Tuesday, Dec. 02, 2008

Northwest seniors looking for elusive state berth

When the class of 2009 arrived at Olathe Northwest, it brought with it the promise of a new era in girls basketball for the school.

That class included a scrappy, playmaking point guard in Kelsey Anselmi and a pair of skilled post players in 6-foot sisters Candace and Alexis Boeh. Suddenly the state tournament seemed like a real possibility, but the last two seasons ended with tight losses to state powers Olathe South and Lawrence in the sub-state championship game. Close, but not quite.

“I’m sick of being a bridesmaid,” said Anselmi, who, aside from running the point is also unofficially in charge of keeping the squad loose and laughing. “I want to get married this year... in terms of state.”

All kidding aside, the Ravens feel like it’s their turn, and why not? They lost to eventual state champion Lawrence by just six points at sub-state last year, and that was with a banged-up Candace Boeh, who missed much of the last half of the season with a sore back.

Boeh skipped the spring softball and fall tennis seasons just to be rested and ready to go for this one last shot at the state basketball tournament.

“I was sore last week, but every day I feel stronger and quicker,” she said. “I’m getting better every day and I’m just so excited to have some fun this year. ... I started off rusty for sure and I’m probably still a little rusty, but every day it gets better.”

Anselmi has been a constant the last three years and gives the Ravens the steady on-ball presence any state contender needs. With both Boehs back in the post they also have two players capable of averaging a double-double and the size necessary to play with teams like Free State, Lawrence and Shawnee Mission West.

But having three players, no matter how experienced and talented they are, is never enough.

“You need other people that can fill in the gaps too and play significant roles,” Northwest coach Joel Branstrom said. “You need other weapons both offensively and defensively and I think we’ve got some of those.”

The Ravens will miss their three graduates: Katy Johns, Rebekah Stowe and Morrisa Rumage. Stowe and Johns were starters all year and Rumage became a starter when the Ravens were reduced to just one Boeh.

But there appear to be other Ravens ready to step into bigger roles.

Mackaela Carter gave the squad an instant boost after moving up from the junior high ranks late last year as a freshman. She returns as a key piece of the puzzle — a guard who can shoot from the outside and defends the perimeter well.

Rebecca DeGroot returns as a key swing player who has the skills to play on the wing, but the size, at 5-foot-10, to go inside when the Ravens need her. She showed flashes of serious potential last year as a sophomore before being sidelined with a concussion.

DeGroot and Carter will likely start alongside the three old standbys Anselmi and the Boehs this season, while the first players off the bench will probably be Amber Ramsey, Kara Hoisington and Megan Blevins — all juniors.

All will have to contribute, but the heavy lifting will likely be done by that heralded class of 2009, now seniors ready to embrace their last chance at state.

“I think it’s fine that it’s our last year,” Anselmi said. “I’m ready to go out with a bang.”

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