BY CHRIS MANNINGNorthern Tier Sports Report
It will be a new era for Canton girls’ basketball this year. They lost several seniors who were key to the program for four years, and have no seniors this season, so these girls will be the ones for a while.
“Year two is always easier than the first year because you kind of learn the ropes, and you understand what’s going on,” explained Canton coach Ryan VanNoy. “You understand what other teams are going to do and what they’re going to try to do. And it just feels a little bit more like my team this year. Last year I came in with six seniors, and they had already established themselves, so it was a little tricky. But these guys have all been with me in junior high all the way up.”
Kendall Kitchen is their only returner that saw consistent action last year. She put up 9.3 points per game and hit 32 3-pointers in an injury shortened season.
“I’m really excited to get started with this new group of girls,” remarked Kitchen. “It’s kind of scary at times, but I’m excited to see what the new season will bring, I think it will be fun.”
It will be similar to her volleyball season, which saw plenty of turnover from last year, as well.
“I’m getting a lot of the same vibes from this team,” Kitchen said.
They’re been working on their base skills so far this season, and Kitchen knows they’ll be looking up to her as they develop.
“I need to be a leader this year for the younger girls, and just help them feel what it’s like to be on the varsity team,” she explained.
As the point guard Kitchen knows she’ll have to shepherd the girls along as they learn the offense.
“I need to make sure that when we’re on the court that they just keep their calm and run our offense,” she said. “Like I said, I just need to be a leader for them on the court.”
That’s one area VanNoy is going to be asking of Kitchen this year.
“She is a monster at both ends of the floor,” he said. “Honestly, what I’m most proud of Kendall for is her leadership, because she understands where we are and who we are. She has been absolutely fantastic in preseason with these girls, encouraging them, pushing them, and challenging them. A lot of our success is going to come from her leadership, and that’s top notch right now.”
Youth movements are a common theme across the league, and it’s no different in Canton.
“That’s good and bad,” said VanNoy. “The good is we get a lot of girls that I’ve been coaching for a long time that understand what we try to do,” he said. “They get after it pretty good for as young as they are. But part of the bad is that they just have not played this caliber of athletes. They have not played against people this physical, and my job is to make that learning curve as short as possible. And our success is going to be determined on that learning curve.”
One younger player to watch is Cailyn VanNoy, a key freshman who looked the part of varsity starter in their scrimmage with Sullivan County.
One of the things she’s most looking forward to is the atmosphere.
“I know it’s going to be different than junior high,” said Cailyn. “I know it’s going to be tough, but I’m ready.”
She sees her roll as taking on some of the offensive burden.
“I’m really hoping to take some pressure off Kendall,” remarked Cailyn.
Freshman Stella Rockwell and sophomore Alexis McRoberts, once she’s cleared to play, will be other younger players to watch.
“We’re young,” Cailyn said. “It’s not going to be easy this year.”
It helps that Canton isn’t the only team in the NTL rebuilding. NEB, Towanda, Wyalusing, and a few others are looking to plug some holes from graduation.
“The league is definitely in a spot it hasn’t been in in a while,” said coach VanNoy. “There’s a lot of young teams out there, which I’m excited about, because it gives us a chance with how young we are. It’s going to be interesting. I have no idea where we’re going to fall.”
Kitchen, though, has confidence in her team. She’s played against many of the top NTL players over the last two years, and with them during summer travel ball, so she has a good idea of what they can do.
“It gives us a lot of confidence knowing that other schools are in the same situation as us,” she said. “I want to go .500 for us and make districts.”
ROSTER
Kendall Kitchen (11)
Audrey Bastion (11)
Kylie Saltsman (11)
Daveian Crowley (10)
Jaylynn Gasparo (10)
Emma McGhee (10)
Chelsie Harris (10)
Alexis McRoberts (10)
Danah Wesneski (9)
Stella Rockwell (9)
Jaylee Ward (9)
Lydia Roupp (9)
Cheyanne Fitch (9)
Cailyn VanNoy (9)
SCHEDULE
Dec. 1 at NPL Tournament
Dec. 2 at NPL Tournament
Dec. 5 at Wyalusing, 7 p.m.
Dec. 7 at Troy, 7 p.m.
Dec. 11 at Meadowbrook, 7 p.m.
Dec. 12 vs Towanda, 7 p.m.
Dec. 14 at NEB, 7 p.m.
Dec. 19 vs NPL, 7 p.m.
Dec. 29 hosting Tournament
Dec. 30 hosting Tournament
Jan. 3 vs CV, 7 p.m.
Jan. 9 vs Sayre, 7 p.m.
Jan. 11 at NPM, 7 p.m.
Jan. 17 at Wellsboro, 7 p.m.
Jan. 19 vs Williamson, 7 p.m.
Jan. 22 at Athens, 7 p.m.
Jan. 26 vs NEB, 7 p.m.
Jan. 31 at NPL, 7 p.m.
Feb. 2 at CV, 7 p.m.
Feb. 5 vs Montgomery, 7 p.m.
Feb. 7 at Sayre, 7 p.m.
Feb. 9 vs NPM, 7 p.m.
