(Anita) For the second time in three years the CAM girls basketball program will play in a regional final. The Cougars travel to Jefferson on Wednesday to face 2nd rated Newell-Fonda.
CAM takes a on the two time defending champs. Coach Joe Wollum reflects on raising the standard of the program. “We talked about that the other night in practice. For a while there the benchmark was trying to get to the semifinals and now we’ve set the new goal that every year this is where we need to be, playing for a spot in the state tournament. We’ve come a long way in 11 years of coaching and now we are seeing the fruits of our labor.”
The Cougars endured some bumps in the road, but take a 17-6 record up against the 22-1 Mustangs. CAM has won six of their last eight games. “We had a little lull there mid-season, but I think it was good for us in the long term. We had to figure out our identity. We kind of lost our way a little bit and were trying to do too much. We had to become us and be the best version of us we could be and I think that’s what happened.”
Coach Wollum says Newell-Fonda is really well coached and has a great press. “They do a very good job of creating turnovers. If you are lucky enough to break the press they speed you up and make you play at a pace you can’t play at. When we get across half court we have to take a deep breath and then get into something if we don’t have a layup. That’s going to be the challenge.”
CAM has three seniors hoping to extend their careers. Zoey Baylor, Molly Venteicher, and Carlee South have been a part of one of the best four year stretches in Cougar history. “It’ll be the winningest class to go out in the last four or five years. They mean a lot. Zoey Baylor started some games as a freshman and had a huge role as a sophomore on the state tournament team. She’s kind of our heart and sole. Then you have a girl like Molly Venteicher. She set the school record in charges taken this year. Then you have a third senior in Carlee South who doesn’t get to play as much, but is always a great teammate. She’s always pushing other girls at practice. We’re very, very fortunate to have those girls in our program.”
Greene County High School is the host site for this one. The game tips at 7:00.
