Spartans Roundballers Grab Season Ending Awards
Germantown, OH (March 10, 2004)— SValley View standout Stacey Strayer led the way for the Spartans in the 2003-04 basketball season. Does that sound familiar?
It should because earlier in the school year she took first team All-SWBL, first team All-South District, first team All-District, and honorable mention All-State in soccer.
It may look like her favorite sport is soccer because of all the awards, but it isn't. Let's move on to basketball.
Yes, Strayer collected four major awards for her soccer career, but after the girls basketball awards banquet held on March 10 Strayer needed a cart to carry everything home.
She received first team All-SWBL, the Southwest Division overall free throw champion award, Southwest's Division Assist Champion award, Southwest's Division Steals Champion award and the SWBL Southwest Division Player of the Year award.
Wow! I'm out of breath, but that's not everything.
Strayer was also named to the District 15 All-stars team and the Southwest All-District third team (voted by the Media panel).
"In all the years I've been coaching there has never been a better athlete. She's not only a tremendous athlete, but she'šs a tremendous person and she's truly going to be missed," coach Steve Dickson said.
"You just canšt teach that kind of basketball," Dickson added.
Strayer got recognition in every sports she plays, but that's not what's important to her.
"The awards are an added bonus. I just want to win and that's what I focus on throughout the season, but it's nice to look back at," Strayer said.
Strayer will be in Valley View's record for many years to come, as she's ranked sixth on the Spartan court in points with a career total of 825, third in assists with 327 and first in steals with 379.
This year Strayer had to step and score, after the Spartans lost their top two scorers' last year. And she did, averaging 13.5 points a game compared to her 9.5 points average in 2002-03.
"I wasn't thinking about scoring. I concentrated on every aspect of the game and thought the scoring would come along with it. I knew to win I would have to pick things up, so I picked it up. Defense is what I like," Strayer said.
And her defense was as strong as ever, as she robbed opponents of 120 steals this season.
Strayer is known for her smart game and keen eye. She smashed former Spartan Nickie Swartz record of 287 steals with a career total of 379.
"She broke the all time record for steals. Actually she blew the old record out the door and recorded 120 steals this season," Dickson stated.
The senior four year varsity starter definitely has to be the most athletic person in her 2004 class. Just look at her awards.
Coach Dickson and the team will definitely miss Strayer on the court next year. They will miss the 281 points she scored, the 79 percent free throw percentage she acquired, the 86 assists she nailed, the 120 steals she took, the 35 blocked shots, and the 112 rebounds she pulled back for the Lady Spartans.
"It's hard to see it all end. She has been a four year starter since her freshman year. That alone says enough. We'll definitely miss her. She was first in everything on the team. She was third in the league in scoring. For Valley View she was third place in all-time assists and sixth in all-time scoring," said Dickson.
Strayer's presence on the court will be missed by Dickson and the Lady Spartans, but there's no doubt coaches around the area are pleased to see her graduate.
"The SWBL coaches were totally amazed with her and they knew they had to focus on her. I'm not happy shešs graduating, but they are," Dickson said.
Strayer led the Lady Spartans to their 21-12 record and hopes to continue her basketball career in college.
"I'm hoping next year will be able to see her play at the next level," Dickson added.
Yes, a player of Strayer's caliber should definitely continue her career in the collegiate level. Right now Strayer is looking into a few schools, but she's not positive where she'll go.
With Strayer graduating the team has to pick things up, and this year junior Stephanie Powers started to do just that.
Powers collected a first team All-SWBL award and her District 15 underclassmen All-star player award at the banquet.
"It's really exciting. I didn't think of myself as being this good,"Powers said with a big smile.
Powers definitely raised the bar this season, as she recorded a total of 193 points.
Dickson didn't expect her skills to develop so fast. He knew she had the potential, but didn't expect her to come out and score 11 points in the Spartans first game against Preble Shawnee.
"She played JV last year and some varsity. We thought that by mid-season she would be a threat, but it didnšt take that long," Dickson noted.
Powers really stepped up for the Spartans and had some outstanding games. At the Dixie game Powers made 21 points and continued to get double figures throughout the season.
