Difficult climb for Muckers if they want to repeat

Last winter, the Virginia City girls basketball team made news when it won the first state championship in school history.

Virginia City finished the season 30-2, ending the season with an amazing 29-game wining streak. The Muckers were 22-2 and 17-5 the two years prior to that.

"Obviously we're very excited about having that happen," coach Todd Hess said on the eve of the Lady Muckers season-opening game at the Hawthorne Tournament today. "We let everybody know we're right back at the bottom with everybody else. If we want it, we're going to have to earn it. We don't get any special consideration."

The Lady Muckers will be without four-year player and two-year MVP Gigi Glogovac, who is currently at Lassen College. She turned in a consistent double-double last season, and she'll be missed at both ends of the floor.

Hess admitted that it will have to be a team approach to scoring. It starts with returning starters Jill Dupre and Taylor Parsons, and also includes diminutive point guard Esmie Venegas, Micah Blakely and Daisy Jones, all of whom got significant minutes off the bench last year.

"We've talked about that," Hess said. "We can no longer ride one player. We won't physically be able trio put it on people like we did last year with all our seniors.

"Jill played up in Reno over the summer with the 4A girls and came out of it really fine. Esmie did the same thing. They got used to the speed. I'm proud of them."

Hess believes that both Parsons and Dupre can be double-figure scorers. He also has high hopes for twin freshmen Heather and Brooke Harrower.

"We're trying to get them both acclimated as quickly as we can," Hess said. "Both have a good work ethic."

DAYTON GIRLS

BASKETBALL

Shari Andreasen has stepped down and has been replaced by Cliff Serawop, whose squad returns only Amber Brooks, Taylor Hill and Maribel Ledezma.

"This is going to be a rebuilding year," Serawop said. "With a new coach, it will take some time for the whole team to adjust to the new system. There are a lot of new faces on varsity this year, and it will take them some time to adjust to playing at the varsity level."

Top newcomers are Andrea Ramirez, Erin Edison and Destinee Serawop. All three played on the JV team a year ago.

"Taylor will definitely be one of our main stars," Serawop said. "She has the ability to play both guard and forward. She shoots the ball well. Amber didn't play too much last year, but she will start this year. Amber brings leadership to the floor. Many of the girls look up to her. Maribel will probably play mostly at guard, but she has the ability to go down low and score."

Serawop likes the quickness in the backcourt, and he hopes that will enable the Dust Devils to put pressure on opposing teams and generate some offense with steals.

Kathie Arias and Erica Garcia both opted not to play. They both wanted to concentrate on their college sports of choice. Arias is expected to go to Nevada to throw the shot put and discus, while Garcia is going to Harvard and will play soccer.

Dayton plays Sparks Friday at 3:30 p.m. in the first round of the Vaquero Invitational in Fernley.