Announcement
Excitement running high for Thomas
Thomas Worthington High School girls basketball coach Laurie Barr is looking forward to seeing what her seniors can do this season.
The Cardinals open Tuesday, Nov. 29, at Beechcroft before traveling to Worthington Kilbourne for their OCC-Central Division opener Dec. 2.
“Last year we got some young kids some experience and moved forward as a program,” said Barr, who is in her fourth season leading the Cardinals. “That’s going to help a lot. It’s a solid senior class that is leading these kids through. They worked really hard on the court and they’re really excited about their senior season.”
Senior point guard Kim Hoerauf (5-foot-5), senior guard/forward Whitney Miller (6-0) and senior guard/forward Erica Morris (5-9) are expected to lead the team. Miller is in her fourth varsity season and Hoerauf and Morris are in their third.
Junior guards/forwards Mariana Bonilla (5-11) and Frannie Frazier (5-10), who averaged 13 points, nine rebounds and four steals last season and was honorable mention all-district, also return.
Also on the team are junior Clare Janoski (5-5), sophomores Nya Cason (5-6) and Laura Gomez (5-7) and freshmen Jordan Fischbach and Francie Zidonis (5-5) at guard and juniors Kamille Freeman (5-11) and Ally Lucas (5-11) at forward.
Thomas lost three players from a year ago, including guard Natalie Carroll, who averaged 13 points and was honorable mention Division I all-district.
“The girls really get along well this year,” Hoerauf said. “We’re a fast team with some pretty good shooters.”
Thomas finished 12-8 overall last season, losing to eighth-seeded Newark 56-44 in the second round of the district tournament after having a first-round bye.
The Cardinals finished fourth in the OCC-Central at 9-5, behind Upper Arlington (13-1), Dublin Coffman (11-3) and Hilliard Davidson (10-4) and ahead of Central Crossing (5-9), Kilbourne (5-9), Hilliard Darby (3-11) and Westland (0-14).
Barr believes her team must improve defensively if it is to move up in the league standings.
“I don’t think we can ever be good enough on defense,” she said. “We’re trying to get better and better and we’re continuing to improve in that area. The key for us is definitely being a team and playing smart together. We need to play the entire game with the intensity we know we’re capable of playing with.”
