The Times - Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley

WAITSBURG - The Waitsburg-Prescott girls basketball team faces the 2012- 13 campaign with a flock of new faces on its varsity squad. Six seniors who either started or saw extensive playing time last year are gone.

So is this a rebuilding year? Maybe according to 12th year head coach Jerry Baker. Or maybe not.

"We've got a lot of shoes to fill. We lost some of the most speed we've had in a long time with (Kristin) Potter and (Ronnie) Hulce running the floor," Baker said. "And Dionna Baker was probably the strongest inside player in the league last year, so that's going to be hard to replace. And all of the girls from that team played good defense inside. But I've got another group coming in that's stepping it up and doing good."

This group includes four seniors, four juniors, and two sophomores, and most with at least some playing time at the varsity level last year.

The most experienced of the group is 2-year senior starter Krystal Harris.

"We're going to put a lot of responsibility on Krystal to run the offense, Baker said. "She'll be one of the main ball-handlers, and she may even go inside a bit to play, because I've got a lot of ballhandlers. She's actually one of the best post-up players that I have."

Joining Harris with dribbling duties are senior Samantha Moss, juniors Chelsey Brannock and Enedina Fuentes, and sophomore Stacia Deal.

"Sam (Moss) was on varsity last year. She's got a lot of quickness," said Baker. "While we don't have anyone as quick as Potter this year, we've still got a lot of quickness on the team. And Moss is one of them."

"Chelsey Brannock is another. She's probably our quickest player getting up and down the floor," Baker said of his projected point guard. "She was pretty dominant on the JVs last year, scoring about 20 points per game."

In the front court, Baker will rely on a bevy of 5-foot, 8-inch forwards and one true center-5-foot, 10-inch Samantha Fedderson.

While Baker plans on playing man-to-man defense to capitalize on his team's quickness, he sees his Cards also playing a lot of zone with Fedderson inside to take advantage of the Prescott sophomore's abilities on the defensive end.

Seniors Katy Hofer and Liz Xaudaro, and juniors Heidi Miller and Haley Dorman, fill out the rest of the front line for the Cards. All stand at 5-feet, 8-inches, and will be expected to play bigger than their height inside. Hofer and Miller return the most experience.

"Katy will be one of my main post players this year," said Baker of his post with the most experience from last year's squad. "She's going to have to be tough inside for us."

"Miller likes it in there where there's contact-she likes being in the middle of things."

Liz Xaudaro, who is making her debut on varsity, also loves to mix up in the key according to Baker.

On offense, Baker plans to use his team's speed to run the floor and collect easy transition baskets. He hopes that will take some of the scoring pressure off of his half court offense, which he fears will have a hard time making baskets inside because of his team's small overall stature.

Baker believes this year's Southeast 2B league will be a battle from top to bottom, though where his team would fall in the order, he wouldn't venture.

"I think our league is going to be very tough, very competitive," Baker said. "I don't see anyone just walking away with it, completely dominating it."

WP's women kick off their season on the road at perennial powerhouse Colfax on Tuesday, Dec. 4. Three days later, the Lady Cards play at Weston-McEwen, the next day versus Asotin on Kison Court, and two days later complete the home-and-home versus Weston-McEwen.

WP Girls Varsity

Katy Hofer

Sam Moss

Chelsey Brannock

Heidi Miller

Stacia Deal

Enedina Fuentes

Krystal Harris

Haley Dorman

Liz Xaudaro

Samantha Fedderson