Mikes to honor 1995-96 team
Carmichaels will take a stroll back in time at halftime of its Section 4-AA boys basketball game against visiting Bentworth on Friday, which tips off at 6 p.m.
The Mikes will honor their 1995-96 team that reached the WPIAL Final Four and the PIAA Elite Eight.
The night will be part of the Herald-Standard Boys Game of the Week.
The Girls Game of the Week at 7:30 tonight will feature a Section 4-AA clash of rivals when Beth-Center travels to Frazier.
The two squads came within a game of winning the section title last season, settling on a tie for second place. Both went on to win a WPIAL playoff game.
Beth-Center at Frazier girls
Both teams also lost several key players from the 2014-15 season as they seek another playoff berth and possible section crown.
The Lady Commodores’ starting lineup consists of three underclassmen, including talented freshman Brooke Poling, the daughter of coach Ken Poling.
It’s the two senior starters that are key to the team, however, according to Poling.
“We’re young and we’re still trying to gel but we’re not there, yet,” Poling said. “My two seniors, Emily Marshall and Alena Blaszczak, are the heart and soul of this team. They’re leaders, not only on the floor but in the locker room. That’s what the younger girls need.
“Their leadership is the biggest key to us moving forward and having a shot at winning this section.”
Hannah Fell joins Blaszczak, Marshall and Poling in Frazier’ starting lineup with Krystine Barch, Lauren Mastowski, Ashley Moger and another freshman, Sophie Shahan, all seeing plenty of floor time.
The Lady Commodores are 3-3 overall and 1-1 in the section, while the Lady Bulldogs are 2-2 and 0-1. Both teams have lost to unbeaten Charleroi in section play, so a win tonight is important for each to keep section title as well as playoff hopes alive.
“I think Frazier is just like us,” B-C coach Steve Beyer said. “I think we have two evenly matched teams with the same expectations.”
The Lady Bulldogs are still trying to find their way offensively, which isn’t surprising after the graduation of Herald-Standard 2014-15 Player of the Year Anna Bartman.
“We’ve been playing very good defense but are still trying to find our identity on offense,” Beyer said.
Beth-Center is led by sophomore Kinlee Whited.
“The offense usually goes through Kinlee but she plays well at both ends of the floor, it’s not just her shooting and scoring,” Beyer said. “She does so many other things for us, she’s just a solid, all-around athlete.”
Sophomores Mary Gustavich and Kennedy Kuhns joing Whited in a starting lineup that also includes senior Destinee Irey and freshman surprise Frankie Pryor.
Poling expects an exciting game.
“It’s Frazier-Beth-Center,” Poling said. “It doesn’t matter what sport it is, the kids are going to battle.”
Bentworth at Carmichaels boys
Carmichaels coach Don Williams thinks his team is going in the right direction as it prepares to face Bentworth (2-3, 0-2).
“We’re working hard and the kids are buying in to what we’re teaching them,” said Williams, who is assisted by Tim Jones. “We play man to man and our defense has been pretty sound, except against Brownsville, who we didn’t match up very well with size-wise. But we do have to pick it up on offense.”
The Mikes will send out a starting lineup of Cody Allen, Cody Brown, Liam Shea, Nick Mundell and Blake Conard.
“We’ve been preaching team,” Williams said. “Everybody’s got to contribute and everybody has to trust each other to be where they’re supposed to be.”
That sounds like the same formula that a team used a couple decades ago when Williams strolled out a starting lineup that included a trio of sharpshooters who each averaged double figures in WPIAL scoring leader Justin Voithofer, John McCombs and Dan Everly.
Gary Giles and Bryan Voithofer also started and played key roles in Carmichaels’ success that season, as did sixth man Mike Stewart.
“They all knew their rolls and they all contributed,” Williams said. “On any given night one could lead the team and they always picked each other up.”
The 1995-96 team finished 22-6 and is the only Carmichaels boys basketball team to play in the WPIAL semifinals and the state quarterfinals.
“They were probably one of the best teams in any sport in Carmichaels history,” Williams said. “They were definitely the best basketball team, statistically, in how far they went.”
Williams expects about eight of that team’s 11 players to be present for the halftime ceremony on Friday night.
Video of the ceremony along and both games can be seen on heraldstandard.com following each game.