WILDWOOD CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS BASKETBALL
Mascot: Crusaders
Conference: Cape-Atlantic United
2016-17 Record: 22-5 (CAL United champions)
Head coach: Steve DiPatri (5th season at WCHS, also coached 16 seasons at Sacred Heart; 436-114 career)
Assistant coaches: Fran St. John, Katie Caruso
Returning players: Seniors – Haley Brown (5-10 F), Maria Hernandez (5-9 F); Juniors – Erin Connelly (5-4 G), Jiana Fields (5-6 F).
Top newcomers: Junior – Natalie Babore (5-8 F); freshmen – Riley Kane (5-6 G), Lauren McCallion (5-10 F), Marianna Papazoglou (5-11 F/G), Alyia Gray-Rivera (5-4 G).
Strengths: Winning tradition, size, talented young players
Weaknesses: Inexperience
Outlook: Wildwood Catholic will be very young, starting as many as four freshmen, so there will be some growing pains. But Papazoglou is one of the top freshmen in South Jersey and the Crusaders should be talented enough to win many more games than they lose while also competing for their third straight CAL United title.
Season opener: Saturday vs. Penns Grove (at Deptford)
— video produced by Matt Ulmer; photos by Brian Cunniff