Hanna Fjortoft ‘probable’ for Meadowdale’s state opener
Published 11:42 pm Tuesday, March 4, 2008
It’s an exaggeration to say the Meadowdale girls basketball team’s fate rests on the ankle of one player.
But the Mavericks sure could use a healthy Hanna Fjortoft today when they play in the Class 3A state tournament at Hec Edmundson Pavilion.
Fjortoft, a junior guard, sprained her left ankle Feb. 28 in a district-tourney loss against Ferndale. Meadowdale’s No. 2 scorer this season and one of its best defenders, Fjortoft sat out the Mavericks’ winner-to-state victory over Shorecrest Saturday.
On Tuesday Fjortoft — who averages 11.5 points, 5.3 rebounds and 2.5 steals per game — tested the ankle at her team’s final pre-state practice.
Will she play when the Mavericks (21-4) battle the Lakes Lancers (21-1) 10:30 a.m. today?
“It’s still probable,” Meadowdale coach Dan Taylor said Tuesday after practice. “We’ll see how much better (Fjortoft’s ankle) gets after rest tonight.”
Testing her ankle for the first time since the injury, Fjortoft participated in at least 60 percent of Meadowdale’s drills Tuesday, Taylor said. If Fjortoft can’t start today, junior center Anna Molitor will replace her in the lineup, said Taylor.
If Fjortoft is limited, Meadowdale will likely rely even more on senior guard Eryn Jones, a Portland State University recruit who is the program’s career leader in points scored. Jones (22.3 points, 5.0 assists, 5.0 rebounds and 4.8 steals per outing) is one of the state’s most dynamic players.
“She’s just going to have to create more for (teammates),” Taylor said.
Jones has attracted the full attention of Lakes coach Dave McEachern. With Jones, “the key is slowing her down, not stopping her,” McEachern said.
“She is their general and a very well-rounded team player as well. But you can’t just key on Eryn,” he added. “They have other girls who can shoot.”
Meadowdale and Lakes both rely on relatively short, quick players who get up and down the court quickly. Meadowdale averages 70 points per game, one of the highest marks in the area. Meanwhile, Lakes scores about 75 points per contest and has tallied at least 90 points three times.
Spearheaded by senior wing Sara Halasz’s 20 points per game, Lakes is ranked No. 2 in the Associated Press 3A poll. The Lancers started the season with 20 consecutive victories. Their only loss was against fourth-ranked Kennedy (21-2).
Can third-ranked Meadowdale put a second blemish on Lakes’ sparkling record? McEachern said his team better be ready.
“They’ve had a well-run, disciplined program for several years,” said McEachern. “We’ve got our work cut out for us.”
Meadowdale vs. Lakes, Part II
In an odd 3A bracket quirk, the boys teams from Meadowdale and Lakes also play one another in the first round of the other tourney. Their game starts at 2 p.m. today at KeyArena.
Meadowdale (22-4) is a disciplined, well-coached squad, said Lakes coach Jo Jo Rodriguez, the 3A Western Cascade Conference coach of the year.
Lakes (22-1) has an all-senior trio of first-team all-league performers: guard Anthony Enriquez, post/wing Kavario Middleton and guard/wing Jermaine Kearse. Combined, they average about 44 points per game.
The Lancers beat the only Western Conference team they faced this season. They defeated Snohomish, a 4A state-tourney qualifier, by four points in December.
Rodriguez, a former head coach at Garfield and Ingraham, said he hasn’t seen Meadowdale play this season but he got a detailed scouting report from Shorewood boys basketball coach Shawn Hall, one of Rodriguez’s former assistants at Ingraham.
Third-ranked Lakes is undefeated versus 3A opponents this season. Its lone loss was to 4A Kentwood.
Said Rodriguez, “We’re pretty confident, but at the same time we’re not overconfident. At this point we know everyone’s a winner. We’re not looking past anybody.”
Writer Mike Cane: mcane@her[JUMP]of Meadowdale[`]s drills Tuesday, Taylor said. If Fjortoft can’t start today, junior center Anna Molitor will replace her in the lineup, said Taylor.
If Fjortoft is limited, Meadowdale will likely rely even more on senior guard Eryn Jones, a Portland State University recruit who is the program’s career leader in points scored. Jones (22.3 points, 5.0 assists, 5.0 rebounds and 4.8 steals per outing) is one of the state’s most dynamic players.
“She’s just going to have to create more for (teammates),” Taylor said.
Jones has attracted the full attention of Lakes coach Dave McEachern. With Jones, “the key is slowing her down, not stopping her,” McEachern said.
“She is their general and a very well-rounded team player as well. But you can’t just key on Eryn,” he added. “They have other girls who can shoot.”
Meadowdale and Lakes both rely on relatively short, quick players who get up and down the court quickly. Meadowdale averages 70 points per game, one of the highest marks in the area. Meanwhile, Lakes scores about 75 points per contest and has tallied at least 90 points three times.
Spearheaded by senior wing Sara Halasz’s 20 points per game, Lakes is ranked No. 2 in the Associated Press 3A poll. The Lancers started the season with 20 consecutive victories. Their only loss was against fourth-ranked Kennedy (21-2).
Can third-ranked Meadowdale put a second blemish on Lakes’ sparkling record? McEachern said his team better be ready.
“They’ve had a well-run, disciplined program for several years,” said McEachern. “We’ve got our work cut out for us.”
Meadowdale vs. Lakes, Part II
In an odd 3A bracket quirk, the boys teams from Meadowdale and Lakes also play one another in the first round of the other tourney. Their game starts at 2 p.m. today at KeyArena.
Meadowdale (22-4) is a disciplined, well-coached squad, said Lakes coach Jo Jo Rodriguez, the 3A Western Cascade Conference coach of the year.
Lakes (22-1) has an all-senior trio of first-team all-league performers: guard Anthony Enriquez, post/wing Kavario Middleton and guard/wing Jermaine Kearse. Combined, they average about 44 points per game.
The Lancers beat the only Western Conference team they faced this season. They defeated Snohomish, a 4A state-tourney qualifier, by four points in December.
Rodriguez, a former head coach at Garfield and Ingraham, said he hasn’t seen Meadowdale play this season but he got a detailed scouting report from Shorewood boys basketball coach Shawn Hall, one of Rodriguez’s former assistants at Ingraham.
Third-ranked Lakes is undefeated versus 3A opponents this season. Its lone loss was to 4A Kentwood.
Said Rodriguez, “We’re pretty confident, but at the same time we’re not overconfident. At this point we know everyone’s a winner. We’re not looking past anybody.”
Writer Mike Cane: mcane@heraldnet.com. Check out the prep sports blog Double Team at cmg-northwest2.go-vip.net/heraldnet/doubleteam.
