Lady Mustangs Basketball Will Rely on Youth in 2012-13 Season

Nine months after being eliminated in the first round of the 2011-12 playoffs by Garden City, it is a new season for the Mineola girls varsity basketball team and once more there will be plenty of adjustments in positions after losing some key players from the 2011-12 squad.

Last season’s has graduated and center Charlotte Renker has transferred to another school.

“We lost a lot of our height and our experience with Kerri and Charlotte gone,” head coach Denise Zunno said during a practice. “We will need to make a few adjustments in our positions on the court to help fill their roles.”

The Lady Mustangs will return 7 players this year, include point guard Julie Falotico and three-point specialist, Samantha Venus. Addie McKeever will take over Renker’s role at center while Venus will play at power forward to help fill the inside position. Junior Kati Priolo will play at the two-guard slot.

6’2” Gabby Jurkas was moved up this season from the JV team to help give the Lady Mustangs an inside presence. 

“We have a couple of young kids who were brought up from the JV team who will hustle hard and help us on defense,” Zunno said. “It is going to be a learning process for them especially on the defensive end.”

Zunno added that the offense will also struggle a bit after losing the firepower of Medlock and Renker.

“There won't be any dynamic players out there like we had last season. It will definitely be different and we'll look to press the ball a little bit more.”

The Lady Mustangs will face some tough competition in a stacked Conference IV which includes teams like Seaford, Roosevelt and Valley Stream North.

Mineola opens their season on Thursday against Plainedge at home at 5 p.m.