Locals ready for season

Mike Sciacca

The 2004-05 girls’ basketball season begins in earnest this week for

local teams.

Below is a capsule preview for Edison, Ocean View and Huntington

Beach:

EDISON CHARGERS

Head coach: Corey Kelly

Year at school: 4th (60-24)

League: Sunset

2003-04 record: 18-9 overall

League standing: 9-1; champion

2004 CIF results: Lost in third round of playoffs.

Returning starters: Elysse Van Leer, 5-7, guard, Jr.; Audra

Tamulaitis, 5-8, forward, Soph.; Rebecca Kepilino, 5-11,

guard/forward, 18 ppg, 6 rpg, two-time league MVP and all-county and

all-CIF, Sr.

Returning players: Wahine Kepilino, 5-7, guard, Soph.; Bonita

Stone, 6-2, forward, Sr.; Kelly Keating, 5-9, forward, Sr.; Lauren

Kanemaru, 5-6, guard, Jr.; Alex Bonsall, 6-0, forward, Jr.; Sarah

Schmidt, 5-10, forward, Simone Ibbotson, 5-9, guard/forward, Soph.

Key losses: Valerie Katayama, first-team all-league, now starting

at Orange Coast College; Jessica Harris, second-team all-league, now

starting at Cal State Monterrey Bay.

Team strengths: “Our strengths will come from the leadership and

play of Rebecca Kepilino,” Kelly said. “She has improved her play and

leadership every season, helping the other girls. Our defense and

mental toughness is always the strength of our team. We pride

ourselves every year on being one of the toughest defensive teams in

the area. We have a good balance of players around Rebecca who work

extremely hard and should be fun to watch.”

Coach’s expectations: “I expect this team to be very competitive.

We always play a difficult schedule and I believe this team is up for

the challenge. I expect them to compete and work hard every day, and

that should lead us to a successful year.

Key players: “Obviously, our first key player is Rebecca Kepilino

who just signed with Boise State. We do expect even more from her

this year as we are always challenging her to be better. The addition

of Bonita Stone should help give us a presence in the middle as she

has improved vastly over the last year. Our two guards with point

guard Elysse Van Leer and Wahine Kepilino give us two very athletic

guards who play outstanding defense and really get up and down the

floor. The great thing is that we have 11 girls on the roster who all

can contribute on any given night depending on matchups and who we

are playing.

League favorite: “We expect to be in the hunt for a league

championship. Esperanza is always a tough opponent and I believe

Marina will be tough as well as they return most of their team from

last year. Los Al, Fountain Valley and Huntington Beach all have

improved over the last year so every game will be a battle. Each game

we will need to be ready to play our best game or any team can beat

us.”

First game: At Century Tournament, Dec. 1-4

OCEAN VIEW SEAHAWKS

Head coach: Jim Harris

Year at school: 2nd

League: Golden West

2003-04 record: 23-3 overall

League standing: 12-0; champion

2004 CIF results: Lost in quarterfinals of 3-AA playoffs.

Returning starters: Vanessa Alderfer, 5-6, guard, second-team

all-league, Sr.; DJ Butler, 6-2, center, first-team all-league, Soph.

Newcomers: Kaitlin Potter, 6-0, forward/center, Jr.; Erica

Congelliere, 5-9, forward, Fr.; Kelsey Harris, 5-8, guard, Fr.; Laura

Boggeln, 5-1, forward/center, Soph.; Clarissa Holz, 5-9,

forward/guard, Fr.; Josnique Thomas, 5-7, forward, Jr.; Ciara

Sheppard, 5-7, forward, Jr.

Key losses: 2004 league co-MVPs Leila Abufare, now playing at La

Sierra University, and Erika Williams, now playing at the University

of La Verne; third-team all-league player Ahkiah Hunter, now playing

at Santa Ana College.

Team strengths: “Attitude, developing depth, unselfish play, good

passing squad and good size in front line,” Harris said. “We will

improve greatly as season progresses.”

Coach’s expectations: “To qualify for CIF playoffs and compete for

the league championship.”

Key players: “Vanessa Alderfer and DJ Butler. Kaitlin Potter,

Erica Congelliere, Clarissa Holz and Kelsey Harris will play well

beyond their experience. Laura Boggeln, Josnique Thomas, and Ciara

Sheppard will provide toughness and depth.”

League favorite: “Westminster, Costa Mesa and Saddleback will be

obstacles in defending our league championship.”

First game: Duarte Tournament, vs. Crenshaw, Monday.

HUNTINGTON BEACH OILERS

Head coach: Russell McClurg

Year at school: 2nd

2003-04 record: 5-20 overall

League standing: 0-10; sixth-place

Returning starters: Katia Hadj-hamou, guard/forward, first-team

all-league, Sr.; Alana Faagai, center, Jr.

Newcomers: Jasmine Earving, 6-2, center, Fr.; Rebecca Murray,

5-10, forward, Soph.; Karrisa Plotnik, forward, Jr.

Team strengths: “I think that we should be a lot better inside the

paint with the added height,” McClurg said. “Katia is a great

strength and her maturity as a team leader will greatly help a very

young team.”

Coach’s expectations: “That you will see us win more games this

year as this program develops. With only five games won last year, we

will set goals to win seven or more.”

League favorite: “The league race should be as follows: 1.

Esperanza; 2. Edison; 3. Marina; 4. Los Alamitos, Huntington Beach or

Fountain Valley.”

First game: At Century Tournament, Dec. 1-4