NorthWood Girls Basketball: Ready To Remove The ‘What If’s’
NAPPANEE – There were so many questions left unanswered as NorthWood bowed out of the West Noble Sectional last February.
A team loaded with talent seemed to be peaking at the right time, but ran into another team also playing some of its best basketball when Tippecanoe Valley knocked NorthWood out of the sectional semi-finals. A major injury was still fresh on the mind, and graduation losses would be a factor in the next chapter.
So what has been resolved in the Black Swish camp heading into the 2017-18 campaign?
One of the more vocal leaders in recent vintage graduated in Taitlyn Trenshaw, who took 687 points, 317 rebounds, 299 assists and 218 steals to IUSB. Her statistical numbers were often less important to her court leadership, helping NorthWood to a 16-10 mark last year. Add in the graduation loss of fellow guard Nicole Flickinger, and the knee injury to then sophomore forward Riley Hershberger, who decided to skip her junior year of hoops to focus on her track season, and the losses are notable.
“Obviously Riley is a tremendous athlete and was developing into a very nice player when she got hurt last year, but in sports, when that happens, you have to move on and retool if necessary in practices and competitions,” said NorthWood head coach Adam Yoder. “We felt like we did that very well after the Bankers Classic. Riley has been very forthcoming throughout her career about her goals in track, and when she had her injury last year, we knew this year would probably be out for her as she prepares for an important junior year for our track program.”
One of the benefits, if any, of losing Hershberger was minutes gained in the interior by sophomores Maddy Payne and Kate Rulli.
Payne really came on in the final two weeks of the season, averaging 6.3 points and 5.7 rebounds in the team’s last seven games.
“Maddy certainly has a high ceiling in terms of basketball, and she works very hard on her craft,” Yoder said. “It will be a shift from being the “unknown X-factor” to being one of the focal points of opponents now, though. We’re confident she’ll be able to handle that well.”
Yoder will have several returners with plenty of varsity experience, led by lone senior Savannah Feenstra. The post put up 9.5 points and 7.8 rebounds a night and had five double-doubles throughout the year. The expected uptick in production for Feenstra should be evident, but she won’t have to do it alone with Payne adding a second post option.
Junior guard Mackenzie Bergman will likely handle the point guard duties in Trenshaw’s absence, already a two-time letterwinner, as are junior classmates Neely Trenshaw and Emily Demitruk. Sophomore Karlie Fielstra and the two Parisi sisters, Kali and Lexi, will also see plenty of varsity minutes.
“Her role will continue to be more expanded this year, as she’ll be relied upon to be a scorer and a facilitator,” Yoder said of Bergman. “We’re thrilled with her growth over the off-season and look to see that translate to success on the floor. Trenshaw and Fielstra will be an important part of our offense in terms of transporting the ball and being able to knock down shots when open. Emily Demitruk had an outstanding off-season and has worked very hard to improve her skill, strength, and speed, as well, so her role will be much bigger this year.”
NorthWood opens its season Thursday, Nov. 2, at home against South Bend Riley and then two nights later at Penn.