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BY LLOYD S. WAGNER FOR THE GREATER NANTICOKE LEADER
Tuesday, January 25, 2000 Page: 13
It is the kind of “rough start” most coaches want – an 8-0 record and the
first half title under their belts. Still, Nanticoke high school girls’
basketball coach Jack Rentko can only describe the first half of this season
as that, “a rough start.” “We’ve been banged up,” Rentko says, “Every game at
least one starter has been injured. All the starters have been injured.” For
example, starters Heather Roback and Lauren Kurkowski have had 5 ankle sprains
between them. As a result, and despite their consistent winning, there has
been a lack of continuity and the team is not playing as well as Coach Rentko
feels is possible. “We’re out of synch,” is how he explains it. “The team
hasn’t developed a rhythm.” Why then are they winning? “Experience.
Experience and a lot of confidence,” says Rentko. “These girls are hard
workers who want to repeat and go a step farther.” “They are gamers,” he
explains with pride. “They find a way to win.” This is embodied in the
team’s starting seniors, Heather Roback, Jen Blasi, Kim Turoski and Kim
Heffron. Despite the injuries which has limited their playing time these four,
along with fifth starter Lauren Kurkowski, are putting up some solid numbers.
All are scoring in double digits, led by Roback and Blasi with 16 and 13 point
averages respectively. Heffron leads the team in rebounds with an 11.3 average
followed by Kurkowski with 10.2. And recently Jen Blasi took her place in
Nanticoke’s record books as the girls’ all time 3-point shot leader. As a
team they average 65 points per game while giving up an average of only 41.
Rounding out Rentko’s top seven this year are Amanda Hummel and Becky Katra,
both solid role players who are benefiting from some starting time this
season. Finally, going into the second half of the season Coach Rentko has
his top seven players healthy – just in time for a critical game against
Wyoming Valley West, a game which he sees as one of the keys to the season’s
second half. “Wyoming Valley West, Hazelton and Berwick,” Rentko says, “The
first three games of the second half. They are pretty much the key to the
second half.” With that challenge ahead of them, Coach Rentko and his team
are grateful for their 8-0 record and the “rough start” that has them slated
for post-season play.