Wasilla girls young, improving

WASILLA — Jeannie Hebert-Truax should know a lot more about her Wasilla High School girls’ basketball team in about three weeks.

At this point, three games into the 2007-08 season, there are a few questions regarding the defending 4A state champions, mainly because the Warriors return only two varsity veterans from a team that topped Juneau-Douglas in the 2007 state title game.

Even though the Warriors are young and inexperienced, opponents are expecting the Warriors to be right where they normally are, among the top teams in not only the Northern Lights Conference, but all of the state.

By mid-January, the Warriors will know exactly where they stand.

Wasilla starts a busy January with one of the biggest games of the season when the Warriors face Valley-rival Colony on Jan. 8 at Colony High School. Wasilla follows the bout with the Knights with games against Chugiak and South, two teams also expected to be among the top squads in the state.

The Warriors are now 2-1 after starting their season with three games at the Joe Floyd Invitational at by Kodiak High School. In the tournament, Wasilla sandwiched a loss to Chugiak with victories over Lathrop and host Kodiak.

“We saw some good things, we saw some things we need to work on,” Hebert-Truax said after the tourney.

For the most part, Hebert-Truax said things are going slow, but the young Warriors are getting there.

“We’re doing a lot of teaching,” the longtime head coach said.

That could be the biggest difference between this group and teams Hebert-Truax has led in recent seasons. The Warriors are young, and for the most part, inexperienced. Rather than working on strategy, the Warriors have to focus on mere fundamentals.

“They work hard in practice,” Hebert-Truax said. “They’re working on their skills.”

Even though this Warrior team might not be where last year’s squad was technically, Hebert-Truax said hard work can ensure that the checkmarks still go in the win column.

“We need to go out there and be intense for 32 minutes,” she said.

Leading the Warriors this season is junior Jenna Johnson, who last season evolved into one of the stars of the 49th state.

Johnson has proven she can do about everything on the court —score from inside or out, rebound and defend.

Hebert-Truax said this season a key is maximizing the leadership abilities of Johnson and the Warriors’ only other veteran, senior Shelby Fulton.

So far, Hebert-Truax said Johnson and Fulton have responded positively to the Warriors’ need of them to be leaders.

Fulton will also have to be the floor general on the court for WHS.

“She handles the ball 90 percent of the time,” Hebert-Truax said.

After Johnson and Fulton, the Warriors have a group of underclassmen who will see plenty of action.

Freshmen Kelsey Cottle and Celeste Colegrove made their program debuts as members of the varsity team. The Warriors also have sophomores Skyler Ness and Carlee Naczi on the varsity squad.

Cottle brings her 6-foot-4 frame to the court for WHS.

While she is still developing, Cottle is expected to be Wasilla’s primary post presence.

“She enjoys the game, she enjoys learning,” Hebert-Truax said.

A pair of former standouts in the post who are now on the WHS coaching staff — Erica Lund and Brittney Kroon — are expected to be a great help in the development of Cottle. During her college career at Seattle Pacific University, Kroon — a former Warrior star — was among the top post players in all of Division II basketball.

Cottle and Colegrove — a 5-8 freshman — are both expected to see a ton of minutes in the post for WHS.

Contact Frontiersman sports editor Jeremiah Bartz at 352-2273 or sports@

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