Georgia on their minds

By JASON ELLIOTT

Sports writer

Two years ago, North Idaho College women's basketball coach Chris Carlson counted on a returning All-American point guard to lead a young pack of incoming freshmen players.

This year, that role will fall on Georgia Stirton, who was named Scenic West Athletic Conference Player of the Year and second-team All-American as a freshman after averaging 8.8 points per game, with a team-high 124 assists, starting every game for the Cardinals (28-4).

"She's going to be that sophomore All-American leader to our nine freshmen that Korina (Baker) was," said Carlson, who enters his 10th year as coach. "She provides great ball-handling and scoring skills and is just an exceptional player."

Stirton has verbally committed to play at Gonzaga next year.

"Her leadership is such a big thing," Carlson said. "Baker, her sophomore year was with a whole bunch of freshmen and led us to a SWAC title. It's been working in the past, so it's Georgia's turn now."

Also back is sophomore Renae Mokrzycki, a 6-foot forward from Cranbourne, Australia, who started seven games last season.

"Renae had six or seven double-doubles last year," Carlson said. "She's got great experience and big upside. I think she's going to be a Division I player next year."

Jansen Butler, a 5-9 guard from Lake City High and Maggie Kirscher, a 5-9 forward from Sandpoint also return.

"Jansen has been playing really well," Carlson said. "She could possibly start for us and has been hitting the weights really hard over the summer. She's been playing really strong and doing a great job. Maggie is really going to help us with her intelligence and ability to play anywhere on the court."

As for those nine incoming freshmen?

Panisesi Taimani, a 6-2 forward from Kennewick High, will likely start in the post, with Kara Staggs, a 5-7 guard from Okanogan, Wash., Mariah Swanson, a 6-0 forward from Burlington-Edison High of Burlington, Wash., and Bailey Schroeder, a 5-9 guard from Benton City, Wash., in the mix at the three guard/small forward.

"Panisesi has looked really good in that five spot," Carlson said. "She's a really good all-around player. Kara is a combo guard and can really score. You can tell she really knows how to play the game. Both Mariah and Bailey have been effective and are really going to help us out."

Katie King, a freshman from last year's state 5A champion Post Falls squad, will be a reserve guard.

"Katie's been solid," Carlson said. "I was talking with (Post Falls girls coach) Marc Allert the other day, and good things just happen when she's on the court. She directs traffic and makes good decisions on the court. I really think she's going to help us out."

Morgan Grier, a 5-8 guard from Shadle Park, Ryleigh Swagerty, a 5-4 guard and teammate of Swanson at Burlington-Edison, Sabrina Earle, a 6-1 post from Medical Lake and Caitlyn Behymer, a 5-11 forward from Okanogan round out the roster.

NIC finished tied with CSI for the conference title last season. The Golden Eagles won the Region 18 tournament in Coeur d'Alene to advance to nationals. NIC was an at-large selection to the NJCAA tournament last year.

"I think our freshmen are going to have to learn quickly the level of play," Carlson said. "That group (two years ago) was good enough to win the league, and it's going to come down to experience. They'll need to buy into what we're doing. Early on, and right through Christmas, they'll learn what it takes to win tough games. The more experience they can get making plays, that's what it's going to take."

NIC, ranked 14th in this week's first NJCAA poll, opens the regular season on Saturday at 5:30 p.m. at Rolly Williams Court, hosting the North Idaho All-Stars.

Among the players scheduled to represent the All-Stars are a mix of former local high school and NIC standouts including Natalie Nichols, Richelle (Fenenbock) Rieben, Sydney Butler, Nicole Symons, Jeni Boesel, Marielle McKean, Jordan Schoening and Kandice McArthur.

CSI, ranked fifth, returns eight sophomores from last year's regional championship team.

"I've got to think that CSI is going to be the team to beat," Carlson said. "They had a young, freshman team that got better at the end of the year. They've got most of those kids back and have the kids ready to compete. Everybody has a few returners and I think after that, it's going to be whoever gets better by the end of the year."

The Region 18 men's and women's tournament will be Feb. 27 through March 1 at Snow College in Ephraim, Utah.