Viking girls’ basketball team hoping to grab a piece of 2016 D-SC title
By Cara L. Dempski
COLFAX — The Colfax Vikings are hoping to improve on their 2015 record of 9-5 in the Dunn-St. Croix, a season in which Coach Joe Doucette’s team shared third place with the Durand Panthers.
The squad finished 14-11 overall last season following a 49-45 loss to state-qualifier Eau Claire Regis in the WIAA Division 4 Regional championship.
The Colfax squad lost just one senior to graduation in May, Dempsey Fogarty, but the loss is a big one for the team.
Fogarty led the 2015 Vikings in rebounds and assists, averaging 8.2 rebounds per game and racking up 94 assists over 25 games. The graduate, who was named to the first team all-conference a year ago, did a lot for the team.
“She (Fogarty) had a tremendous year,” Doucette said. “She was one of the best defenders we’ve ever had.”
Despite losing Fogarty, the Vikings return the bulk of last year’s team. Senior letter winner Ally Heidorn, who was named a second-team player for the Dunn-St. Croix, returns for her final season. Heidorn led the Vikings in 2015 with an average of 10.7 points per game. She also logged four rebounds per game and assisted 44 times.
Fellow senior and returning letter winner Bryana Buchanan recorded 4.2 points per game, 2.5 rebounds per game, and 40 assists in 2015.
The Vikings have no junior players.
Sophomores Alyssa Dachel, Savannah Henricks, Emma Hurlburt, Hailey Prince and Hannah Sykora all return to the 2016-17 Colfax squad after having won varsity letters in 2015.
Dachel was named to all-DSC honorable mention team in 2015. The sophomore guard picked up roughly 6.6 points per game as a freshman and tied with Buchanan for 40 assists over the season. She led the team in three-point shots after making 43 of 122 attempts.
Henricks was the Vikings’ third leading scorer in 2015 with 7.8 points scored per game, and 5.2 rebounds. Hurlburt led last year’s freshman class in rebounds with an average of 4.4 per game over 25 games.
Prince and Sykora round out the Vikings’ class of 2019 players. The duo got their feet wet by earning 1.7 and 1.3 points per game with Prince playing in six varsity games and Sykora suiting up for 12.
Doucette welcomes a freshman class that includes Kameri Meredith, Morgan Schleusner, Taylor Irwin, Samantha Pretasky and Jayna Bowe. The coach said the freshman are good players and everyone gets along well.
“We return a lot of kids, we worked hard this summer,” Doucette said.
The Colfax coach finds strength in the work ethic of his team and their ability to get along. Doucette feels this year’s Vikings will be limited by youth and inexperience.
The team will work hard to improve statistically, and Doucette hopes the Vikings will contend for a conference title.
“We also hope to represent the school and community in a hard-working, classy way, showing a lot of teamwork,” Doucette said.
Doucette believes, as do other conference coaches, that the Dunn-St Croix conference will be Elk Mound’s for the taking for a second year in a row. He also sees Durand as a threat because of the number of returning starters for the Panthers. The Viking coach also said Boyceville will be in the mix due to its improvement from last season.
Colfax will again be playing under the two-half system installed by the WIAA in 2015. Doucette said he likes the new format.
Coach Joe Doucette has been coaching the Colfax girls’ basketball team for 27 years and has 30 years of coaching experience in total. He has an overall record of 564-119. He is assisted by John Dachel and Courtney Doucette.
The Vikings opened their 2016 season with a scrimmage tournament at Barron on November 12. They will officially open season play at home against Hayward this Friday, November 18 before traveling to Hammond to take on St. Croix Central on November 22.
2016-17 Roster
Seniors: Ally Heidorn, Bryana Buchanan.
Sophomores: Alyssa Dachel, Savannah Henricks, Emma Hurlburt, Hannah Sykora, Hailey Prince.
Freshman: Kameri Meredith, Morgan Schleusner, Taylor Irwin, Sam Pretasky, Jayna Bowe.