If there’s one major difference in the Tyrone Lady Eagles of the mid – to late-1990s – when the squad was competing yearly for league and District championships and turning out 1,000-point scorers almost every other year – and the Lady Eagles of today, it’s the team’s ability to put the ball in the basket.
It may be the major reason why teams like Bellefonte and Bald Eagle Area – clubs that at one time were automatic W’s – have run even with or eclipsed the Lady Eagles since the turn of the decade.
And it was certainly a big reason why Tyrone finished just 8-15 this season under first-year head coach Luke Rhoades. When Tyrone needed a big shot most to turn the tide of a close game, it usually clanked off the back iron.
That’s why shooting is one of the main areas of focus established by Rhoades and his staff for the upcoming off-season, a nine-month period that could be one of the more critical times in the program’s history. If Tyrone is going to play once more for a title, it will have to do better than the 20-percent shooting performances that were common over the past season.
“Our shooting percentages were extremely low as a team,” Rhoades said. “Shooting is something that the girls need to work on all year, and not just during the season.”
Rhoades also pinpointed attitude, strength, team speed and basic fundamentals as areas for development during off-season workouts, which began for the Lady Eagles two weeks ago.
And while that may seem like a list that could be summed up by saying “everything,” there were plenty of positives Rhoades took from his first season as a head coach on the varsity level.
“Although record would indicate an unsuccessful season, I would say it was very successful. We made great strides in a lot of different areas,” said Rhoades. “Unfortunately, we didn’t achieve a lot of our team goals, but we continued to work towards them.”
One of the biggest obstacles Rhoades faced was attempting to implement a new philosophy about a month before the start of the regular season. Eighteen-year veteran Jim Swaney vacated the position in August, and it wasn’t until October that Rhoades was hired to replace him.
“We were basically stuck putting in a new offense, defense, conditioning and developing fundamentals all at the start of the season,” Rhoades said. “That really put us behind a lot of the other area teams.”
To be truthful, the Lady Eagles were already behind most area teams. They graduated four starters from the year before, and while they returned four letter-winners, only senior Liz Tepsic had significant playing experience. She finished averaging just over 10 points per game and leading the team in rebounding, while setting school records for blocked shots in a game (7 against Bellwood-Antis) and a season (60).
“Liz had an outstanding senior season,” said Rhoades. “She was a very positive silent leader. Unfortunately, she was not 100 percent all season. She seemed to be constantly fighting the flu, yet she made no excuses for her play in those games.”
For most of the Lady Eagles’ other contributors, the season was a process of learning on the go, an experience that wasn’t always bad. Junior Kayla Corle frequently reached double-figures from her shooting guard position, including career-highs of 17 in wins over Philipsburg-Osceola and Juniata Valley, while classmate Kassie Faretta emerged as one of the team’s top three-point threats and a defensive stopper.
Another bright spot was the play of freshman point guard Rachel Emigh, who assumed a starting role early in the season and never relinquished it. Her biggest contribution may have come on the defensive end, where she led the team in steals, while growing into an in-your-face defender capable of covering an opponent’s top scorer from end-to-end.
Their improvement – along with that of junior post Lindsay Christine, who missed most of the season with mono – are part of why Rhoades was so eager to begin preparing for next season in February.
“I’m excited to see the improvement of Kassie and Lindsay in the off-season. In addition, I believe we are really going to see Rachel establish herself as a dominant point guard in this area next year,” he said.
That won’t be the only change. With a year to work at it, Rhoades said the Lady Eagles of 2008 won’t only be bigger, stronger and faster. They’ll also have the attitude to defend and get out in transition.
They may even resemble some of their predecessors from years past.
“We’re going to play hard and work together as a team,” he said. “We’re going to bring a lot of excitement back to girls basketball here in Tyrone.”
