Coyote Women In Sioux Falls

USD junior guard Abby Kinder (middle)

Talk about a tough matchup.

The University of South Dakota women’s basketball team opened its 2009-10 season with a 53-40 loss against Wisconsin-Green Bay on Sunday afternoon at the Sioux Falls Arena.

The Press & Dakotan was on hand in Sioux Falls, as correspondent Keith Brockberg covered the game and I snapped photos. I rode up with fellow P&D sportswriter Justin Rust, who was covering the game for The Volante (USD’s student newspaper).

The three of us watched as USD debuted its new-look roster to a crowd of 1,907 fans at the Arena. Though, to be fair, it definitely didn’t feel like that many.

We first got a look at the Coyotes at last Wednesday’s exhibition loss to Winona State at Laddie E. Cimpl Arena in Yankton. In that game, USD found it difficult to score against a tough Winona defense.

And Sunday in Sioux Falls, it was more of the same against a UW-Green Bay team that has won 11 straight Horizon League championships.

Though they replace four starters this season, the Phoenix (2-0) had the nation’s No. 1 scoring defense a year ago — allowing just an average of 50.8 points per game. And with eight players this season at least 6-foot, I can see why that trend could continue.

Green Bay held USD to 38.6 percent (17-of-44) from the field on Sunday, and out-rebounded the Coyotes 37-24. The Phoenix also forced USD into 20 turnovers.

Despite the offensive struggles, the Coyotes again saw strong production from junior transfer Abby Kinder, a junior college transfer from Danville (Ind.) Area CC. The 5-foot-10 guard led USD with 12 points, and continually showed the ability to penetrate a tough UW-GB defense. In Wednesday’s exhibition, Kinder paced the Coyotes with 16 points.

For a team with a handful of new players trying to feel each other, it may take some time for USD to find its groove. A Nov. 24 official home opener against Iowa Wesleyan at 7 p.m. should aid in that goal, but the Coyotes will then embark a tough road trip — at Wichita State, at Nebraska, and at Santa Clara.

Regardless, it’s good to have basketball back again.

Great West Parity

“Can you find a more balanced league?”

** USD head coach Ed Meierkort, after his team’s 45-21 win on Nov. 7

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Yesterday (Saturday) was the final day of league football action for the five schools in the Great West Conference.

Among the games was a showdown in Davis, Calif., between UC Davis and North Dakota for the Great West championship. The back-and-forth contest was ultimately won by the hosts, 28-20.

In other action, South Dakota held off Cal Poly 50-48, while Southern Utah was defeated by No. 18 Eastern Washington, 41-28.

And although four teams have one game remaining in their seasons, we now know the final conference records for each team. UC Davis finishes 3-1, while North Dakota, South Dakota and Southern Utah all finish 2-2, with Cal Poly at 1-3.

You know what that shows?

That in a league won by Cal Poly last season, 2009 was truly marked by extreme parity.

Consider:

** League champion UC Davis started its season 1-3. Opens league play with a 24-23 overtime win over South Dakota in Vermillion. Is then routed by Southern Utah 56-35 on the road. Rebounds with wins over Cal Poly and North Dakota.

** North Dakota opens league play with a 27-12 home win over rival South Dakota. Two weeks later, is embarrassed by NAIA Sioux Falls. Loses at Southern Utah. Turns around and beats Cal Poly. But then sneaks by NAIA Southern Oregon 30-24, but still has a shot at a league title on Saturday.

** South Dakota is crushed by Northern Iowa 66-7 on the road. Then responds by making quick work of FCS foes Drake (51-21) and Southeastern Louisiana (44-13). But then embarks on a four-game losing streak. But pulls it together for a 45-21 thrashing of Southern Utah and a 50-48 closer-then-it-should’ve-been win at Cal Poly.

** Following a season-opening win, Southern Utah then loses three straight. But turns around and beats Top 25 foe Texas State. But then loses at Cal Poly 24-23 thanks to a missed game-tying extra point. But then beats North Dakota and UC Davis. But then is crushed by South Dakota on the road.

** And Cal Poly hangs tough in back-to-back FBS games, and then edges Top 25 South Dakota State at home. Following a loss at Montana, the Mustangs win two straight. But then lose three straight, against North Dakota, UC Davis and South Dakota.

Balanced much?

SD Football Finals Day 3

The Press & Dakotan will be covering tonight’s (Saturday) Class 11AA state high school football championship game at the DakotaDome in Vermillion.

Sports Editor James D. Cimburek will be providing Twitter updates from the game, which starts at 7:30 p.m.

Follow our updates here.

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FINAL: Sioux Falls Washington 27, Aberdeen Central 10

Recruiting Classes Announced For SDSU, USD Women

Both the South Dakota and South Dakota State women’s basketball programs announced their early signings today, each bringing in three recruits.

USD brought in two from Nebraska and one from South Dakota. All three SDSU recruits were from Minnesota. Here is a quick look, via their respective press releases:

USD

Nebraska prep stars Katelyn Edwards of Crete, Neb., and Stacia Robertson of Grand Island, Neb., have signed letters of intent to play for USD starting in 2010-11, while Carsey Barden, a standout from Whitewood, will also continue her athletic and academic career at USD.

