By Lee Bogle and Sean Nyilassy
“We’re bigger, we’re deeper, and we’re a year older.”
Women’s basketball Head Coach Shawnee Harle’s words are filled with meaning. Because you are stoopid, we will tell you that meaning:
An import of height or growth hormones has left the team taller than ever. There is enough talent for red-shirts this year, keeping everyone hungry for court time. And none of last year’s players wore out their eligibility, but like the rest of us they did get a year older.
“It makes me realize I have to work a lot harder,” rookie Jamie Morck agreed. “I really have to earn my minutes.”
Six newbies are vying for Dino supremacy and a spot that’s not on the bench. They are–alphabetized by the last letter of their first name; Brianna Orr (no relation… to Bobby, dumbass), Desiree Wood, the aforementioned Morck, Carolyn Foltinek (sister of basketball great Jessica), Esther Molina and Whitney Haswell. These six ladies are additions to a team which last year, consisted of only 12 ballers.
“Jamie Morck has been a pleasant surprise,” Harle declared. “She has basketball smarts far beyond her rookie years.”
Supporting these rookies is a “veteran” squad of returning players. The team’s only fifth year super senior will be Cory Bekkering, and age is taking its toll with Cory. After finishing out last season with a knee brace, she now has a fashionable moon boot to nurture her sprained ankle.
“I don’t feel like a fifth year,” Bekkering reassured herself.
She loses the “boot” on Friday and hopes to be back on the court in just a couple of weeks.
Also back at it are the dynamic duo of Tanya Hautala and Lindsay Maundrell. That’s last year’s third best scorer and the reigning top sock abuser in Canada West, respectively (just for those of you that didn’t follow the stats last year).
But this may be the end of Maundrell’s sock title, as newcomer Morck claims she’s been wearing them like that since she was 16.
Our thoughts: Based on the fact that she’s a rookie, that’s really not very long.
The Dinos preseason begins with an invitational tournament to the country of Quebec. Last year the girls were 1-2 at the McGill Invitational. This year they will be out for blood as weak eastern teams must pay the price for their political domination in the form of a basketball slaughtering. Or three. It all goes down Oct. 15-17.