Two Newmans Spell Double Trouble For Opponents

Wes Vork-NSO

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Nov 22, 2011

Dwight Cadwell-NSO

Over the last several years the landscape of girls high school basketball has changed where as a group of girls from Barnum High School did the Northland proud by capturing a state girls championship. They also made several trips to the state tournament and won numerous awards for several of those players, but a pair of sisters stood out above the rest. Once again Katrina Newman and Jessica Newman are positioned for success and reunited as part of the UMD women’s basketball program.

Katrina Newman told Northland Sports Online “We’ve been waiting for this a whole year basically, it’s nice to have her back in practice.” Katrina talked about re-connecting like in high school. “It’s early in the season, but if were together on the floor we will always have that bond thing.” Katrina also mentioned “Not just in basketball, but with the whole college aspect, she needs to learn on her own like I did, that’s a part of growing, but I am the big sister, so certainly help, but I try to let her figure it out by herself.”

Both Katrina and Jessica were on the floor Tuesday night when the UMD Bulldogs defeated the UWS Yellowjackets to improve to 3-1 on the season behind the 74-54 win at Romano Gymnasium on the campus of UMD. The Bulldogs led 36-19 at halftime and went on to the 20 point win. Katrina Newman finished with 15 points on the night, one behind the games leading scorer Shelly Stemper who finished with 16. Jessica contributed 16 quality minutes and finished with 3 points in the Bulldogs win.

Jessica told Northland Sports Online “I’m going through my growing pains but learning to play; the college game is a lot faster, different coaching, different coaching styles and techniques, it’s just a lot faster paced game.” Jessica also stated about her older sister that “She knows what to say and what I’m feeling when I get upset. I’m building a relationship with the rest of the team also, but she knows what to do. I’m going through them as are the other freshman and it helps a lot that we can lean on each other.”

Jessica talked about the need to create her own identity also. Coach Wiles has said I stepped out of her shadow when I was a senior (in high school) and I’m kind of going back into it.” Jessica further explained, “Coach Wiles is trying to push me back out and saying I want two dominate people; like if I have an open layup I should take it rather than pass it to her, coach has talked to me a lot about that.”

The Bulldogs will be seeking to continually improve over the course of the season as they have started the year 3-1 overall. Katrina currently is leading the team in scoring averaging 15.5 points per game and 8.8 rebounds per contest. Jessica is averaging over twenty minutes of playing time per game and has started one game as a freshman. Katrina said “As a freshman I was kind of under the radar, so this year it will be harder, but that’s where we have those freshmen like Jessica; they’re under the radar so when they guard me she will be open.”

The Tuesday night contest seemed like old home week for the Polar League. In addition to the Newman sisters playing for UMD; the Yellowjackets roster included former Esko players Keely Deadrick, who scored five points in the loss and Farrah Wirtz. Other former Polar League players included Hillary Peterson of Moose Lake-Willow River and Katelyn Adams from Two Harbors. Also playing for UWS and seeing quality minutes is Bri Davis from Hermantown.

Dwight Cadwell can be reached at dwight@northlandsportsonline.com