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DN hopes to court success
Opens year on Thursday versus Mount Shasta
With five returners from last season, including the leading scorer, the Del Norte High girls varsity basketball team is hoping for a solid year of hoops. The Warriors open the season Thursday against Mount Shasta at 1 p.m. at a tournament in Yreka. The three-day event concludes Saturday.
Head coach Buzz McCulloch, in his seventh year as head coach, believes the pieces are in place for improvement. Last year, Del Norte had a 6-15 record overall and won one game in the tough Big 5 Conference. “Things are going pretty good,” McCulloch said. “We’ve had some good practices. The girls have been working hard.” A summer of playing hoops together has helped the team, McCulloch said. The team took part in AAU summer basketball for the first time. The squad, coached by Warriors varsity assistant and head junior varsity coach Danny Dye, played top teams from Sacramento, the Bay Area and Oregon. “I think it helped them play against tough competition,” McCulloch said. “Playing against those high-caliber teams helped them get better.” McCulloch already has seen more consistent shooting and passing at practice.
 Returning Warrior player Shauna Ratnour during a home basketball game last season. Del Norte Triplicate/Bryant Anderson Always a good shooter, Maready is becoming more consistent and is also doing a better job passing the ball, making her a more complete player, McCulloch said The starting point guard will be junior Taylor Cleland. She has good speed and passing skills and McCulloch expects her to be a key contributor this year. Senior Shauna Ratnour should start at one of the forward spots with junior Emma Card likely starting at forward or in the post. Other players McCulloch said could contribute include senior Sydney Benson, Brianna Wakefield and varsity newcomers Kaitlyn Clemann, Pahnia Yang and Lynn Vance. With many teams in the Big 5 possessing decent height, a lack of it for the Warriors could be a problem this year McCulloch said. The tallest girl on the team is around 5 feet 10 inches tall. Still, he believes that if his team can consistently play up to its strengths, it can have a solid year in the Big 5. The Warriors will have a long wait for their first home game, tentatively set for Jan. 19 against Arcata. Girl’s basketball Schedule • Dec. 1, 2, 3: at Yreka Tournament • Dec. 9, 10: at Brookings Tournament • Dec. 16, 17: JV team at Fortuna Tournament, freshman team at Arcata Tournament • Dec. 19, 20, 2: at Bandon Tournament • Dec. 28, 29, 30: at West Coast Jamboree in Antioch • Jan. 3: at St. Bernard’s • Jan. 5: at McKinleyville • Jan. 10: at Eureka • Jan. 17: at Fortuna • Jan 19: Arcata at home • Jan. 25: Ferndale at home • Jan. 27: McKinleyville at home • Feb. 1: Eureka at home • Feb. 8: Fortuna at home • Feb. 10: at Arcata |
