Coyote Athletics : Women's Basketball : Headlines

Coso hoop team completes recruiting

Mix of local, out-of-state players make up '05-'06 team

By Nathan Ahle, The Daily Independent

Brenda Cantrell & Brittany Graybill

The Cerro Coso Community College women's basketball program has a full roster for the 2005-06 season, thanks to a successful recruiting process.

The Lady Coyotes will feature returning sophomores Stephanie Hart and Jaime Donaldson, but the rest of the team is new.

Four local players will make the trek up the hill to play at Cerro Coso. Burroughs High School standouts Brenda Cantrell, Brittany Graybill and Ebonee Moses are in class and working with the team, although Cantrell's status is uncertain due to a knee injury.

"We're all crossing our fingers, she's a big piece in our puzzle this season," said CCCC Head Coach Tom Heck.

Immanuel Christian's Hi-Lo League Championship team a year ago is represented as well, with Christy Marshall starting her college career with the Coyotes.

In addition to the local players, several new Coyotes from out of state.

Two players come to CCCC from Las Vegas; guard Darshelle Lynch comes from Durango High School, while Venitia Burton, a forward, will join the Coyotes from Bonanza High School.

Three players will represent the city of Detroit. Antoinette Tyson, a post player, and forwards Angela Lash and Darshelle Johnson, teammates in high school, will stay together in Ridgecrest.

Paris Allen, who came to Ridgecrest late last season but was unable to play, will join the team this year after playing high school ball in Fontana. Mariah Bomberry will join the team from Arizona.

Heck, who opens his fifth year as Cerro Coso coach, is looking forward to the new season, which begins in November.

"We have some talented athletes with a real desire to play the game," Heck said. "We'll be very young with not much experience, but our athleticism and decent size should allow us to be competitive in the very tough Foothill Conference."

"If we can stay healthy, we can challenge for a playoff spot," Heck continued.

Tuesday, August 30, 2005

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