Replacing offense big problem for J-M, McGuffey

Having replace graduating seniors is inevitable for any high school coach, but the challenge is magnified in WPIAL basketball, where some programs are built around one or two scorers.
How about finding a way to make up for losing more than 3,000 points? McGuffey’s girls basketball team can no longer lean on Sammie Weiss and Rachel Czulewicz, who made one of the best scoring combinations in the WPIAL the past three years.
Weiss finished her career with more than 2,000 points and Czulewicz eclipsed 1,000, helping the Highlanders earn the first state playoff win in program history. Jefferson-Morgan boys basketball coach Dennis Garrett is faced with a similar problem. He has to find a way to replace do-it-all guard Rece Henneman, who finished his career with more than 1,000 points, including 962 his final two seasons, and led the area in scoring a year ago.
Both teams play in competitive sections with the top competition returning the bulk of its roster. For Garrett, he must also find the 264 points that are gone with the graduation of Austin Clark.
“You can’t replace Rece, you just can’t,” Garrett said. “There’s no replacing him or Austin at this point. We just have to do what we can. You try to simplify things and try to do things your young kids are good at. That’s all you can do, but you aren’t going to replace that production.”
As the Rockets (0-3) search for answers, the lack of scoring has been obvious. They are averaging 47 points per game, but Henneman and Clark brought more than offense. Their athleticism helped on a defense that held its final three section opponents to just over 38 points to clinch a playoff berth.
The losses go beyond the boxscore. Garrett has turned to a starting five that does not include a senior. The Rockets are led by sophomore point guard D.L. Garrett, who is averaging more than 15 points per game. He’s joined by junior Gage Clark, junior Austin DeFrank, junior Diari Davis and junior Casey Wilson.
“Our basketball knowledge is going to be rough and the only way you get that is by playing better competition in the offseason,” Dennis Garrett said. “That’s the hardest part of it. If you have to yell out to kids to do something on the court, then it’s too late. We just don’t have that basketball knowledge and not everyone is on the same page.”
McGuffey first-year head coach Morgan Spaulding knows the feeling. The Highlanders are 0-3 with a starting lineup that includes only one player who scored in the PIAA second-round playoff loss to West Perry.
It helps that the one player has plenty of experience in big games. Senior guard Katie Demi is averaging more than 23 points. No other McGuffey player has reached double figures and the Highlanders have struggled on defense. Unlike in previous seasons, there are few options outside of the starting lineup.
“That’s probably the biggest challenge we have, just trying to get contributions from everybody,” Spaudling said. “You have to give the kids confidence in themselves with practices and scrimmages. We just have to improve after every practice, every game and every scrimmage. It’s on us. We have to believe in ourselves because the media will count us out.”
There’s no simple formula to finding the points that are gone and the results could show early, but Garrett and Spaulding’s missions are the same – improve and hope confidence comes with success.
“The kids we lost had some confidence,” Garrett said. “If you know you’re superior than somebody, then it makes a big difference. Right now, these kids are struggling to find who they really are and what it takes to get over that hump.”
The California Area School District has decided to not appeal Kylie Huffman’s transfer to North Catholic to the PIAA.
Huffman, who was a standout forward for the Trojans’ girls basketball team, transferred to North Catholic, which is a favorite to win the WPIAL, after the start of the school year. California appealed the transfer to the WPIAL, but lost by a 6-4 vote in October.
A potential Division I recruit, Huffman averaged 11 points and five rebounds in 25 games for the Trojans last season. She missed eight games while recovering from knee surgery. A junior, Huffman made first team on the Observer-Reporter All-District Team as a freshman after averaging 15.6 points, 11.2 rebounds and 5.2 blocks per game. She was third team last year.
Doctors reconstructed the medial patellofemoral ligament in her left leg, a surgery made necessary because of a genetic abnormality in her patella tendon.
She has played in two games for North Catholic – both wins – and scored 13 points with 11 rebounds Saturday against Our Lady of the Sacred Heart.
Charleroi girls soccer coach Jim Rue resigned Monday after leading the Cougars to the WPIAL Class AA championship and the PIAA quarterfinals.
With coaching stints at Charleroi and Ringgold, Rue, 69, had a 215-87-23 overall record and he has never had a losing season. He revitalized the Cougars’ program and helped start the girls soccer program at Ringgold.