Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Wolverettes Ready To Play For Title

Last basketball season was one of the best the Prescott Wolverettes had enjoyed in a long time.

The Wolverettes made it to the finals of the state playoffs, before falling and finishing second.

The team lost two senior starters in Stacy Stockton and Jessica Hendrix. Several have said these two would be hard to replace.

But, anyone expecting the Wolverettes to have an off year had better not hold their breath while waiting.

Coach Bill Cossey has the 1999-2000 squad ready to do battle on the hardwood.

This year's team is heavily laden with seniors, as there are 11 twelfth graders suiting up.

The crew has plenty of experience, not only in regular season play, but tournament play as well.

The Wolverettes again have plenty of speed and, if Cossey has his way, will be a transition team, pushing the ball up and down court at every opportunity.

He also expects to play more people, as the bench seems to be deeper than it has been in years past.

In addition, the girls have all picked up their game. During practice Monday morning there was no hesitancy in driving the lane or taking the rock to the hole.

Fear is not a part of the Wolverette vocabulary.

"We have three senior starters back," Cossey said of the team. "We have to replace two seniors and we'll miss them, but we have people to fill in.

"We got a lot of experience last year."

This year Cossey has something he hasn't had during his time at Prescott size. Three players are 5-10 or taller, while the rest are from 5-4 to 5-9.

Plans are to start the "big" team, and, if pressed, go to the smaller, quicker players. "We have three or four ways we can go," he said.

"We've got more size than last year and I feel we can get up and down the floor."

Cossey wouldn't get specific about the types of offenses and defenses he will have the team run, but did say they would be disguised.

However, the Wolverettes will likely continue playing a strong pressure man-to-man defense, along with a match up zone.

The conference, he said, will be far from a "gimme", as Fountain Lake returns several players and Mena is always a tough team to play.

De Queen is down to nine players, he said, but the Lady Leopards are never an easy team to handle.

Bismarck has brought up some good players from its junior high, he said, while Nashville will be scrappy and in the hunt as well.

Fordyce has plenty of good athletes, with Fouke also bringing up players from its junior high team last season.

Still, the Wolverettes will be mired in the thick of the district battle and have a goal to get back to the state tournament and hopefully make a return trip to Pine Bluff next March.

Cossey will have 19 players suiting up for the Wolverettes. This year's team includes: Traci Graham, Jeania Haynie, Andrea Cossey, Misty Brown, Jennifer Ingram, Laura Beth Williams, Donisha Williamson, Kristen Teague, Vontrice Flemons, Johnna Bryan, Amanda Crow, Lateisha Heard, Trenace Hardamon, Katrena Sorrells, Taquilla Williamson, Tiffany Smith, Heather Harris, Lauren Guthrie and Elizabeth Wilson.

Ingram, Brown, Haynie, Wilson and Sorrells are expected to see time inside at the post position.

A. Cossey and Graham will be the ball handlers, and this is guaranteed to put pressure on any opposing defense.

During practice, Cossey and Graham whipped the ball to teammates from different directions and the ease of Joe Montana winging a pass to Jerry Rice.

Additionally, the two are showing more tendencies to drive inside and not just hang on the perimeter and fire away.

But, any defense allowing either freedom on the wing had better watch out as they can nail three-pointers almost effortlessly.

"We'll be different in ways," Cossey said of the team, "but our goal is to get to the state tourney. That's where we've set our sights. We may have to take a different route, though."