota- seemed unlikely. onship, set for Saturday or Sunday. McNeese State (20-14), based in Lake keep sticking with our game plan,” she Dome. Playing for a new coach and in a new The main goal all along, Williams Charles, La., lost to Oral Roberts in the said. “It’s been a whirlwind,” Williams said faster-paced system, the Coyotes said, was to be consistent by this point Southland Conference title game after Though its game plan wasn’t to lose before a team practice this week. “I feel started 2-5, having scored 46, 50, 49, 54 in the season — not unfamiliar to her advancing to the NCAA Tournament to SDSU and fall to the third tier of post- like most of the year I’ve been dog-pad- and 45 points in those losses. Following from her stint at NAIA Rogers State each of the past two years. season tournaments, USD is anxious to dling, trying to keep my head above a rout of NAIA Peru State, USD dropped (Okla.). The Cowboys are led by twin sisters have its season continue, Wilson said. water. But here we are.” consecutive games on the road before “To be honest, traditionally, the Ashlyn Baggett (Sr., G, 18.8 ppg) and “I knew we had a chance at maybe Winners in seven of their last eight Christmas by a combined three points. teams that I’ve coached in my past have Caitlyn Baggett (Sr., G, 15.4 ppg). Ashlyn the WNIT or this one, but we were really games, the Coyotes (19-15) are two wins “We had a lot of ups and downs, and been very similar,” she said. “Not neces- is a prolific three-point shooter, with 100 excited to just keep playing,” she said. shy of making their third straight Divi- there were some games we shouldn’t sarily starting off strong, but playing our made treys on the season — she has “That was a heart-breaker losing to sion I post-season appearance a rather have lost,” senior Tempestt Wilson said. best ball at the end of the season.” also reached double figures in all but memorable one. “We’ve dealt with a lot of adversity and Following suit, other than the loss to two games. For good measure, Caitlyn COYOTES | PAGE 8 Basketball | S.D. Class A Girls’ All-State Team First Team Boasts Well-Rounded Game BY JAMES D. CIMBUREK [email protected] Major basketball awards are Crofton’s Arens often reserved for the pure scor- ers, the ones that fill up a box Sisters, Wynot’s score. But the five players in the 2013 South Dakota Class A All- State Girls’ Basketball team fill up Schulte Earn All- the entire stat sheet. Clark-Willow Lake’s Chynna State Honors Stevens, Sioux Falls Christian’s Hayley McCarron, Tri-Valley’s Alli- LINCOLN, Neb. — Two players son Cross, Parkston’s Erica Her- from Class C2 champion Crofton rold and Beresford’s Alyson and one from Class D2 champion Johnsen — all seniors — com- Wynot were named to the Ne- prise this year’s elite list, as se- braska AP All-State Girls’ Basket- lected by the South Dakota ball first team, announced on Basketball Coaches Association Wednesday. and the South Dakota Sportswrit- Senior Bridget Arens and soph- ers Association. omore Allison Arens were both Stevens is the only holdover first-team selections for Crofton. from the 2012 first team. Cross Maggie Schulte was a first-team was a second-team selection last selection for Wynot. year. Several area players also re- Three of the five average bet- ceived honorable mention recog- ter than 19 points a game, and all nition. average better than 13 points a CLASS C1 — Ponca: Megan contest. But this year’s first team Pollard has more going for them than CLASS C2 — Crofton: Quinn scoring. Wragge, Tiffany Tramp; Harting- Four of the five average 7.5 re- ton Cedar Catholic: Katelyn bounds per game and have over Dickes, Karly Noecker; Laurel- 50 steals on the season. Four of Concord/Coleridge: Audra Corbit, the five also average a blocked Cameron Eddie; Niobrara/Verdi- shot or more per game. Three of gre: Tessa Ives the five average better than one CLASS D1 — Allen: Lindsay made three-pointer per game, and Jones; Bloomfield: Autumn Luger; have free throw percentages of 75 Hartington: Myranda Fischer; percent or better. Randolph: Kirsten Fink, Michaela Stevens, a South Dakota State Strathman recruit, averaged 19.8 points, 10 CLASS D2 — Wynot: Ashley rebounds and 2.6 assists per con- Heine, Kelsie Higgins, Samantha P&D FILE PHOTOS Wieseler test, and finished the season with Beresford’s Alyson Johnsen (left photo, 3) and Parkston’s Erica Herrold (right photo, 12) were both named to the South Dakota Class A Girls’ Basket- 56 steals and 30 blocked shots. ball All-State Team, announced today (Thursday) by the South Dakota Basketball Coaches Association and the South Dakota Sportswriters Associa- “She’s a gym rat,” said CWL tion. Johnsen will play basketball at the University of Sioux Falls, while Herrold will play at Dakota Wesleyan. Also selected to the first team were Mount head coach Wade Stobbs. “She’s Marty College volleyball recruit Allison Cross of Tri-Valley, SDSU recruit Chynna Stevens of Clark-Willow Lake and Augustana recruit Hayley McCar- constantly in the gym or asking ron of Sioux Falls Christian. Augie Falls In for the keys.” A threat both inside and out, the 6-0 Stevens made 31 three- D2 Semifinals pointers and shot 42 percent from SAN ANTONIO, Texas — Augus- the field overall. S.D. Basketball Academic All-State Honors Announced tana College saw its quest for a na- “Her ability to post up and WATERTOWN — The South AVON: Emily Mudder SCOTLAND: Kennidy Asche, Zeller, Sam Vrereck, Hannah tional championship fall one game score with her back to the basket, short of the final, as Dowling (N.Y.) Dakota Basketball Coaches Asso- BERESFORD: Taryn Twite, Sam Geiman Klinkhammer downed the Vikings 76-54 in the then score outside, opens up so ciation has released its Academic Ashley Ostrem, Sophie Doeden, TRIPP-DELMONT-ARMOUR: FREEMAN: Shaun Becker, Jor- many things for the other girls,” semifinals of the NCAA Division II All-State list for boys’ and girls’ Hayley Hansen, Alyson Johnsen LaNae Fuerst, Elizabeth Bitter- dan Rinehart, Arron Lickteig, women’s basketball Elite 8 on Stobbs said. basketball. BON HOMME: Karlee Kozak man Caleb Lang Stevens wrestled the Clark ca- Wednesday. To be honored, a student-ath- DAKOTA VALLEY: Nicole Ras- VERMILLION: Mackenzie PARKER: Blake Reynolds, Jake Connie Simmons posted 24 reer marks for points (1,583) and lete, manager or statistician must mussen Huber, Courtney Johnson, Vollmer rebounds (965) away from an- points and six assists to lead Dowl- have a 3.5 or better cumulative ELK POINT-JEFFERSON: Au- Brooke Schwasinger, Allison PARKSTON: Andrew Schnabel, ing (30-3), which will play either other player who made her mark grade-point average and have drey Truhe, Haylee Erickson, Heine, Blair Gilkyson Parker VanZee, Kyle Hohn, Devin Western Washington or Ashland for at SDSU, Shannon Schlagel (1,518 participated in the sport for at Anna Chicoine VIBORG-HURLEY: Danielle Kurtz, Rebecca Herman the championship on Friday.