Pettit, Burling, Bull lead Racine County players
We watch a ton of games, and I mean a ton.
Every Friday night from late November through late March, some Saturdays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and even Mondays, the sports staff of Southern Lakes Newspapers is on the sidelines, combing the action with a fine-tooth eye.
Whether it’s Sports Editor Mike Ramczyk tweeting and making the rounds, staff writer Jason Arndt capturing video, Tim Wester dilligently jotting down play-by-play notes or Chris
Bennett interviewing the victorious coach moments after the big game, we try to cover as much basketball up close and personal as we can.
You follow us on Twitter (@mikeramczyk17), find our videos on the SLN Facebook pages and leave comments on the www.myracinecounty, mywalworthcounty and mykenoshacounty sites with your feedback, good or bad.
Keep up the hard work, as we constantly strive for perfection, knowing full well we will make some mistakes, only some.
With all of that out of the way, it’s time to relax and enjoy the fact that the 2015-16 basketball season was one of the most successful in area girls basketball.
Mukwonago finished 24-4 and a few minutes from a state championship in Division 1 in Madison.
In Division 2, Union Grove’s missed layup as time expired was the only thing keeping the Broncos from their first state tournament appearance.
And finally in Division 3, the defending state champion Whitewater Whippets boasted a 19-2 record.
Despite an early exit to Madison Edgewood in regionals, the Whippets boast our very first SLN All-Area Player of the Year, Myriama Smith-Traore.
Weeks of research
The past two years, I’ve gotten my feet wet with the company with a simple All-Area squad that represented western Racine County, including Burlington, Catholic Central, Waterford and Union Grove high schools.
We’re the little guy, the hometown, community newspaper that’s in the coffee shops, boutiques and small, family-owned establishments across the tri-county area.
But the truth is we’re much more than that.
You throw in a few schools in Waukesha County with a slight presence in Milwaukee County, and SLN officially represents 16 high schools across Racine, Walworth, Waukesha and Kenosha counties.
Along with the aforementioned sports names, people like staff writer Heather Ruenz and correspondents Kevin Cunningham, Michael Hoey, Dana Ehrmann and Tom Ganser bring you current stories each week on your favorite teams.
Photographers like Rick Benavides, Lisa Smith, Dave Baker, Earlene Frederick and Bob Mischka work countless hours perfecting that perfect photo and drive hundreds of miles each season in search of the thrills, chills and heartaches.
We are proud to serve you with quality coverage, and our annual All-Area squads are a gift for us as well.
This week, we begin with girls, and we’ll finish with the All-Area Boys Basketball team in the April 14-15 editions.
So subscribe today, leave your house and sprint to newsstands and enjoy the ride.
SLN All-Area Girls Basketball 2016
Player of the year
Myriama Smith-Traore, Whitewater (see story this weekend on www.myracinecounty.com)
FIRST TEAM
Bre Cera, Mukwonago
If Smith-Traore is the immovable object, Cera is the area’s unstoppable force.
The University of Iowa recruit enjoyed a senior season which saw the Indians compete in the Division 1 state championship game, but they fell to Verona, 52-46.
The 5-foot-10 Cera was a driving force on the 24-4 team, as she averaged 14 points per game and tallied 25 in the team’s state final loss.
Cera committed to UW-Green Bay before her freshman year, and has since received interest from Wisconsin, Michigan State and Virginia before deciding on the Hawkeyes.
She’s a smooth operator, able to knock down outside shots.
According to a scouting profile on ESPN’s website, Cera is described as: “Fundamental perimeter threat with smooth release point on jumper to the arc; handles and creates, reads spacing, system contributor; shooter.”
Iowa shouldn’t be disappointed with Cera, who has been an all-state selection the last three years.
Morgan Glatczak, Mukwonago
While Cera and Smith-Traore were Associated Press first team all-state picks (Cera was unanimous), Glatczak headed the second team.