"The second time we played Bellbrook Stephanie got 18 points for us. She was second in scoring and rebounds for us," Dickson added.
Next season Powers hopes to have matured on some things. "I'm going to focus on defense, but I like scoring too," Powers noted.
Powers will bring a lot to the team next year through her hard work and dedication.
"Stephanie is one of the hardest working girls. We knew she would do some great things for us and we're looking forward to next year," Dickson said.
Powers ended the 2003-04 basketball season with 197 points, 31 assists, 20 steals, and 85 rebounds.
Also in the route to being a standout player next year after earning an All-SWBL Honorable Mention this year is junior Coryn Ritze.
Ritze gets the ball in her hands and everyone's eyes are on her. She has a beautiful shot and with more practice she'll be one of Valley Viewšs top stars.
"She has one of the prettiest shots I've ever seen. When she shoots it always looks like it's going in," Dickson said.
Ritze ended the season with 120 points, 20 assists, 22 steals, 13 blocked shots and 56 rebounds. The three-point range is where Ritze stands out. She was second on the team for most three-point shots made, just one behind Strayer, with 28 for 29.
On the boy's side, Senior Brandon Hassell led the boards as he took the first team All-SWBL award, the first All-District award, and third team ALL-Southwest.
"I was pleased with all the awards. All three seniors received awards and that shows something. We're just pleased with everything," coach Brian Gunter said.
Hassell led the team in rebounds with an amazing 11.8 average throughout the season and skillfully averaged 15.9 points a game.. Whenever Hassel went up for a rebound the fans were waiting for him to come down and slam it into his other hand. When he did the loud pop echoed through the stands.
Hassell's height was a big advantage, but it's an advantage that can't help unless the player knows how to use it. Hassell knows how to use it.
He's just a great ball player and now that he's committed to the University of Wisconsin- Green Bay he'll become a phenomenal basketball player.
This kid has so much potential and that's almost sad, because he's terrific as he is. If he were to maintain his game right now he would always be great and that's what most kids strive for. To be great.
But Hassell could be phenomenal. Hassell also recorded 1.9 blocked shots per game.
Valley View will miss him. They will miss the phenomenal player they had in the center of their offense and defense, but next year he'll add to the 17-11 record Green Bay had last year.
Teddy Buehner is an amazing athlete and if I were to just talk about football that would be enough. But that's not what he's all about. It may be what he yearns for at the collegiate level, but his power on the basketball court is just as apparent.
This senior ended his season with 12.1 points, 1.6 steals and 4.5 rebounds a game. He is a great presence in any sport and the league knows it.
Buehner was honored with an All-SWBL honorable mention and an All-District honorable mention. These awards will probably be standing around his football awards, and he deserves them because an athlete with his skills deserves recognition.
"Both Teddy and Brandon will be playing in the District game and I'm glad to see that. I had the opportunity to coach it in the past year and it's just a great opportunity," Gunter said.
Cole Sizemore was presented the All-District Honorable Mention and the All-Southwest Honorable mention.
Honorable. That's what Sizemore is.
Sizemore handled the ball well on both sides of the court. He set up baskets left and right, which lead him to his high assist average.
Averaging 10.5 points a game this senior was expected to get in the double digits during every game and if he didn't, he made up for it through assists.
Yes he was the king of assists, as he averaged 6.4 assists per game. Defensively Sizemore ended his season with an average of 1.8 steals per game.
Watching Sizemore come down the court with the ball was amazing in itself. Just watching the way he handled the ball, it look like he started dribbling when he was a baby. On both sides of the court Sizemore was a strong asset.
Junior Trey Weidle began to make some strides on the court this year and earned All-SWBL honorable mention. Weidle hit double digits in scoring numerous times throughout the season and he'll bring a lot to the team next year.
"All the kids came on strong at the end of the year and did a great job. We started to score and I knew we were capable of it. We were very excited and won," Gunter said.
Valley View's basketball teams received recognition for seven players and that's phenomenal. Luckily for us fans, three of them are returning for more excitement next season.
