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By Bret Mitchell
HCC Sports Information
Monday, October 1, 2007
With the first day of practice officially
completed, the Hutchinson Community College women’s basketball team has
started the countdown to opening night in November with the annual
Quarterback classic.
This will be the first season for head coach
John Ontjes, who previously coached just across the street at the Salthawk
Activity Center for Hutchinson High School. This isn’t his first
affiliation with HCC. Ontjes played basketball for the Blue Dragons,
graduating in 1993. He had a successful career and is still the all-time
school leader in assists and steals. Ontjes was also named to the All-Blue
Dragon 75th Anniversary team
The first year coach said he is ready to get
the season underway.
“With the returning sophomores and the
incoming freshman, this team can be successful,” Ontjes said.
Hutchinson will return six sophomores from
last season’s squad that finished 21-11. The 2006 Lady Dragons finished
fourth in the Jayhawk West and advanced to the Region VI quarterfinals,
losing tough one-point game to eventual Region VI runner-up Coffeyville.
Amanda Fessenden is the returning top scorer
to return, averaging 12.2 points a game last season, and ranking 14th
nationally in free throw percentage (83.2 percent) after climbing to as high
as second nationally.
“I expect us to be very quick this season,”
Fessenden said. “We should be better than last year because we have more
experience.”
Julie Richardson, Hailey Purcell, Fairen
Lepaio, and Amber Schroer are the other returnees looking to provide
leadership for the Lady Dragons. Forward Brooke Thennes also returns, but
missed last season because of injury.
Combine those players with a solid recruiting
class, and you get a team that expects to win.
“Our expectations are going to be the same
every year,” Ontjes said. “We expect to compete for the league title and
for the national championship. We don’t want to play for moral victories.”
Of the recruits, three are from the Reno
County area with Kylee Naccarato and Morgan Leatherbury following Ontjes
from Hutch High to HCC. Brittany Hines is standout from Buhler.
“I like it, I know what to expect,” Naccarato
said of playing for her high school coach. “I know what he expects of me.”
Hutchinson’s first game this season will come
against the Kansas Wesleyan Junior Varsity on Nov. 2. The Lady Dragons will
then play Labette the next day to finish out the Quarterback Classic.
<WOMEN'S
FIRST PRACTICE PHOTO GALLERY>
OTHER QUOTES
Head Coach John Ontjes
On the move from HHS to HCC…
“It’s not any different than I thought it
would be. I’m not going to treat it any differently.”
On the first day of practice…
“I’m excited about being on the floor. I
love the practice setting.”
Sophomore Amanda Fessenden
On the change of style with coaches…
“The style will be different. We will be up
and down a lot quicker, more fast break offense.”
Sophomore Haley Purcell
On how the team can be successful…
“We need to be quicker than the other teams.
On defense we just need to worry about stopping the ball.”
Freshman Kylee Naccarato
On how she plans to be successful this
season…
“I’m just going to put my trust in the
coaches and follow the sophomores.” |
