Falcons bring experience, athleticism

By Nathaniel Underwood

The Abbotsford girls basketball team has opened their 2023-24 season to the tune of a 1-2 record, taking down the Colby Hornets on Monday evening while falling to Athens last Thursday in their season opener and the and the Prentice Buccaneers on Tuesday night. The Falcons will be looking to build on this starting week as they aspire to battle towards the top of the Marawood-North conference once again.

The past two seasons have seen the Falcons finish in third place in the conference behind the Phillips Loggers and the Athens Blue Jays. Both playoff runs for the team ended after one win, bowing out with second round losses to Auburndale and Osseo-Fairchild. With the core of those squads still intact and a number of athletes looking to step up this season, the Falcons are eyeing what they hope will be a deeper run this season.

“It would be great to make it to that third round of regionals because we haven’t been able to do that yet,” head coach Ally Meserole said. “In order to get there though, we have to stay composed. I’m hoping because we are an older team, the confidence and skill will be there, and we just need to execute.”

While Abbotsford will be short allconference honorable mention Adriana Fuentes-Rivera and Marawood-North All-Defensive selection Brissa Diaz, they will be returning a number of starters from last year’s squad. Their top four scorers from 2022-23, Sydney Falteisek, Sommer Brodhagen, Briseida Escalera and Calley Ruesch, all return for their senior season and will be the core of a team that can also go fairly deep on their bench.

Falteisek averaged 15.7 points, 9.3 rebounds and 2.7 rebounds per game last year, earning herself another unanimous first-team all-conference award. She was the primary focal point of Abbotsford’s offense and will likely continue to be a large factor in what the Falcons are able to accomplish on that side of the floor. Her team high 3.3 steals per game also helped Abbotsford push the floor and take advantage of their general athleticism.

Brodhagen was second on the team in points scored and rebounds per game last season, averaging 12.3 points and 5.5 boards. A second-team all-conference selection, Brodhagen took a step forward on the offensive side of the ball and will look to continue that growth while anchoring the Abbotsford defense. Her .630 shooting percentage from the free throw line also made her the most consistent Falcons starter from the charity stripe.

Escalera was an honorable mention for the Falcons last season, averaging 8.0 points, 5.4 rebounds and 2.7 assists. She was second on the team in steals per game with 2.0 and made the most threepoint shots over the course of the season, connecting on 14 shots from deep, demonstrating versatility on both sides of the court.

Ruesch had the second most three-point shots, ending with 13 makes from beyond the arch. She averaged 7.5 points per game and had a team high .527 field goal percentage in her junior year. She will be looking to add even more to the Falcons offense this season and opened the year with an 18-point performance against Athens.

The Falcons will also be bringing back a number of other players with varsity experience from last year’s team. Senior McKinley Klabon and juniors Azul Diaz and Neveah Treankler all saw time on the court last year and will likely see increased roles this year. Senior Lillian Graun, junior Jacquelyn Soto Acosta, sophomores Celia Schindler and Asia Atkinson, and freshman Oriah Harris will be new additions to the varsity team this year.

The strengths of the past few years continue to be what the Falcons will rely upon over the course of the 2023-24 schedule. Their speed and athleticism will hopefully help them push the ball down the floor and play tight on the defensive side. Experience will also be a plus for Abbotsford.

“The consistency is amazing because it usually takes a month or two to get to where we are at this point in practice,” Meserole said. “We give them a couple coaching cues and they have already adjusted and know what is going on. And we’ve been pretty set with the same offense and defense schemes, so this year we are able to add maybe a third defense and different quick hitters [on offense].”

These strengths were on display in their 69-29 victory over the Colby Hornets on Monday evening. The Falcons defense was able to put pressure on the visiting Hornets, creating 23 steals that turned into 18 transition points and 28 points on turnovers. Meanwhile, Colby was only able

See FALCON GIRLS BB/ Page 12

2023-24 ABBOTSFORD FALCONS GIRLS BASKETBALL - The 2023-24 girls basketball team, pictured above starting in the back row left to right, are McKinley Klabon, Lillian Graun, Calley Ruesch, Sydney Falteisek, Briseida Escalera and Sommer Brodhagen. In the middle row, left to right, are Azul Diaz, Hazel Flink, Asia Atkinson, Nevaeh Treankler, Faith Sperl and Campbell Brodhagen. In the front row, left to right, are Riley Podevels, Celia Schindler, Oriah Harris, Jackie Soto and Marilyn Hammock. The Falcons are coached by Ally Meserole.

STAFF PHOTO/NATHANIEL UNDERWOOD

NOT GETTING PAST - Azul Diaz puts the pressure on Athens’ Danica Diethelm during the Falcons’ season opener against the Bluejays last Thursday.

STAFF PHOTO/NATHANIEL UNDERWOOD Falcons girls BB

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to get three points in transition and were outrebounded 26-5 on the offensive glass. Ruesch collected 14 points, nine rebounds and seven steals for the Falcons and Brodhagen added 13 points and nine rebounds herself.

The team’s overall height will probably be the biggest challenge that they will have to overcome this season, as they could struggle to match up with taller lineups. In their first challenge of the season, a 64-42 loss to Marawood-North foe Athens, the Falcons could not quite match the Bluejays underneath the basket. While they were only outrebounded 52-46, Athens doubled up the Falcons in points in the paint, putting up 44 to Abbotsford’s 22. The Bluejays were also able to work 29 free throw attempts, compared to Abbotsford’s 12 attempts.

If teams are able to take away the Falcons’ dribble-drive and post game in the half court offense, they could struggle. They struggled from long range in 202223, holding a .198 field goal percentage from behind the arc last season. In their loss to Athens, the Falcons were only 3-for-25 from three-point range. However, they did shoot better in their win over Colby, going 5-for-19 on three-point attempts, and it is an aspect of their game in which Meserole believes that she has seen improvement.

While there is a lot happening on the court for this Abbotsford squad, Meserole has been just as impressed on what the leaders of the team have been doing off the court for the program.

“Obviously there are a lot of great elements of having so many seniors on the team, but what I really love is how much these six seniors have done for our basketball program,” she said. “They’ve helped coach youth things, they come to Sunday night skills, they talk to all the young kids and try to get them to join the program. And I think that is their lasting legacy; how they are good role models and how much they promoted the program.”

The Falcons’ next challenge will be on the road, as they will travel to face off against Greenwood next Monday, Nov. 27. The Falcons came out on top when the two teams met last year, winning handily at home, 60-33. This season, the Indians are 1-0, having defeated the Augusta Beavers 53-34 Tuesday night. The game is scheduled to start at 7:15 p.m in Greenwood.

TOP SCORER - Calley Ruesch eyes her options as she drives towards the basket against Athens. The senior led the Falcons in scoring in their first two games, putting up 18 on the Bluejays and 14 on the Hornets on Monday night.

STAFF PHOTO/NATHANIEL UNDERWOOD