A new look: Cathedral to rely on height, quickness

By DAVE CLARK

Journal Sports Writer

NEW ULM -- The 2003 New Ulm Cathedral Greyhounds girls basketball team will rely on defense, fast break ability and something they're not traditionally known for.

Height.

The Greyhounds have seven players over 5'7," including three starters. Six-foot tall sophomore Catherine Miheve will be expected to defend the middle, grab rebounds and start the fast break, while 5'5" Nikki Fischer, the lone senior on the squad, will direct traffic for the rest of the starters, 5'7" sophomore point guard Toni Hall, plus 5'8" junior Katie Beranek and 5'6" junior Angela Long.

"Nikki will be our leader, playing at wing and as our backup point guard," said coach Mary Dengerud. "We're going to need her to take charge on the floor. Katie and Angela also started for us last year. Toni and Catherine both played some varsity last year.

"Toni is in a new position as our point guard, but she handles the ball and passes really well, so we'll be relying heavily on our two sophomores for rebounding and scoring underneath," said Dengerud. "Our biggest strength is defense. We are very quick and we'll be relying on that for turnovers. We also fast break well and we'll be using those things to jump start our offense. We're going to rely on Catherine to rebound and start the fast break."

Last year, Miheve averaged 6 rebounds per game while Beranek averaged 4.8 and Fischer averaged 7.5 points per game.

Senior Julie Seifert, who is 5'6" and scored 10.1 ppg last year, will not be returning to play basketball for Cathedral.

Dengerud said the Greyhounds will need some bench help along the way, so they have also brought up guards Chelsey Beranek and Kirsten Prunty from the B-Squad.

"The girls have all been playing with each other in summer ball," Dengerud said. "Our three-point shooting is just a matter of poise and knowing when we want it and when we should hold on to the ball."

As always, the Tomahawk Conference should provide plenty of competition for the Greyhounds, who hope to improve on their 11-13 record of 2002-2003.

"We know Cedar Mountain is going to be tough, we saw Minnesota Valley Lutheran in a scrimmage and they look good," Dengerud said. "Buffalo Lake-Hector is improved and Gibbon-Fairfax-Winthrop is solid."

The Greyhounds begin the season tonight at Madelia, then travel to Mankato Loyola Friday before their first home game against Wabasso next Tuesday at 7:30 p.m.

"Now we'll see what two weeks of practice did," Dengerud said.