The 6-foot-2 inside force averaged a double-double and was rewarded as the Classic Eight Conference’s Co-Player of the Year, alongside Waukesha West’s Dani Rhodes.
Katrina Santos, East Troy
Santos honed her craft at 6-foot-2 this past season.
Had it not been for Smith-Traore, the senior would’ve been the best post player in Walworth County, according to Whitewater girls head coach Judy Harms.
“Great kid, great student, great teammate,” said East Troy girls coach Jeff Brown.
An All-Walworth County first team pick as a junior, Santos is sure to join the first team again this season.
“Can rebound and finishes well around the hoop,” said Delavan-Darien girls coach
Santos was dominant, posting 17.8 points and 12.6 boards per contest.
The Trojans were under .500, but Santos was named Team MVP and totaled 69 blocked shots (3.0 per game).
Frankie Pettit, Union Grove
Talk about a leader in every sense of the word, the 5-foot-11 do-everything senior ate, drank, breathed and sweated Union Grove red since she was a starter her freshman year in 2011.
Pettit delivered an unforgettable performance in the team’s sectional final loss to Stoughton and almost willed her team to victory in the second half before fouling out.
“Frankie did a little bit of everything for us,” said Broncos coach Rob Domagalski. “She led us in rebounding and brought up the ball from time to time.”
“I believe she is one of the best all-around players to play for Union Grove. She will be greatly missed.”
A four-year starter, Pettit earned second team all-Racine County and all-Southern Lakes Conference honors.
Pettit averaged 10.7 points, 7.6 rebounds, 3.8 assists and shot 35 percent from three-point land.
She added 2 blocks and 1 steal per game and shot 44 percent from the floor and 60 percent from the free-throw line.
SECOND TEAM
Brooklyn Bull, Union Grove
This 5-foot-8 point guard can flat shoot the rock.
A first team all-Racine County and all-SLC performer, Bull took it upon herself to take the big shots in the biggest games, including the Broncos’ playoff run.
Bull was named the player of the year in the SLC, and she was second in the league in scoring (14.3) and knocked down 40 percent of her triples.
The all-around talent added 6 rebounds, 3 assists and 3 steals per game while shooting 60 percent from the line.
Look out for Bull and teammates Janelle Shiffler and Jenna Rainey next season as the Broncos are almost certain to return to greatness.
“She has been a great all-around player for us and will only continue to get better,” Domagalski said. “She is a true basketball player and is very smooth on the court.”
Rebekah Schumacher, Whitewater
Another Whippet makes the team, this time a 5-foot-8 junior guard that can do it all.
The 2015 all-Walworth County first teamer was the team’s primary ball-handler and averaged 13.6 points per game.
Schumacher was second in the area with 4.7 assists per game and added three rebounds.
The Rock Valley Conference North first team selection also was an all-Jefferson County pick.
She added a staggering 107 steals in 24 games (more than 4 per game).
“She’s a very talented basketball player that’s been overshadowed by her older sister Sarah and now Myriama,” said Harms. “She’s an amazing player to coach and, along with Myriama, is a main reason we are successful.”
Sam Kirk, Wilmot
Kirk, a first-team Southern Lakes Conference honoree, compiled a school record 207 assists through four Lady Panther varsity seasons.
In Kirk’s senior season, she accumulated 73 steals, and tabulated 12.2 points per game.
She will play Division 2 college basketball at Cardinal Stritch University this winter, and she was the MVP for a team that shared the SLC championship with Union Grove and finished the season with 19 wins.
Kirk added 3.7 assists and 3.3 steals per game.
“Sam has turned into one of the better on-the-floor and off-the-floor leaders we have had,” said Wilmot coach Keiya Square.
“She leads by example on the floor and has a high basketball I.Q.”
Morgan Courier, Walworth Big Foot
The 5-foot-9 senior guard surpassed the 1,000-point plateau this season and was an all-Walworth County first team pick as a junior.
She was a stat stuffer, tallying 13.6 points, 4 rebounds, 85 steals and 28 3-pointers in 24 games.
