Scouting Wauconda

WAUCONDA

Coach: Greg Dorgan (first season, interim)

Last season: 16-12, 6-6 in North Suburban Prairie, lost to Resurrection in Class 3A Senn regional final

Key losses: G Corrina Vaughan, G Marissa Miller

Returning players: Sr. F Katie Rossetti (6-3), Sr. F Hayley Redmann (5-9), Sr. F Mallory Carver (5-8), So. F Allie Tylka (6-0), Jr. G Michaela Kimbell (4-11), Sr. G Hayley Sutherland (5-5), Sr. F Sydney Pikel (5-9)

Newcomers: Jr. G Mackenzie Zehner (5-3), Sr. G Amanda Lezon (5-3), Jr. G Allison Pope (5-3), Jr. F Elsie Deaver (5-7), Jr. G Marina Zamudio (5-5), Jr. F Alexis Valdes (5-5), So. G Megan Sinnott (5-2)

Outlook: Jaime Dennis is taking a break from her basketball kids to concentrate on her newest kid, a baby born last week. While Dennis is on maternity leave, longtime boys assistant Greg Dorgan will coach the varsity on an interim basis this season. Dorgan, the math department chair at Wauconda, has been the sophomore boys coach the last seven years and is in his 10th year at Wauconda. He inherits a group that boasts 6-foot-3 post Katie Rossetti, who averaged nearly 13 ppg in earning all-North Suburban Conference honors for the second season in a row last winter. Also back are 5-9 forward Hayley Redmann, 4-11 guard Michaela Kimbell, 5-5 guard Hayley Sutherland and 6-0 wing Allie Tylka, who started as a freshman last season. Dorgan was named interim head coach in September, meaning he's had little time to observe and learn about his team. "I'm really excited about this group," Dorgan said. Despite being in the boys program at Wauconda, Dorgan has coached girls before. That was at the middle-school level for two years. He's also familiar with some of the families of his players, as he coached Rossetti's older brother and Redmann's older sister. "Having some prior relationships with those families, and having taught some of the (kids) in class over the years, that's been really powerful," Dorgan said. "So I'm not this complete stranger." He's also no stranger to winning. As a junior in high school, Dorgan was a member of the Schaumburg basketball team that won state in 2001. "We had 15 on the roster, and I was in that third group of five," he said. "But it was a great experience. You think about the effort you put in practice. Those are the things that I definitely tried to (teach) my teams over the years and will try to teach this group. Anybody can step up or make someone else better in practice."