The Press-Dispatch
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E-4 Winter Sports Preview Wednesday, November 22, 2017 The Press-Dispatch Pictured above is the 2017-18 Pike Central High School girls' varsity basketball team. They are, first row, left to right: Halley Powers, Erika Hendrixson, Au- dra Stone, Natalie Burkhart, Demi Croak, Brook Nalley and Jalah Barnes. Second row: Varsity Head Coach Kyle McCutchan, Athletic Trainer Aubree Block, Becca Crow, Emily Carnahan, Lauren Vaughn, Hailey Marchino, Jenna Horrall, Hannah Carnahan, Kenzie Dunn, Kelsey Barrett, Junior Varsity Coach Andrew Wibbeler and Varsity Assistant Coach Trent Whitehead. John Heuring photo Lady Chargers have high expectations for '17-'18 season See HIGH on page 5 Lana R. Hel ms, DDS , MSD, PC Making and sharing SMILES! Be a Winner! Stay in school, study hard and prepare for a great future. Board-Certified in Orthodontics for children, adolescents and adults Appointments Monday-Thursday 812-254-4500 2116 State Street, Washington www.lanahelms.com In any sport, Four Star Fabricators encourages all Pike Central athletes to work hard, play tough and win in life. Good Luck This season! Serving the Aluminum, Coal and Power Industries with Quality Steel Fabrication Phone: 812-354-9995 Fax: 812-354-3809 Four Star Fabricators P.O. Box 67, Petersburg, IN 47567 www.fourstarfab.com (812)354-8471 • germanamerican.com Financial services for what comes next. Mobile Banking & Bill Pay *Data usages may apply. Fees for expedited service may apply. Download the German American Bank Mobile Banking App today! We offer: • Re-Wires/Panel Upgrades/ Underground Power Distribution • Residential General Service/ Maintenance • Commercial/Industrial 480/ 277v Systems • Garages/Pole Barns/ Additions/Lighting and more Licensed, Bonded, Insured Master Electrician, 36 yrs. Experience and have a Lifetime Labor Warranty. dedicated to service, quality and value info@celcollc.net CALL 812-788-2058 • Go Chargers! YOUR SAFETY, OUR INTEGRITY, SINCE 1999 By Ed Cahill The Pike Central High School girls' basketball team begins the 2017-18 season with high expecta- tions under the tutelage of first-year head coach Kyle McCutchan. "I've always thought this was the year we were go- ing to have our best sea- son," said McCutchan, who served as junior var- sity coach each of the past three seasons under his predecessor, Shawn War- ner. "We have six seniors and also six juniors. We have a good sophomore class and we have some good fresh- men. So we have depth in the program – and this was the year we were look- ing at." The Lady Chargers re- turn seniors Natalie Bur- khart, Demi Croak, Erika Hendrixson, Brook Nal- ley, Halley Powers and Audra Stone from a team that went 6 -17 – including 3-5 in the Pocket Athletic Conference – a year ago. A seventh returning senior, Jalah Barnes, will be side- lined this season with a knee injury. This year's squad also includes juniors Kelsey Barrett, Emily Carnahan, Hannah Carnahan, Bec- ca Crow, Kenzie Dunn and Hailey Marchino; soph- omores Jenna Horrall, Jayln Nelson and Lauren Vaughn; and freshmen Mallory Hickey, Gracie Jones, Kailee Mann and Kenzie Powell. "The seniors were my first year coaching, and I even had the incoming freshmen last year in A AU tournaments," McCutchan said. "So I know them all, and that's the reason I wanted this job more than anything. They're just a great group of girls. I think we have some ability and, hopefully, we'll show it off this year." McCutchan said that while the Lady Chargers will continue to play man- to-man defense as much as possible, some changes are being made on the of- fensive end. "As far as offense, every- thing's pretty much changed a little bit," McCutchan said. "We're trying to structure and gear it to our strengths as a team, and just work on being more patient with the ball. I thought, on the var- sity level, we'd rush things the last few years – make a pass or two and just look to get something up or attack, maybe when it wasn't there." "We have an offense that's set up to where we'll try to get the ball to the post," McCutchan contin- ued. "We want to get the ball in the paint and then, if we get doubled or get in trouble there, we can kick it out – a shooter should be open. That's the best time to hit a jump shot is when you play inside-out. So, hopefully, quality shot se- lection will lead to a better field goal percentage." Hendrixson, who has al- ready verbally committed to Maryville University in St. Louis, Mo., led the Lady Chargers in both scoring (14.9 ppg) and rebounding (7.3 rpg) last season. The 6 -foot forward was named to the PAC's All-Confer- ence Team after receiv- ing honorable mention as a sophomore. "I want her to be not just a scorer, but more well- rounded," McCutchan said. "I want her to be as much of a passer as a scorer. She's good on the block – we want her to get down there – and if she's open from 15 feet, she can hit the jump shot. She can shoot three- pointers, but we want her to focus on getting quali- ty shots around the basket and creating for her team- mates." "She's going to draw double- and triple-teams," McCutchan added. "Most teams are going to scout to stop her. I want her to be a facilitator as well as a scorer, so we're working on knowing when to take the shot and knowing when to kick it to her teammates." The more success that her teammates have hitting shots from the outside, Mc- Cutchan noted, will lead to better scoring opportuni- ties for Hendrixson. "If they can't leave off their shooter to double her, then Erika's going to have more chances to score around the basket," Mc- Cutchan said. "She's a well- rounded player. It's just get- ting her to constantly just keep pushing herself." "A few of our girls who are our guards, like Audra Stone and Demi Croak, I want to look to them to post ... because they're pretty good on the block," Mc- Cutchan added. "We've just got to get them in there to do it. Demi's probably one of our best shooters, but she only took jump shots last year. I want her to pen- etrate and also post. She's a big, strong kid, with good post moves down there." McCutchan said that as- signed positions such as guard, forward and center may not always apply to the Lady Chargers this season, especially on the offensive end. "I don't want to say we're position-less, but we're going to do a lot of cut- ting, curls, screens," Mc- Cutchan said. "We want to get the ball to whoever has an advantage ... whether it's in the post or trapping – whatever we can do to take advantage of opponents." Nalley is also expected to be a key contributor during the 2017-18 campaign af- ter suffering a knee inju- ry early last season – dur- ing practice – that required surgery. As a sophomore, the 5 -foot-9 Nalley received honorable mention All-PAC accolades after averaging 12.1 points, 4.3 rebounds, 3.4 steals and 0.6 assists. "You always worry about a kid coming back from an ACL, where they are men- tally," McCutchan said. "The first day of practice or so, she looked a little bit hesitant, because it was the first time she'd played basketball since the injury. And I will say I was a little bit concerned. But then, from then on, I'm not going to say she's back to exact- ly where she was, but she's not favoring it. She's being really aggressive." "That was her strength," McCutchan added. "She was just athletic and real- ly aggressive on defense. We have six seniors and also six ju- niors. We have a good sophomore class and we have some good freshmen. So we have depth in the program – and this was the year we were looking at." -Head Coach Kyle McCutchan " VARSITY BASKETBALL GIRLS'