Scouting Cary-Grove Trojans
Cary-Grove Trojans
Coach: Rod Saffert (6th year as head coach, 19th in program, 114-34 career record)
Conference: Fox Valley (Valley)
2010-11 record: 27-4 (10-0 FVC Valley)
Top returning players: Paige Lincicum (5-10 Sr. G), Olivia Jackubicek (5-10 Jr. F), Joslyn Nicholson (5-10 Jr. G), Alyssa Lee (5-8 Sr. G), Megan Leisten (5-8 Jr. G), Hannah Phillips (5-8 Jr. F)
Top newcomers: Kylie Smith (5-8 Jr. F), Sarah Kendeigh (5-7 So. G), Abby Glaysher (5-9 So. G), Katie Barker (5-9 Fr. G), Marisa Wilczynski (5-8 Fr. G).
Outlook: The Trojans lost excellence in many phases of the game with the graduation of all-area co-captain Claire Jakubicek and all-area point guard Megan Straumann, but Saffert’s cupboard is far from bare and until someone knocks them from the perch, the Trojans are the team to beat in the FVC Valley. “We’ll be all right,” deadpanned Saffert, whose .770 winning percentage ranks as one of the best in the state for the past 5 years. Olivia Jackubicek, Claire’s younger sister, averaged 8.1 points, 5.8 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 2.1 steals per game last year and is one of the best returning players in the FVC. Lincicum, who will start at the point, presents opponents matchup problems with her size and she’s one of the best defenders in the conference. She averaged 7.3 points, 2.9 rebounds, 2 assists and 2.3 steals a year ago and could blossom into one of the area’s better all-around players. “Olivia and Paige will have to get most of our touches,” said Saffert, whose team advanced to a sectional final last year. “We’ll post Paige up a lot and she’ll have to drive and Olivia will have to do her thing. Joslyn has a very good jump shot and she has the capability of posting up as well. If everybody fills their roles we’ll be OK.” Saffert is also high on Barker, a freshman guard. “She might be our best pure shooter,” he said. “We’ve got a very tough nonleague schedule which should help us tremendously during the conference run. We should contend for the Valley Division title again as well as a regional title. We lost some very good players to graduation but this team’s main goal is to keep the winning tradition alive.”