Girls Basketball Team Starts New Season With New Faces

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Girls Basketball Team Starts New Season With New Faces

Three freshmen join the veterans for a new look.
By Mike Curci
December 17, 2009

What a difference a year makes. Last season, the Cranford High School girls' basketball team finished with an impressive record of 18-11, reaching the finals of both the county tournament and the state sectionals with a veteran squad. Now, with four key starters lost to graduation, head coach Jackie Huber has turned the page, looking for the new faces of the program heading into the 2009-2010 campaign.

"We're very excited," Huber said. "We're actually more prepared this year so far within the first week than we've been in the previous years that I've been here. The girls are working very hard."

Lost from last season are Elizabeth Snyder, MaryKate Minitelli, Angela Renna and Hannah McHugh. This leaves Huber with a young group, including freshmen Kaitlin McGovern, Jessica McCoy and Jenna Goeller, who made the grade in tryouts and are now members of the varsity team.

"I think we're going to do really well, we have a lot of young girls who are really talented," said senior Jaime Webb. "They're going to get a lot better as the season goes on. They're really going to help us out this year."

"It's coming along very well," said Huber. "The seniors have stepped up as leaders, which we knew they were going to be. Being so competitive, with Jamie and Taylor (D'Antico) with soccer, they have the experience to pick up the young players when they get frustrated."

D'Antico, one of the heroes in Cranford's Union County Tournament soccer championship this past fall, is returning from an injury but says she's ready to get the season underway.

"I think our goal for the season is to take this as far as we can," said D'Antico. "Especially with the young squad. We have really talented young players who will help us out, so we're looking at a possible county or state title."

Cranford will be motivated by the thought of last year's county championship game, when they lost to Roselle Catholic by one with just seconds left to play.

"For these returning players, we thought the county tournament got pretty much taken from us last year," said Huber. "I think we're going to be a team that people won't expect to be as good because we lost six seniors, but I'm confident we're going to surprise people this year."

Huber knows what it takes to win a county title, having been a four-year varsity player for Union Catholic High School which won the county crown in both her freshman and senior seasons. She was 40-4 as a junior varsity coach before taking over the varsity job, where she is 33-19 in her first two seasons. Last year's state sectional final appearance was the first for the program in more than 30 years.

As for team goals, everyone has been keeping those thoughts to themselves, although the veterans on this squad know exactly what they would like to accomplish.

"We haven't really talked about it as a team, but I know we'd like to do well in county and states this season," said Webb. "Last year we weren't consistent so we're looking to take it one game at a time."

"We learned we need to work more together as a team," said senior Danielle Gross. "Last year, we were all over the place. This year we're a lot closer as a team."

One of the main things they have to do right now, is to get the right level of team chemistry as they head into the season. The Cougars are planning on making that a priority.

"We don't really know each other that well with all the young girls," said Webb. "So we're going to get to know each other, with team events outside of basketball."

And they're confident the rest of Union County will get to know this young and talented team much sooner than later. The Lady Cougars tip-off the season on the road Friday night December 18, at 7 p.m. vs. Governor Livingston.

2009-1010 Cranford Girls Basketball Roster:

Taylor D'Antico, Sr.
Danielle Gross, Sr.
Jamie Webb, Sr.
Sara Gugliuci, Jr.
Nicole Kleiman, Jr.
Jackie Monteagudo, Jr.
Morgan Miller, Soph.
Jenna Goeller, Fr.
Jessica McCoy, Fr.
Kaitlin McGovern, Fr.

Head Coach: Jamie Huber

Next week's schedule:

Fri. 12/18 Gov. Livingston (Away) 7:00 p.m.
Tue. 12/22 Johnson Reg. (home) 7:00 p.m.
Sun. 12/27 Lancer Invitational (Livingston H.S.) Time TBA