LANCASTER – Missing two starters June 16, the Newark Catholic girls basketball team gave a look at a future which could soon be the present.
Freshman guards Kennedy Rothweiler and Emma Streby took center stage for NC in games against host Fisher Catholic and Zane Trace during the Irish’s summer league.
“We are encouraging a lot of people to get here. It’s summer league, so anyone can come and play,” senior Leah Cox said. “We are rebuilding. We had just one senior last year, but we are getting those numbers up. We are creating a strong connection to carry on into the season.”
NC graduated just Sydney Gummer from last season’s team. Senior Leah Caudill, however, is currently playing in a national tournament with her club volleyball team, and classmate Avery Yehle has been focusing on soccer after recently wrapping up her track season in the Division V state meet.
That left the Green Wave with Cox and junior Aubrey Winters. Rothweiler and Streby, who each showed an ability to score from all three levels, got a trial by fire as they ran the show, and sophomore Clara Davis appears ready to emerge on the wing as well.
“Our intensity was a little lower today,” NC coach Dani Adams said. “We didn’t have Caudill, and that’s a huge difference week to week. I have been really impressed with our play here with being able to move the ball and get some different looks with having more guards. We played a little bit slower today, but I saw sparks today.”
NC has one more week left in the summer league, which also has included larger schools Fairfield Union and New Lexington. Cox said the message to the underclassmen has been to play without fear.
“I am helping them step into that leadership role because we are definitely going to use them this year,” Cox said. “I am just encouraging them, reminding them varsity’s a different game but not to get in their head. Mistakes are going to happen, and that’s OK.”
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This article originally appeared on Newark Advocate: Underclassmen shine in summer for Newark Catholic girls basketball
Reporting by Kurt Snyder, Newark Advocate / Newark Advocate
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Kurt Snyder, Newark Advocate | USA TODAY Network
