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2007-2008 Basketball Outlooks
10/17/07
Last year the Heritage boys basketball team was good, but as we look ahead to a new season they have an excellent chance to be great! The Boys (10-4 MDCC, 15-10 overall) rolled to an impressive conference record last year only to be upset early in the playoffs. Although Coach Kidd has lost a couple of starters in Thurber and Shank, I know that he is very pleased with some of his remaining players off season work. Big man Hamilton Stamper was 3rd in the area in blocked shots last year and 5th in the area in rebounding. Stamper has played a good bit this off season, including AAU ball. Undoubtedly Stamper will be a huge factor in this seasons outcome. Another force last year was Steven Barthalow who single handedly stole games from opponents as he led the area in steals. "Bart" averaged almost 19 points a game as he was nearly unstoppable in league play! Barthalow and Stamper work very well together and will have to the same again this season to have success. A player who I believe has improved the most in the past two seasons is point guard Cody Butts. He has matured in this position as he has had to make the wheels go round on the offensive end. This is just another year of experience for Cody and I see him contributing more on the scoreboard as well as the season progresses. As some of you remember, Andrew Harrell had a season ending injury last year, but in the time he played we saw the ball player he can be. Harrell is back and has already been practicing as he looks more ready than ever to contribute for the Eagles. Harrell will compliment Stamper on the other side of the box as he will use his size and talent to make Heritage a huge force down low this season. There seems to be excitement in the air already for the upcoming season but all this excitement will be null and void unless some guys off the bench step up this year. Each year there seems to be an unexpected force that takes the bull by the horns and runs. Who will step up? Who will go the extra mile? The truth is the whole team needs to do this! If they give it all they got, and do it all for God, this boys basketball season at Heritage Academy will definitely be one that is remembered for a long time. Tim Barney
10/28/07
The Girls team last season was very good! Coach Dorsey has come in to the Heritage gym and turned this girls program around. With only a few seasons under Dorsey the Lady Eagles posted an eleven and three record in the MDCC to share the regular season title with CVCS and Grace. This group of girls did take home some hardware last year despite falling short in the conference final four. The Lady Eagles brought home first place honors in both the Washington Bible tournament and the Buffalo Wild Wings tournament at St. James. Overall their record was eighteen and seven as they seemed to work very well together. This season the Lady Eagles will have to get the job done without their two top rebound threats in Brittany Eberly and Jennifer King who pulled down 8.1 and 7.3 rebounds per game respectively. Another role player and starter that was also lost to graduation was Molly Holtzman. Molly was a big contributor on both ends of the floor and she also gave her full effort in each game. Never fear though! The remaining girls are no push over. Last season the girls had a lot of transition offense and you cant have that with out a lot of defense. A huge defensive contributor was returning starter Bri Dorsey. Only a junior this season, Bri has a chance to build on her impressive year as she was third in the area with almost 5 steals a game. She will definitely have to step it up a notch this season if these girls are going to match their success of last season. Also returning this year is a girl that could make a lot of guys look like pillars on the court. Junior guard Morgan McIntire has spent many years on the court, bettering herself, and it is definitely evident in her play. It has been a pleasure watching her on the court the past few years. Last season Morgan was second in scoring in the area only to CVCS star Miranda Payne as McIntire posted nearly 20 points and 4 assists per game. She always plays hard and Heritage is privileged to have her as a help on this team. Several bench players and some new additions will have to help the Lady Eagles to soar this season. I have no doubt that Coach Dorsey will have his girls prepared. The question is... will these girls take what they have been taught and put it to their opponents? It will certainly be exciting to see these girls play again this year. Go Eagles! Tim Barney