Courier led the area in assists with 4.8 per contest.
“A definite leader on the court,” said Big Foot coach Rick Shoenbeck. “She gives 100 percent in every game she plays.”
Lake Geneva Badger head coach David Jooss said Courier is a “very explosive player that can score in bunches.”
Morgan’s older sister, Jordyn, played Division 1 college basketball for Southern Illinois, and her father Wes was a Division 1 college football star.
Morgan will play Division 1 college soccer this fall.
Jessa Burling, Burlington
Only a sophomore, Burling led the Southern Lakes Conference with 15 points per game and 8.4 rebounds, all while standing 5-feet-8.
She was a first team all-Racine County selection.
Perhaps her most eye-popping stat is her area-leading 5.3 steals per game.
Burling added 2.3 assists, 1.5 blocks and nine double-doubles.
“She became ranked second for total points in a season, second for steals and eighth in total rebounds in Burlington program history,” said head coach Mary Parker.
Honorable mention
Grace Beyer, freshman, Mukwonago
9.9 ppg, 50% 3-pt shooting
Janelle Shiffler, junior, Union Grove
Second team all-Racine County, second team all-SLC
“Janelle is one of the hardest workers, and she’s becoming an all-around dominant basketball player,” Coach Domagalski
Allison Heckert, sophomore, Whitewater
RVC North honorable mention, third-leading scorer on 19-2 team, 10 ppg
“Allison had a breakout season, great defender, hard worker, a pleasure to coach,” Coach Harms
Jenna Rainey, junior, Union Grove
– Hard-nosed defender did the dirty work in the paint, but took over offensively in sectional final when Pettit fouled out
– Passionate about basketball, puts team first and should be a major contributor next season
Megan Wallace, junior, Burlington
11.2 ppg, 6.2 rpg, 2 spg
HM All-SLC, HM All-Racine County
Delaney Sjong, junior, Wilmot
2nd team all-SLC, 12.6 ppg, 6.5 rpg
“Delaney was our main option this year and was undersized most of the time,” Coach Square
Samantha Tisa, senior, Lake Geneva Badger
285 pts, 164 rebs, 33 assists in 21 games, 1st team all-SLC
“Impact player on both ends, I believe Sam was the best post in the SLC, three-sport athlete with 3.9 GPA,” Coach Jooss
Jenn Freeman, junior, Lake Geneva Badger
11.3 ppg, 3.7 reb, 2 assists
Second team all-SLC, took 22 charges, three-sport girl with 3.8 GPA
Kat Lopez, freshman, Delavan-Darien
1st team all-SLC, 12.7 ppg, 5.9 reb, 3 assists
“Go-to ball-handler in pressure situations,” Coach Lopez
“Shoots the 3 as deep as any player I have seen,” Coach Jooss
Courtney Schoenbeck, sophomore, Big Foot
1st team all-RVC South, Co-MVP, 75%FT, 68 steals, 24 blocks, 39 3-pointers
11 ppg, 6.3 reb, 3.2 ast
Jennah Speth, senior, Delavan-Darien
13 ppg, 7 reb, 2 ast
2nd team all-SLC
“Only 5-9, she was asked to play and defend the post quite often. She was our senior leader and kept us in games with big shots and ability to take games over.” Coach Lopez
All-Area Roll Call
The inaugural Southern Lakes Conference All-Area girls basketball team features Delavan-Darien, East Troy, Elkhorn, Mukwonago, Lake Geneva Badger, Walworth Big Foot, Williams Bay, Faith Christian, Burlington, Catholic Central, Waterford, Union Grove, Westosha Central, Wilmot, Whitewater and Palmyra-Eagle high schools.
SLN’s sports panel that decided on who earned a spot included Sports Editor Mike Ramczyk, reporter Jason Arndt, correspondents Chris Bennett and Tim Wester, and photographer Rick Benavides.
Stay tuned for the boys all-area team, which will be featured in the April 14-15 Burlington Standard Press, Westine Report and Waterford Post.
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