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Show Gals open Region 4 cage action By TOM HARALDSEN Region Four girls tip off the 1987-88 regular season with games tomorrow afternoon, and this year's race promises to be tighter among the four county schools than in recent years. 1 This season, the top three finishers automatically earn berths in the state tournament, with the fourth place finisher earning a play- off for another berth. Highland and East, the two Salt Lake City en- Contlnued on next page Gals open Region 4 cage action CONTINUED FROM PREV. PAGE tries in Region Four, are down a bit this year, so it could well be that all four area teams will earn spots in the 4-A tourney that begins Feb. 29 at Murray High. Here's a look at the four local teams: WOODS CROSS The two-time two-time defending region champs will be favored again, built around a solid nucleus of size and experience. experi-ence. Coach Debbie Peel's squad finished preseason with an 8-2 mark, the losses coming in close games with powerhouses Clearfield Clear-field and Hillcrest. The Wildcats are solid inside, with the famous "Twin Towers" of seniors Marci Heaps, 6-3, and Jodie Warhurst, 6-1, leading the way. Heaps is an all-state candidate, candi-date, and has already signed to play basketball at San Diego State next year. A powerful rebounder and shot-blocker, Heaps has also developed de-veloped a soft touch inside, scoring in double figures for most of the preseason. Warhurst, an all-state volleyball star, is perhaps the best jumper on the team. She was also in double figures in preseason, and joins with Heaps to form a dominant inside game. The guard position is also solid for Woods Cross, with senior Amy Mason, 5-7, and junior Carolyn Knight, 5-9, sparking a fast break offense. Mason has been a three year starter along with Heaps, and is excellent as an outside shooter and on defense. Knight is starting after seeing some action last year. An all-state track performer, her speed and quickness have paid dividends di-vidends for the Wildcats already this season. The first four starters are very seasoned for Woods Cross. The small forward position remains re-mains the only question mark, mainly due to lack of experience. Peel has started both Julie Eden, a 5-8 junior, and 5-1 1 senior Nanette Steiner, in that position. If they emerge, the Wildcats could be awesome. AJso seeing action will be sophomore Dawn Britton, 5-5, at guard, and junior Jamie Parkin, 5-5, also at guard. The Wildcats are probably the team to beat in league. VIEWMONT Last year, coach Vi Hillman's Lady Vikings lost plenty of close games, missing a chance to go to the state tournament tourna-ment for the first time in Hillman's coaching career at Viewmont. This year promises to be better. Returning is senior forward Becky Yeates, 5-8, a three-year starter who made all-county honors hon-ors last year. Yeates has developed nicely inside, aggressive on the boards and a good scorer from the baseline. She will be joined inside by 5-10 junior Tiffany Twitchell, who played plenty last year and has been in double figures most of preseason. pre-season. Twitchell is strong and quick, and a consistent performer, giving Viewmont good inside play. On the guard line, a pair of fine sophomores have earned starting berths. Melissa Eggett, 5-7, had an outstanding preseason, showing the outside scoring prowess that she exemplified at Bountiful Junior High. She is joined by former junior high teammate Jenny Siddo-way, Siddo-way, 5-5, a fine point guard who is running the Vikes' offense. Their quickness is essential to View-mont's View-mont's hopes. The question mark here is at center, cen-ter, where seniors Sharwan Smith, 5-11, and Kati McClurg, 6-1, have shared time. Neither has emerged as the starter, and Hlllman may also play 5-10 sophomore Kim Blackh am in the middle. Others who will help Viewmont include junior point guard Kim Soelberg, 5-4, and sophomore guard Jennifer Jeppson. Viewmont is 7-2 in the preseason, with Skyline on tap Jan. 8. BOUNTIFUL Coach Jill Avery's Av-ery's team started very slowly this year, a result, perhaps, of the Braves' fine second place finish at the state volleyball tournament. But Bountiful has begun to find itself it-self on the hardwoods now. The Braves were 4-5 on the preseason, pre-season, pending a late game yesterday yester-day at Weber. Bountiful is led by 5-1 1 senior Lisa Wilkinson, and all-state all-state volleyball star who leads the team in scoring and is an all-around performer. Wilkinson was in double dou-ble figures most of preseason, and will be counted on heavily for the Braves' cause. Joining her inside is 6-2 senior Mona Hibbert at center. Hibbert was used sparingly last year, but is starting to develop as a powerful rebounder. If she begins to score consistently, she will team with Wilkinson for a strong inside unit. The other forward is 5-10 junior Stephanie Reading, a developing all-around athlete who has improved im-proved each week. Reading is capable cap-able of scoring and rebounding, and Bountiful will be tough inside if all three develop into a team. The guard line features 5-7 junior Julia Thornley , a quick floor leader who has really come along in preseason, and 5-8 junior Robyn Ludwig. Sophomore Cody Poole, 5-10, usually comes off the bench first for the young Braves. If they can jell, the Lady Braves should be in the hunt for a playoff berth this season. DAVIS The Lady Darts have only played seven preseason games, and own a 3-4 record. That includes a consolation championship champion-ship in the East High tournament, and Davis will play a team from Australia later this month in another practice game. Jill Barraclough's squad dropped drop-ped two heartbreakers at state last year, but lost just, one starter to graduation. However, the Darts really haven't put things together yet, so time will tell just how good they are. Pacing Davis is 5-7 senior Heather Heath-er Peel, a big guard who has the quickness and ball handling to be the floor leader. Peel can also hit from outside, and was a member of the all-Clipper team last year. Joining Join-ing her on the guardline will be either 5-4 senior Jaylynn Jorgen-sen, Jorgen-sen, a little sparkplug on both offense and defense, or 5-6 sophomore sopho-more Staci Korth, who has impressed im-pressed coaches with her talents. Senior Becky Rees seems to have solidified the center position, the 5-10 player having a fine preseason. pre-season. At forward, Davis will probably go with 5-9 senior Amy Enders and either 5-1 0 senior Whitney Whit-ney Nielson, who has been hurt somewhat, or 5-9 junior Sharla Cook. Emma Smuin, another 5-7 senior, will see plenty of action as well for Davis. Region play begins tomorrow at 4 p.m., with Highland visiting Viewmont, Woods Cross traveling to East , and Davis coming to Bountiful. Boun-tiful. JV games will follow the varsity var-sity games at about 5:30 p.m. |