Stephens tries to carry volleyball magic into first season

Alana Stephens can only hope to have the same kind of turnaround with Woodland girls basketball that she had with the Cardinals volleyball squad this fall.

Stephens, who graduated from Southeast Missouri State University last December, took over a Woodland volleyball team that was 2-22 the previous year and led the team to a .500 season (12-12).

The Woodland girls basketball team had a respectable 10-16 mark last year with only one senior on the team.

There was reason for optimism with four returning starters, but the Cardinals suffered a blow when Cortney Glastetter tore her anterior cruciate ligament playing with some friends just before the start of practices.

Glastetter was one of the area's top freshmen last season, averaging more than 18 points per game. At 5 feet 10 inches, Glastetter was the inside presence for the Cardinals.

"We are going to have to use our speed instead of our height," Stephens said. "We will have to play an up-tempo type of game. We will press on defense and fast break on offense. Hopefully, we will be able to create some offense from our defense."

Glastetter will be missed, but the Cardinals will still have some experience with the return of three starters -- seniors Amanda Abner and Elisha Glastetter and junior Sasha Hutson.

Abner returns at point guard. Glastetter, the older sister of Cortney, is a versatile player who can play guard and forward. Hutson, who like Abner and sophomore guard Rheanna Greer played on Stephens' volleyball team, also returns at guard.

Sophomore Francee VanGennip, who is 5-8, likely will fill in for Cortney Glastetter as the starter in the post.

"We don't have much size, but we have some good athletes and they are pretty smart, too," Stephens said. "The volleyball team was able to make some great strides, and we hope to do the same kind of thing with the basketball team."

The Cardinals opened Monday at Fredericktown.