Freeport girls basketball sets sights on longer run

By: HSSN Staff
Sunday, November 26, 2017 | 10:42 PM

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The Freeport girls basketball team put a longstanding drought to rest last season by winning a WPIAL playoff game for the first time since 2004 with an overtime victory over Elizabeth Forward.

The Yellowjackets also qualified for the PIAA Class 4A playoffs and finished their season 14-11.

There is much optimism surrounding the team as it prepares for this season. Four starters and several other key contributors return.

“We feel really good about this season,” said sophomore guard Sidney Shemanski, one of three freshman starters last season.

“We're hoping to go even further than we did last season. We have a lot of pieces back.”

Coach Fred Soilis said the available options give him a potentially deep rotation.

“We had a really good offseason,” Soilis said. “We went to the Notre Dame team camp and did a lot of nice things there against great competition. We also played well in our own summer league and got a lot of work in at a shootout at Allegheny College. We're going to try to put a team together to build on what we did last year.”

Shemanski, a guard, led the team in scoring (10.2 points per game) last year. She is easing her way into the season as she recovers from an ankle injury suffered during soccer season.

“It still bothers me a little bit when I am running,” Shemanski said. “But it's getting better.”

Senior forward Jenna Manke averaged 10.1 points a year ago. She provided a physical presence and averaged 9.7 rebounds.

“I feel a lot better (about the team) going into this year than I did last year,” Manke said. “We're more experienced this year. We have a lot of confidence.”

Manke is closing in on the Freeport rebounds record of 832 set by Beth Shearer in 1984. Soilis said Manke needs a little more than 200 rebounds.

“She had a monster summer,” Soilis said. “She is stronger, and we're expecting a big year from her.”

Sophomore twins Maddie and Samantha Clark, both 5-foot-6 guards, are back, and Soilis said their athleticism on both ends of the court will be a key asset.

“The Clark girls played AAU over the summer and have really stepped up their games,” Soilis said.

Last year's group of nine freshmen has increased to 11 sophomores. Tori Radvan is back and has been a main challenger for a starting spot. Last year, Radvan played in 17 games and averaged 2 points and 2.5 rebounds.

Haley Graham, a 5-10 forward and the team's lone junior, hopes to make an impact as her role increases. A key cog in the Freeport girls volleyball team's run to a PIAA title a couple of weeks ago, Graham started one game last season.

Senior guard Asti Brestensky gave the team good minutes last year, especially at the defensive end, Soilis said, and he expects senior guard Ashley Sullivan to give the team quality minutes this season.

Cardinal Wuerl North Catholic is the defending Section 1-4A champion. It finished 12-0 in the section and won the WPIAL championship.

Freeport, which was eliminated by Blackhawk in the WPIAL quarterfinals and PIAA first round, finished as runner-up to North Catholic in the section at 8-4.

Deer Lakes and Burrell tied for third in the section and qualified for the postseason.

“We hope to make some noise in the section,” Soilis said. “We know we have to compete with North Catholic. Deer Lakes will be formidable, and we know Burrell and Knoch will be challenges again. We still have early season legs, so it will be interesting to see how we progress over the first couple of weeks.”

The Yellowjackets will put their early season improvements to the test Tuesday with a 5 p.m. scrimmage at Leechburg. The Blue Devils made the WPIAL Class 2A quarterfinals and second round of the PIAA playoffs last year.

Freeport will kick off its season Dec. 8 at the South Fayette tournament.

“The message coming in has been that they have to be focused and committed on the court,” Soilis said.

“If we're doing that as a group and are unified, we're stronger that way.”

Michael Love is a Tribune-Review staff writer. Reach him at mlove@tribweb.com or via Twitter @Mlove_Trib.

Tags: Freeport