N I A G A R A G A Z E T T E niagara-gazette.com
Published: February 09, 2010 09:52 pm
GIRLS BASKETBALL: Scherrer fills her role for GI
By Nate BeutelGRAND ISLAND — Unselfishness. It’s a characteristic
all middle relievers have.
Case in point, Bill Scherrer, the Cardinal O’Hara graduate who spent seven
seasons in the big leagues. He won only eight games and recorded just 11 saves
in 228 career appearances. But more important than stats, the southpaw helped
the Detroit Tigers to the 1984 World Series title.
Sounds similar to the story playing out on the hardwood with his daughter, Mary
Scherrer, a senior at Grand Island High School. The younger Scherrer rarely
reaches double figures in points, but she helped the Vikings to the Class A-1
championship a year ago and has them on track to make a run at another crown
this season.
“She is completely unselfish,” GI coach Jenepher Banker said. “She’s the
ultimate team player. She gets overlooked a lot and that’s not really fair
because she does an awful lot for us.”
Scherrer’s biggest contributions come on the defensive end of the floor. She
has developed into a good helpside defender and is probably the team’s best
rebounder, according to Banker.
“She’s only like 5-foot-8, but she really gets up,” the coach said.
“She’s our best rebounder. She reads it off the rim, gets her body in
position and gets her arms up very quickly.”
Scherrer said proper positioning is the key to dominating the glass and getting
the Vikings’ transition game into high gear.
“We like to push it, so I’ve got to get the ball first and get it out to
(point guard) Kallie (Banker),” she explained. “That’s how you get easy
shots.”
Speaking of shooting, it’s actually one of Scherrer’s strengths despite her
lack of scoring. Banker said she has one of best looking shots on the team.
It’s just a matter of confidence, the coach said.
Scherrer agreed.
“It’s not necessarily my job to score, but I need to be a little more
confident with the ball in my hands,” she said.
A bucket here and there would be a welcome addition to the scorebook as GI will
play the rest of the season without Kristin Wegrzyn, the team’s second-leading
scorer behind the younger Banker.
Regardless of scoring, Scherrer knows as sectionals approach defense will again
be the key to GI’s success. And if the Vikings meet that challenge, she’s
confident a return trip to the Flickinger Center at Erie Community College is in
the program’s future.
Scherrer is deciding between Niagara University and St. Louis University in
Madrid. She plans to study international relations with hopes of joining the
Peace Corps.
Contact reporter Nate Beutel at 282-2311, ext. 2262.
MARY SCHERRER
• SCHOOL: Grand Island
• SPORT: Girls basketball
• GRADE: Senior
• POSITION: Forward
• STATS: GI’s leading rebounder
• COACH’S QUOTE: “She’s the ultimate team player.”
— Jenepher Banker