Girls Basketball: Gillett eyeing state trip with entire team back

GILLETT — The Gillett High School girls basketball team has high aspirations heading into the 2019-20 season.

Gillett is coming off a sectional semifinal appearance and returns every player from that team. The Tigers finished 16-10 overall and 10-6 in the Marinette & Oconto Conference.

“We have been to sectionals the last two years. The eventual next step is to move on to the Resch (Center, for the state tournament),” said Gillett coach Justin Daul. “We will continue with our motto of ‘why not us and one game at a time.’ These girls work hard and I look forward to them putting a great season together.”

Back from last year’s starting lineup are seniors Camryn Long and Sydney Young and juniors Aubrey DeBauch, Karissa Schaal and Brianna DeBauch.

Aubrey DeBauch made the all-conference first team last year, while Schaal landed on the second team.

Sophomore Macy Franti and senior Grace Wickman gave Daul solid minutes off the bench last year. The Tigers also will try and work Ryann Wagner into the mix after she transferred from Suring to Gillett.

“The team has high expectations this season. We are focusing and working hard at practice, and keeping our eyes and mind on state,” said Aubrey DeBauch.

“We need to get a refresher from everything we did last season and then we will pick up from where we left off, but pushing farther, working harder and playing together.”

The Tigers are set to open the regular season on Thursday at Wittenberg-Birnamwood.

Oconto Falls

Heading into the new season, Oconto Falls will have to replace several players from last year’s squad that finished 12-12 overall and 8-10 in the North Eastern Conference.

Coach Mike Kaczmarek does have a trio of seniors, Kari Albrecht, Natalie Brauer and Morgan Helmle, back to build around.

Albrecht made the NEC second team, while Brauer was an honorable mention last year.

Kaczmarek noted that the team’s challenge would be developing depth behind the three experienced seniors.

Juniors McKayla Goebel and Amelia Rice and sophomores Alexis Euclide and Hailey Peitersen figure to play into the Panthers’ success this winter.

“After losing all those influential and talented seniors last year, the dynamics of the team are already changing. It’s different not having them around after playing with them for the last three years,” said Albrecht.

“Our goal for this season is to be toward the top of our conference. We have the ability to be that good, it’s just a matter of getting every player motivated and believing that we are a good team and can beat a lot of other teams.”

The Panthers are set to open the season on Nov. 26 against Clintonville.

Suring

Back in the M&O, Suring gets ready for the season with a new coach in charge.

Mitchell Woulf takes over, and has some work to do with a limited amount of players with significant varsity experience back.

Last year, Suring posted a 10-12 overall record and finished 6-10 in conference play.

Juniors Kylee Stelzer and Paige Krueger are the only starters back from that team, but both were all-conference selections. Stelzer made the second team, while Krueger was an honorable mention.

Seniors Stephanie Huth and Jaden Bubolz and junior Kelsey Smith also have varsity experience and may be asked to fill some of the voids left by the departed seniors and Wagner who transferred.

“I think our team has to all get on the same page and commit to our offense,” said Stelzer on what it would take for the team to have a solid season. “Once we do that, we all work very well together.”

Suring tips off its season on Tuesday against Tigerton.

Lena

Lena comes into the new season hoping some players can step up.

The Wildcats finished with three wins last season, earning one in conference play. Coach Tim Goldschmidt does not have any all-conference players back.

Senior Lillian Sellen and junior Brianna Spratlin each return with starting experience, while seniors Lilia Shallow and Lily Potter and juniors Chloie Potter and Kennedy Marquardt also have varsity experience.

“We will be a young group in a very good conference,” said Goldschmidt. “Just looking to compete and make strides to better our program moving forward.”

Lena will open the season on Thursday at Gresham.

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