NTL GIRLS' BASKETBALL: CANTON BATTLES THROUGH SEASON OF ADVERSITY (2023-03-14)

BY CHRIS MANNING
Northern Tier Sports Report
It was a trying year for the Canton girls’ basketball team, but they were able to persevere through it to make the district playoffs for the second year straight.

The Warrior started strong, hit a mid-season malaise, and then ended strong to go 10-12 on the year.

“I really enjoyed coaching, again, at the varsity level,” said coach Ryan VanNoy, who returned to the bench. “The league is full of talented coaches, talented players, and I believe it’s getting better. I wish I could’ve gotten a few more wins for my seniors this year.”

The Warriors started the year 2-1, then had back to back tough losses to Troy and Towanda. They followed that with a 3-game win streak, including a 36-31 Christmas Tournament title win over Millville that saw guard Kendall Kitchen earn MVP.

Then the rough stretch started as Canton went 2-8 over their next 10. Kitchen missed much of that time with an illness, while the team struggled to score.

However, they would go 3-1 in their final four games. During that stretch they saw Molly Ward nab her 1,000th rebound, the first in school history to do that.

They would lose to NEB in the opening round of districts.

“Sarah Davy, Carolyn Thoren, Emmie Tymeson, Jazmyn Hickok, and Molly Ward will be missed,” VanNoy said about his seniors. 

Ward averaged 14.5 RPG, one of the best marks in the state, to go with 7.2 PPG and 3.9 SPG. 

Kitchen led the team at 9.3 PPG, while they got good contributions from Tymeson (8.1 PPG) and Thoren (8.3 PPG) on offense, and Hickok on defense.

Things will look much different next year, though, as they lose all their rotation players but Kitchen.

“We have some serious rebuilding to do, but these girls have left a positive impression on our program that will help us be successful down the road,” said VanNoy.