By Adam Knoll
Sports Correspondent
It was a banner year for the Whitewater High School girls basketball team, obviously. The team has been gaining steam the past few years, culminating in a Division 3 state championship. Further adding to their accolades, six players were recently named to the Rock Valley Conference North All-Conference team.
Whitewater’s championship season owes a great deal to how the team began each of their games, outscoring opponents by an average of nearly 10 points in the first period. Unfortunately for their opponents, heading into halftime, the Whippets average lead was 33-19.
That type of domination shows how prepared the team was, week in and week out, staying hungry and focused all season – an attribute that begins at the top. Head coach Judy Harms has been named conference Coach of the Year.
The first team all-conference roster includes three from Whitewater – Sarah Schumacher, Myriama Smith-Traore and Rebekah Schumacher.
Sarah Schumacher, who led the team with 15.4 points per game. Her inside presence was a focal point consistently this season. She hit on 63 percent of shots from the field, most from inside the paint, and also shot 73 percent from the free throw line. But her contributions didn’t stop there; she also cleaned the glass well, averaging 7.6 rebounds per game, two assists, a steal and a block each game.
There was another tower of power looming around the net for Whitewater this season, sophomore Myriama Smith-Traore, who rounded into form nicely as the season went on, and helped form the most intimidating front court duo in Division 3 basketball. Averaging 13.5 points per game and 73 percent shooting she was also good 66 percent of the time from the foul line. It was on the glass where Smith-Traore really shined, pulling down 11.5 rebounds per game, while also averaging two assists.
Adding to the Whippets’ strengths is Rebekah Schumacher, the team’s leader in assists at 3.7 per game, a 3-point shooter with 32 made on 49 percent from beyond the arc. She averaged 13.4 points per game, giving the Whippets outside presence to keep opposing defenses from ganging up on the post. She also found her way inside enough to average nearly three rebounds per game.
Earning a place on the second team all-conference was senior Kailey Reynolds who filled in the gaps and often provided a spark at just the right moment. Reynolds averaged 8 points a game and was also an outside threat, contributing 15 baskets from beyond the arc. She added 3.3 assists and two rebounds per game as well.
Being named on the all-conference honorable mention list were Melani Martinez and Whitney Treder, valuable role players for the Whippets this season.
Martinez averaged 4.7 points, 3.4 rebounds and 3.3 assists per game, providing good surrounding support when attention was focused elsewhere.
Treder added to Whitewater’s solidarity with an average of 3.2 points per game, 1.2 rebounds and an assist.
