A change in record isn’t always the the catalyst in the rising stock of a program. Yes it helps and yes, sometimes it is the primary catalyst in seeing the stock in a program rise.
Though sometimes, a star player helps make the difference too. Think back just over five years to the emergence of Grace Hunter at Bellmont. The program was a kind of middling one for a while, had some up and had some downs and also had some trouble at times getting kids to turn out at the beginning of the season. But Hunter’s dominance helped interest grow, it helped the program grow and the stock of being a Bellmont Brave was perhaps never higher, yet it has sustained.
And program performance, as you will see below, is huge too. A better record, a push at the front of a conference, a surprise title, getting over a .500 hump earlier in a cycle of a good class than expected. They all pay dividends to rising stock.
WHITKO: 9-14 to 19-4
Justin Jordan has become of the best young and upcoming girls basketball coaches in the area and his work at Whitko has proven it. What was mentioned above about Bellmont’s growth and sustainment is something we will likely be using Whitko and Kloe Krieg as an example of five more years down the line. With a share of the TRC title claimed, Whitko stepped out of the shadows this season and showcased what they have been building up since Jordan took over as coach in 2020.
The once proud Whitko program had taken its licks, winning just nine games over three seasons before Jordan came on board. Prior to that down trodden time, Whitko won 21 games behind all-time great Aly Reiff. The season before Jordan took over, Whitko won just once and it was the season opener. All of that didn’t make things easy for him as a new coach, a very young team won just two games his first season but that team boasted just one junior and not a single senior. Krieg led the way her freshman season and again the next year as a sophomore as Whitko improved to six wins but not a single one in conference; then came 9 wins and just one conference win.
All of that built up to 19 victories and a conference title with Krieg seeing all the benefits as a senior and new freshman in Jayma Stonebraker taking on the torch passed down so Whitko can continue to thrive and grow.
EAST NOBLE: 5-18 to 13-9
The area was rich with new hires between the previous two seasons on both the boys and girls sides. There were so many new coaches in new locations that one could have easily lost in all of the movement. It is fair to say now after Britain Isaacs’ first season on the East Noble girls sidelines that he has to be considered one of, if not the very best, hire of the 2023 offseason. Issacs got buy in from a pretty young team and they were immediately able to capture the area’s attention with their 8-1 start that included wins over Central Noble, Carroll and Bishop Dwenger. Notably, the Knights had not beaten their country rival Cougars since 2019 so if you do that, you will immediately be applauded at EN.
Isaacs also helped procure the first winning season for East Noble girls basketball since 2016-2017. To do so with such a young overall group is only going to help as the program will become a destination for numbers to want to tryout. The interest internally in Kendallville will grow and thrive because of the success of this season. And while freshmen like Averi Amstutz or Rian David stood out with their immediate impact, seniors Payton Quake and Bailea Bortner were of critical importance in helping ease the transition and make it a successful one.
MANCHESTER: 6-17 to 14-9
Manchester has two players who will return next season who were: 1 and 2 in scoring, second in rebounding, first in assists and tied with each other for steals. If you can’t build some energy and momentum off of that, what can you build it off of? Brookelyn Buzzard was one of the best players in the area this season that was not talked about enough. Buzzard led the Squires at 14.8 points and 3.8 assists and 1.7 steals per game. But what really stood out for this junior was her ability to give you double digit points, be a heavy rebounder, a strong pass to an open basket provider and sometimes just a straight up thief like with her seven steals against Southwood.
Emma Walker, the freshman, was right there too as a player who did a little bit of everything. Manchester’s ability as a team to not be one dimensional turned their program completely around from being a team fighting for wins to being a team contending for the TRC title.
LAKEWOOD PARK: 10-14 to 16-7
Ava McGrade changed things for the Panthers perhaps in the same way that alum Chloe Jolloff once did. Lakewood Park was a dangerous team in Class 1A when Jolloff came through the ranks and helped get energy and excitement around the program. They won a Sectional title in 2018 and maintained a solid level after that, going 49-60 the next five seasons, including near .500 marks in each of the first two seasons under the leadership of Jared Estep.
They won 16 games this season as junior Ava McGrade stepped out as one of the best scorers in the area, regardless of class. McGrade’s emergence was a monster catalyst for Lakewood Park, combined with the experience of players like Jade Carnahan. Now the Panthers are going to be looked at like a big 1A mountain to climb in the north half of the state.
FREMONT: 8-15 to 16-9
The Eagles are where they are a year earlier than they should be, at least. Their well anticipated freshman class made us know that we were potentially going to witness something special during their time with the program, but few (and let’s be honest, probably next to nobody) predicted a Sectional title this season even if they did predict a 14 win campaign.
Shae Thomas is the perfect example of a homegrown talent coming back to lead their former high school and doing so with enthusiasm to see that program be amongst the greats. Not exactly easy as the smallest school in a 12-team conference. Grace Scharlach and Addy Parr were stars and Mya Turner showed glimpses that she could be that too. Fremont is poised for an eventful 2024-2024 season and with Scharlach and Turner having three years left to build this program, the sky is the limit.
EASTSIDE: 15-9 to 21-4
For Eastside, you can’t say that this was a program that was down or declining. There was an inkling preseason that they could be one of the higher ranked teams in the NECC by the end of the season. Not only did coach Mike Lortie’s Blazers do that, but they surpassed 20 wins, had the best season in program history and upended Fairfield pretty dominantly to become the NECC Tournament champions.
This is a story of sustained success. Lortie has had a lot of it since he took over the program but to take a team without a lot of seniors and do what Eastside did means not only is the potential there to repeat this performance next season, but the momentum is there as well. Eastside has been a steady presence but their 21-win season makes it seem like they will will be one of the best teams in the area come October of 2024.
Be the first to comment