Rockford, IL - Rockford Register Star

The first team in area history — boys or girls — with four 1,000-point scorers now has none.

Four-year starters Katie Norman, Kelsey Hoefer and Courtney Shiffer have graduated. So has second-team all-state forward Suporia Dickens. And even coach Ryan Pierce (152-63) stepped down to spend more time with his family.

“It’s definitely a rebuilding year, but what does that mean?” said Jennifer Slaght, who moves up to head coach after seven years as Pierce’s assistant. “It certainly will be different, but there’s talent here. Sure, it’s not the same talent that we graduated. It’s just different talent.

“We won’t know how different until we get out there and play the games. Before Katie and Kelsey and Suporia and Courtney played a varsity game, no one could have said for sure that any of them would have scored 1,000 points.”

Norman, first-team all-state, was one of Freeport’s leaders from her first game as a freshman. Senior guard Caitlin Greene, Freeport’s only returning starter, played a relatively small supporting role last year (6.5 points, 2.8 rebounds, 2.8 assists). But, when needed, she was the Pretzels’ best outside shooter and she’s a four-year starter on Freeport’s strong volleyball and soccer teams.

“We’re looking to Caitlin for leadership on the court and off the court,” Slaght said. “She’s a lot better than people thought she might be. She was just playing a supporting role, but she’s a talented young lady. She’s going to be nothing but an asset to our team.”

Freeport has decent size with five players 5-foot-9 or taller, including three-sport star Rebecca Wagner (volleyball, softball and basketball). Rebecca Wagner and Mackenzie Wagner (no relation) were both varsity reserves as sophomores last year.

-- Matt Trowbridge, rrstar.com

Pretzels at a glance
Coach: Jennifer Slaght (1st year)
Last season: (31-4, 16-0).
Returning starters: Caitlin Greene (5-5, Sr.).
Other key players: Ashley Alexander (5-9, Fresh.), Kierra Burns (5-5, Jr.), Latrice Cayce (5-3, Soph.), Paige Callow (6-1, Jr.), Michelle Hail-Harris (5-5, Jr.), Mackenzie Wagner (5-9, Jr.), Rebecca Wagner (5-9, Jr.).
Strengths: The leadership and all-around play of Greene, who averaged 6.5 points, 2.7 assists, 2.9 rebounds and 2.3 steals playing alongside four 1,000-point scorers last year. ... A long tradition of winning.
Weaknesses: Massive inexperience with the graduation of three four-year starters and only two seniors on the 12-person roster.
Outlook: After going a NIC-10 record 47-1 in the conference the last three years and becoming the only league team to reach the state finals (twice), the Pretzels begin a new era with a chance to finish, at best, third and more likely fifth.