Goshen sophomore Anna Dowd has taken on a bigger role for the Lady Warriors since head coach Dave Mason has moved players around in the early going.

Goshen sophomore Anna Dowd has taken on a bigger role for the Lady Warriors since head coach Dave Mason has moved players around in the early going.
By Chris Chaney
Sun staff

Coming into the 2014-15 season, the Goshen Lady Warriors were one of the stoutest teams in the Southern Buckeye Conference on paper: 10 experienced upperclassmen and a handful of sophomores ready to blossom under their leadership.

However, games aren’t played on paper. Yet, head coach Dave Mason isn’t discouraged by his Lady Warriors’ uneasy 3-3 start. Quite the opposite, in fact. Mason is feeling out the best possible way to help his team succeed come tournament time and if that means taking a few lumps in the early going, so be it.

“We didn’t get off to the start we wanted losing to Ross and Western Brown,” he said. “Our opportunities are still there, but we need to take care of what we do.”

Starting out 0-2, the Lady Warriors bounced back winning two of their next three with both wins coming over SBC-American Division opponents.

“Our confidence is getting back up a little bit, which we needed after starting out 0-2,” Mason said. “We got some big wins in the league and we’re hoping to keep on that track beginning with (New Richmond on Dec. 16).”

The score of Goshen’s game at New Richmond was not available at the time of print.

Mason stressed that the biggest key over the Lady Warriors’ holiday stretch — during which they play four times in seven days — was to get more comfortable in their roles.

“Everybody is really getting into their roles. That has taken us a little bit,” he said. “We’re really nitpicking on the areas where we lack, where we can’t afford to slack off a play here or a play there. The more we concentrate and do what we know we can do, I think we can play with everyone in our league and win.”

Getting comfortable in new roles while also facing stiff competition has led to some sloppy play for Goshen. Mason said in their three losses, the Lady Warriors have averaged 22 turnovers.

Part of that learning process is to be expected as the coach has thrust sophomores Anna Dowd and Olivia Taulbee into facilitatory roles in order to get upperclassmen shooters better looks at the basket.

“I’m putting pressure on a couple of our sophomores to step up in our guard play because I moved (senior Kayla) Miller to a wing to put her in a shooting role,” Mason explained. “(The sophomores) have done a great job, but part of it is decision making. That’s something that’s coming and has got to be better. When the decision making gets better, we’re not going to be an easy out; we’re going to be a tough team to beat.”

Miller has embraced her scoring role, leading Goshen with 11.5 points per game, just 0.2 points per contest ahead of classmate Courtney Turner. Brittany Clark averages 9.3 points and leads the team in rebounds at 6.8 per game.

As things begin to come together for Goshen, Mason thinks that the tough out-of-conference competition that handed the Lady Warriors two of their first three losses will prove beneficial once the regular season wraps and tournament time comes around.

Goshen’s success down the stretch may depend partly upon their big-man-by-committee approach. Mason said he has gotten solid contributions from Brandi Steele, Haley Halcomb and Shawna Shinkle on the block, but the rotation of Clark from one of those low post positions to point guard has proven to be beneficial as well.

“We’ve moved Brittany Clark to point (guard). During her four years, she’s played every position on the court for me,” the coach said. “Sometimes (what she does) goes overlooked — not by the coaches — but that kid has done everything I’ve ever asked her to do.

“Clark, Dowd, Taulbee and Kelsie Jeandrevin run that top spot for me so I can try to get Turner and Miller some shot opportunities.”

As the Lady Warriors find their respective niches, Mason is confident that the wins won’t be far behind. He hopes to pocket a few of those W’s before the New Year.

After Goshen’s Tuesday, Dec. 22 game at Bethel-Tate, the Lady Warriors will get two full weeks off before playing their first game of 2015 against Madeira.

It’s that contest against the Lady Mustangs that Mason believes Goshen can pick up where they left off in 2014 and make a run deep into February.