STACYVILLE, Maine — The youth movement has arrived for the Katahdin girls basketball team this season.
With no seniors and only three juniors on the roster, the future of the Cougar program appears to be in good shape.
Jona Fitzpatrick is embarking on her third season as head coach of the Cougars. A year ago, Katahdin finished 9-9 during the regular season, which was good enough for the No. 14 seed in Eastern Class D, earning the team a spot in the playoffs. The Cougars fell to No. 3 Fort Fairfield, 64-38, in a preliminary playoff game.
“The girls are quick, so I expect their transition game will improve,” Fitzpatrick said. “I also have some good depth in the post area this year, and my post players will take more shots, and have more opportunities underneath the basket.”
Katahdin lost two players to graduation — Morgan Livezey and Delaney Fitzpatrick — who were big pieces to the team a season ago. Coach Fitzpatrick said she was eager to see who will step up to fill the leadership void left by Livezey and her daughter, Delaney.
“Even though we are a young team, we have kids that have had plenty of court experience,” she said. “I am excited for the possibilities this year. I have a great bunch of girls, who are willing to work hard.”
The Katahdin roster features juniors Molly Cunningham, Courtney Stevens and Kaycee Cintron; sophomores Georgia Landry, Tehya Harrison, Madison Russell and Bailey Campbell; and freshmen Natalie Rickards, Kate Anderson, Hannah Drew, Leanne Fitzpatrick and Cheyenne Unterriener.
The starting rotation will likely include Cunningham, Stevens, Cintron, Landry and Rickards.
Cunningham, a 6-foot center, is a co-captain and a leader both on and off the court, the coach said. “Molly has been a starter since her freshman year,” Fitzpatrick said. “She is our leading rebounder and has the potential to be one of our top scorers. She is also an excellent passer and very unselfish on the court. Defensively, we rely on her to protect the middle and she leads the team in blocks.”
Stevens, a 5-3 guard, is the team’s other co-captain. She is embarking on her second year as the starting shooting guard, but may see some time at the point as well. “She is a smart, heads-up player, who can shoot outside or drive the lane,” the coach said. “Defensively, she is key. She is quick and her help defense is so important to us. Courtney is a leader on the floor, and I love that she never gives up and keeps her composure.”
Cintron, a 5-6 guard, should be a defensive sparkplug for the team. “She loves the game and works very hard,” the coach said. “Kaycee will also grab offensive rebounds for us. I know whatever I ask of her on the court she does her best.”
Handling the ball will be Landry, a 5-6 point guard in her first year in the starting rotation. Last season, she was the first player off the bench. “She sees the floor well, she is quick, can shoot outside, as well as drive the lane,” Fitzpatrick said. “She works hard, and is demanding of herself. I expect to see her continue to step up her defensive game for us. That will be important.”
The final start should be Rickards, a 5-10 forward. “Natalie is quick, can jump and shoot and she also passes the ball well, and plays solid defense,” the coach said. “She is a great addition to the post, and she and Molly work well together.”
Offensive rebounding will be key for the Cougars in order to get second and third looks at the basket, she added. But it is the team’s defensive promise which Fitzpatrick is most excited about.
“Offense puts people in the seats, but defense wins games,” Fitzpatrick said.
Fitzpatrick said she felt her division was much stronger than previous years, with Easton and Fort Fairfield among the top squads in the region, but four-time defending champion Washburn cannot be counted out. Assisting Fitzpatrick are coaches/managers Rylee Fitzpatrick and Erin Robinson.
