Girls basketball discovers the power of team chemistry
by gabby petruzzello |
The Craig girls Varsity basketball team has completed a successful season, gaining experience, finishing 6th in the Big 8 Conference, crushing Middleton twice, and breaking records with an incredibly young team.
“Our kids, they practice hard, they play hard, they do everything the coaches ask, they get along...they’re great teammates, we have a lot to look forward to,” summarized the Head girls Varsity basketball coach, Mr. Storbakken, who has coached girls Varsity basketball for fourteen years, eight of them being at Craig. The starting lineup this year included four sophomores and one junior. Emily Pierson, Brooke Parkhurst, Cassandra Goswick, Hannah Dunlavy, and Rileigh Elgas were the five players who regularly composed the starting lineup. Abbey Schrader (SO), Sarah Gregg (SO), and Claudia Fieras (FR) gained valuable experience from the season, with a few starting minutes for each of them. “They are young, and they’re hungry, and they’re talented,” stated Coach Storbakken. The team tied for 6th in the Big 8 Conference, beating Middleton, Verona, and Parker. One of the major accomplishments of the Cougars was beating Middleton twice. Coach Storbakken noted that in the Craig-hosted Holiday Tournament, “we swept Middleton, which doesn’t happen very often.” “I just wanted to get better as a team because we were..young, so we were hoping to just do as best as we could in the conference,” stated leading scorer Cassie Goswick. Notably, the team won the Optimist tournament for the first time in four years. Achieving one of the goals they set out for at the beginning of the season, the team finished 11-11 in their regular season games and 11-12 including their final championship game. Beating their overall record of 10-13 from the 2016-17 season, the team is steadily increasing in their abilities and learning to play together as a team. “As a team, I wanted to go 500...and we did that too, so I was really happy with that,” expressed Varsity starter Cassie Goswick. The most important factor leading to the success of the Craig girls Varsity team is team chemistry. The team supports each other on and off the court. Coach Storbakken noted, “They’re really cohesive...they really work hard and get along.” As Team Captain, Emily Pierson emphasized the impact of team connectivity on an enjoyable season, stating, “My favorite part was probably the team bonding after practices, during practices, and we were all there for eachother...no one was left out, everyone was with each other no matter what.” They're winners on and off the court, they do a great job in the classroom and a great job on the basketball court.-Coach Storbakken The cohesiveness and strong relationships built within the team has allowed for the success of both individuals and the group as a unit.
“Our goals for the season was to work together as a team...work together instead of working individually, and if we accomplished that and won games, then that’s super important, but, mostly for me, I wanted the girls to know how to work together,” stated Junior Emily Pierson. Team Captain and Point Guard Emily Pierson received 3rd Team All-Conference (Top 15), averaged 13 points per game, and broke the 3-point season record with fifty-six 3-pointers spanning over 23 games. The previous 3-point record was set by Alison Hughes in the 2014-15 season with 54. Pierson was selected by her teammates to lead the team as team captain. Placing the team accomplishments over her own, Pierson stated that one of the most memorable accomplishments of the season was “definitely working together at the end of the season and knowing each other and how we played together.” Emily Pierson has played basketball since she was in kindergarten and has been playing for 12 to 13 years. |
“I love the game; when I was little, I found the love for the game, and I kept going with it...I thought it would make me get friends and have a connection that will last a lifetime,” explained Pierson.
Two-year Varsity starter and Point Guard Cassandra Goswick has achieved many individual accomplishments, including receiving 2nd team All-Conference (Top 10), averaging 14 points per game, breaking the record for the most number of 3-point shots made in one game, and making fifty 3-pointers throughout the season. At the Craig vs. Parker game, Goswick broke the maximum number of 3-point shots made in a single game with eight, beating the previous record of six by two. Only six 3-pointers behind Junior Emily Pierson, Goswick scored 150 points from 3-pointers, making 50 across the span of 23 games. They really push themselves to be better and strive to be successful amongst each other, but as a group they push each other.-Coach Storbakken Cassandra Goswick has played basketball when she was four, five, six, and after taking a break from basketball for two years, she has been playing consistently since third grade.
“I like basketball because there is so much to it; it’s a very raw sport and you have to be very good at a lot of different things and put them all together to be able to do well,” explained Goswick. Goswick has been playing with many of her teammates since 4th grade, which has been a major factor in the development of a strong team bond. “My favorite part was probably how close we got as a team. A lot of us are already really good friends and we got to be so close, we spent so much time together, and it was like a giant family,” noted Goswick regarding her favorite part of the season. Although the team did not achieve all of their goals this season, they have set their eyes set on the next season. The team achieved some of their goals, but failed to reach in the top half of the conference or beat their cross-town rival, Parker. Looking ahead to next year, the young Craig team will be returning all of the players in their starting lineup. The goals going into next season will be to finish in the top half of the conference, namely in the top 3. Coach Storbakken stated,“With how close they are and how hard they work...we are looking forward to the 2018-19 season.” The team will continue to prepare in the off-season in hopes of improving next season. The mantra of the team is “Win the day...Win the practice” with an emphasis on NEXT. The resilience and teamwork of the entire team have morphed the team dynamic and will lead the Cougars to success in the years to come. With a positive outlook for next season, Coach Storbakken commented, “We’re just excited about having a good off season, coming back, and being at the top of the conference.” |