NTL GIRLS' BASKETBALL: CANTON LOOKING TO BUILD OFF LAST SEASON'S SUCCESS (2022-11-30)

BY CHRIS MANNING
Northern Tier Sports Report
There’s a buzz in the gym for Canton girls’ basketball. They’re coming off one of their best seasons in 20 years, as they had a winning record, reached the NTL Showcase, and even won a district game.

With so many key players back they’re hoping to go even further this year.

“I’m hoping that we can build off of that with our seniors,” said sophomore guard Kendall Kitchen. 

She’s a long way from her freshman debut season, and by the end of the year Kitchen was running the point for the Warriors.

“When I go into games I’m not as nervous,” said Kitchen. “I have that experience with varsity pressure on me, and I can just help my team in any way I can.”

Taking over the point guard role, Kitchen is looking to get all her teammates on the same page.

“We just need to play as a team,” she said. “Last year, we had our moments, and this year, I’m hoping that we can just fix that problem.”

She finished with 9.6 PPG a year ago, to go with 2.8 RPG, 2.7 APG, and 1.4 SPG.

Leading the seniors is Molly Ward, one of the most prolific rebounders in the district. Ward surpassed 500 rebounds early last season, and has an outside shot at getting 1,000.

She had 3.0 SPG a year ago, too.

She’s a fourth year starter, who isn’t afraid the to the dirty work inside.

“I’m focusing hustling,” said Ward. “Just the things that you control, like attitude, being a leader for my team, and someone they can look up to, and be like, ‘yeah, we need to act more like that.’”

Ward hasn’t been able to turn that rebounding into more points, as of yet, but she hasn’t given up trying.

“I’m definitely looking to actually score, and not just pass it out to my team,” explained Ward. “I’ve been working out and getting stronger. Being a smaller forward, it’s hard when you’re up against six foot tall girls, so I’m just going to try and use my quickness.”

They return key players Emmie Tymeson, Carolyn Thoren, and Jazmyn Hickok, though Aislyn Williams isn’t returning after a tough volleyball season.

Tymeson averaged 7.5 PPG a year ago, to go with 3.0 RPG. Thoren had averages of 4.4 PPG, 3.5 RPG, and 1.2 BPG.

Still, that’s a quite few returnees who got a lot of quality time last year.

“They have that experience, and they’ve been playing together since second grade,” said Kitchen. “It just helps going into that.”

Their newest addition is coach Ryan VanNoy, who returns for a second stint on the bench.

“I’m just getting on the same page with Ryan,” said Ward. “As well as each other, and a better understanding of what we’re doing out there as a team.”

VanNoy is excited with he sees so far in the early going.

“I’m very blessed, and very fortunate,” said VanNoy about taking over a team that’s coming off a strong year. “That’s not always the case. And, honestly, the biggest part is hoping that I don’t screw it up, because these girls can play. They’ve proven that last year, and they’ve worked this summer. We got some good workouts in during the summer, so I’m super excited. I just want to make sure I do a good job for them, and make a senior year they’ll remember.”

He’s been looking to his seniors to lead the team, especially during their conditioning drills.

“We talked about that a lot,” said VanNoy. “Like, ‘you guys are an experienced group, you’ve got to go as hard as you can in every drill we do to get our conditioning in there.’ So we’ve tried to do that. I’m hoping that that’s working for us.”

VanNoy sees their versatility as a strength, especially between the shooting of Kitchen and Tymeson, combined with the inside play of Thoren and Ward.

“We’re going to do a little bit of everything,” he said. “It just depends on what kind of match-ups we get night in and night out. I think we have the ability to shoot the ball on the outside, and I think we have the ability with the ball on the inside.”

In the division NEB is still going to be a tough one, while in cross-division play they still have Towanda, Troy, Athens, and Wellsboro to get through.

Districts got a little easier, with state runners-up Southern Columbia, and state final four team Mt. Carmel moving up a class. The Warriors lost to Southern Columbia in the district playoffs a year ago.

They will still have to contend with NEB, South Williamsport, Muncy, and now defending state champions Northumberland Christian, but they remain bullish on their chances.

“We want to be in the mix and compete for a league title,” said VanNoy. “I think we can do that. A lot of things have got to go our way - you’ve got to be healthy, you’ve got to be disciplined, you’ve got to be focused, you’ve got to work hard - but I think we can there in the mix.”

Ward agrees with her coaches’ sentiment.

“Hopefully we can put a new year on the our banner.”

ROSTER (Grade)

Molly Ward (12)

Carolyn Thoren (12)

Sammy Brackman (12)

Emmie Tymeson (12)

Jazmyn Hickok (12)

Sara Davy (12)

Natalie Kapichok (11)

Kendall Kitchen (10)

Daveian Crowley (9)

Jaylynn Gasparo (9)

Emma McGhee (9)

Chelsie Harris (9)

SCHEDULE

Dec. 2 - at NPL Tournament

Dec. 3 - at NPL Tournament

Dec. 6 - vs Wyalusing, 7:30 p.m.

Dec. 8 - vs Troy, 7:30 p.m.

Dec. 12 - vs Meadowbrook Christian, 7:30 p.m.

Dec. 13 - at Towanda, 7:30 p.m.

Dec. 15 - vs NEB, 7:30 p.m.

Dec. 20 - at NPL, 7:30 p.m.

Dec. 29 - Host Tournament

Dec. 30 - Host Tournament

Jan. 4 - at CV, 7:30 p.m.

Jan. 10 - at Sayre, 7:30 p.m.

Jan. 12 - vs NPM, 7:30 p.m.

Jan. 16 - at Montgomery, 7:30 p.m.

Jan. 18 - vs Wellsboro, 7:30 p.m.

Jan. 20 - at Williamson, 7:30 p.m.

Jan. 25 - vs Athens, 7:30 p.m.

Jan. 27 - at NEB, 7:30 p.m.

Feb. 1 - vs NPL, 7:30 p.m.

Feb. 3 - vs CV, 7:30 p.m.

Feb. 8 - vs Sayre, 7:30 p.m.

Feb. 10 - at NPM, 7:30 p.m.