Edwards, a 5-foot-11 senior guard at Crete High School, was named to the Class B All-State first team in 2009. She averaged 19.6 points, 10.5 rebounds, 4.3 steals and 2.9 assists in eight games before suffering an injury. Edwards shared the Dakota Showcase MVP honors with Robertson after helping the Nebraska Twisterz to the championship last summer. She was named the Lincoln Journal Star Super State first team as a sophomore in 2008 after averaging 18.8 points and 7.0 rebounds per game that season. She was also first-team Super State and all-conference as a sophomore. As a freshman, Edwards was first-team All-State in Class B and was third-team Super State. During her varsity career, Crete has posted a 51-5 record as she averaged 16.8 points per game. Edwards is also Crete’s all-time leading scorer.

Robertson, a 6-foot-2 senior forward at Grand Island High School, is in the midst of an outstanding prep career. She was named the Co-MVP of the Miss Basketball Showcase last summer as well as being one of the All-Americans at the event. Robertson averaged 20.5 points per game for the Nebraska Twisterz summer team at the event. She was named to the Lincoln-Journal Star Super State second team in 2009 after averaging 16.7 points and eight rebounds as a junior at Grand Island. She was a Super State second team selection in 2008, and was also named Nebraska AP Class A All-State second team.

She is a two-time Heartland Athletic Conference All-Conference selection (2008 and 2009). Robertson shared the Dakota Showcase MVP honors with Edwards. Robertson was also voted Player of the Year Midwest for the Summer of 2009 by the Midwest Recruiting Service.

Robertson and Edwards have played on the same club team since they were in sixth grade.
Barden, a 5-foot-11 senior guard at Sturgis High School, has put together an impressive playing career. As a junior in 2008-09, Barden averaged 15.2 points, 5.3 rebounds, 5.6 assists and 3.1 steals per game. She is a two-time Class AA All-State selection, earning the honors in both 2008 and 2009. She also was named to Greater Dakota Conference All-Conference first team in both 2008 and 2009. She also was named a 2009 All-American by Miss Basketball Showcase. She was also named to the All-State tournament team in 2009 and was a four-time All-Greater Dakota Conference member. She also was named to the Argus Leader’s 2nd Five in 2009, along with earning Best of the West Award honors from the Rapid City Journal in 2009.

SDSU

Three Minnesota high school standouts signed a National Letter of Intent Wednesday, indicating they will enroll at South Dakota State University in the fall and compete for the Jackrabbit women’s basketball team.
The signees include:
• Gabrielle Boever, 5-8, guard, Worthington, Minn.;
• Hannah Strop, 6-0, forward, New Prague, Minn.; and
• Megan Waytashek, 6-0, guard/forward, Lino Lakes, Minn.
Boever enters her fourth season as the starting point guard for a Worthington High School program that has won two conference and two section championships. A three-time all-state selection by the Minnesota Coaches Association and Minnesota Basketball News, as well as a two-time all-state honoree by the Associated Press, Boever reached the 1,000-point plateau as a junior and has averaged 14 points, 4.5 steals and 3.5 assists per game during her prep career. In addition, she played two years with the North Tartan AAU team and one year with the Minnesota Stars AAU program.
Boever follows in the footsteps of her older sister, Maria, who is a senior forward on this year’s Jackrabbit squad.
Strop has been a two-time all-conference honoree for a New Prague High School team that has made two state tournament appearances, including a third-place finish last season. She also earned Class 3A second-team all-area honors from the Minnesota Basketball News and was an honorable mention selection to the St. Paul Pioneer Press All-Area Team after averaging 11.0 points and 5.4 rebounds her junior season.  Strop also has been a member of the North Tartan AAU team.
In addition, Strop has lettered in volleyball and track and field, earning all-conference honors in volleyball this fall. She also has excelled in the classroom, earning academic all-state honors in volleyball and being selected to the National Honor Society.
Waytashek, who has been ranked among the top 100 players in the 2010 class by ESPN Hoopgurlz, has been a key member of the highly successful girls’ basketball program at Centennial High School. Centennial has posted an 81-7 overall record en route to winning three conference titles and turning in a runner-up finish at the Class 4A state tournament last season. An all-conference honoree each of the last two seasons, Waytashek also received honorable mention all-state recognition from the Minnesota Coaches Association as a junior, when she averaged 12.5 points and 5.3 rebounds per game. She has been a member of the Minnesota Stars AAU program, as well.
Waytashek also has excelled in volleyball, holding the school record in blocks and ranking second in career kills. Additionally, Waytashek has been a member of her school’s Peer Leadership Group and is a member of the National Honor Society.

Now that you’ve checked them out, who do you think had the better class? Feel free to comment, and to vote in this poll.

Volleyball Pairings Set

PIERRE — The pairings for the South Dakota State Class A and Class B Volleyball Tournaments have been announced.
Both Class A and Class B will be held in Watertown, Nov. 19-21.
In Class A, defending state champion Wagner (31-1) will face Custer (22-10) in the opening round, a noon start Thursday, followed by Elk Point-Jefferson (22-5) against Platte-Geddes (24-4) at 1:45 p.m.
Other first-round matches in Class A feature Milbank (22-3) against Sioux Valley (23-6) and Sioux Falls Christian (22-2) against Mobridge-Pollock (23-7).
In Class B, Andes Central (20-10) draws top-seeded Arlington (31-1) in the opening round, beginning at noon on Thursday. Parker (25-5) takes on Mount Vernon (24-1) in the 1:45 p.m. match.
Also in Class B, White River (29-4) takes on Highmore-Harrold (24-6) and Warner (28-2) takes on Lemmon (26-7).
Championships are set for Saturday, Nov. 21, with the Class B at 6 p.m., followed by Class A at 8 p.m.