By Wayne Witkowski
New Egypt High School’s girls’ basketball team is looking to rebuild its lineup with the loss of Faith Weber and three other starters from last year’s division championship season.
“I feel really confident with this team. We’re very young but quick,” said new head coach Katie Panacek, who was an assistant the past two seasons under Matt Brogan. “We’re not as big [as last year], but we can run.”
Weber is off to a college softball career at George Washington University, but two younger sisters will help pick up the slack along with Holly Wetzel, who started at point guard as a freshman last season.
Sam Weber, a junior who is Faith’s younger sister, is a 5-foot-8 forward who is bouncing back from two knee injuries over the past 12 months. She has a long physical frame and big reach with good upper-body strength.
“She’s not moving as quickly as I’d like [from her knee injury rehab] and not in top shape, but she’s come such a long way,” Panacek said of Weber, who has shown court savvy and leadership.
Fellow sibling Sara Weber got some playing time last season.
“She’s still a little green but ahead of where Faith was in her freshman year.” Panacek said.
Sam Weber and Wetzel each scored eight points and Sam Weber had a team-high nine rebounds, but New Egypt dropped its season opener, 47-31, Dec. 16 to visiting Florence Township Memorial High School. New Egypt led, 19-18, at halftime, but Florence regrouped in a 17-6 third-quarter surge for a 35-25 lead.
“It’s very disappointing and unexpected,” Panacek said of the loss.
Panacek relies on defensive play as she did in high school at Northern Burlington Country Regional High School and in college at Colorado School of Mines, where using her height at 6 feet 3 inches tall to stop shots instead of sinking her own was her priority. She helped her college team make its first NCAA Division II Tournament appearance.
“They’ve picked up the defense and the help defense quickly,” said Panacek, who considers defensive support from players who are not the primary defenders as vital. “We need to be quick and to play as a unit. We have to control the game and the speed of the game. If we do that, we’ll be so successful.”
The key there is in the play of Wetzel as well as senior guard Rebecca Lombardo, who will cover the best opposing player. Senior Amanda Weaver, a 5-foot-8 forward, and sophomore guard Madeline Sonday complete the starting lineup.
“We did not have a true ball-handler last year, but Holly came in ready to play [this season] and is so mature,” Panacek said. “Sometimes you think she’d make sophomore mistakes, but she has such basketball intelligence and she sees the floor so well. We depend on her.”
Weaver plays solid defense, has some strong one-on-one moves in the post and is the vocal leader on the floor, said Panacek.
Sonday is up from the junior varsity team, but her foot quickness, especially on backdoor cuts to the basket, are an asset to the team’s drive in the Burlington County Scholastic League Freedom Division race.
Sophomore guard Amanda Morgano also could be a fixture in the rotation, while freshman Madelyn Reuter backs up Wetzel at point guard. Senior Alexis Erwin and 5-foot-7 freshman forward Hannah Lombardo, who is Rebecca’s youngster sister, also are looked upon for contributions. Erwin’s defense and young Lombardo’s offense in the post are assets to the team.
Seniors Kahlila Johnson and Michaela Schenker round out the team that is scheduled to host Bordentown Regional High School Dec. 22 and then plays Lindenwold High School and Raritan High School in its holiday showcase Dec. 27 and 29. The Warriors return from a holiday break at 5:30 p.m. Jan. 3 with a home game against Maple Shade High School.
