Early indications: Something is brewing at Williamsburg

When Stephanie Dacey was in her first days as Williamsburg High School girls’ basketball coach, she combed through area programs, seeking a blueprint for success.

At the top of the list: Center Point-Urbana.

“CPU was one of the models we looked at,” Dacey said. “The way they play, it’s the same — varsity, JV, middle school, fifth grade.

“It takes time to build a program, and it starts with younger girls loving the game.”

Year 2 has just begun, and it is obvious that Dacey and the Raiders are trekking forward. Evidence was found Tuesday in a watershed home victory over, you guessed it, Center Point-Urbana.

Williamsburg built a 22-point halftime lead, then answered after the Stormin’ Pointers cut it to four early in the fourth quarter. The final was 61-50.

It ended an 18-game losing streak to CPU.

“I felt beforehand that we were going to win,” Dacey said. “I didn’t think we were going to build that kind of lead. They made a run, but we were able to answer by making a couple of shots and stop turning it over.”

Williamsburg was 5-17 last season. This year’s squad opened with a 67-29 win over West Branch, then toppled CPU on Tuesday.

“Our returners are much better,” Dacey said. “We’ve got a talented freshman class. And we did get a fortunate move-in.”

The latter is sophomore Kennedy Skaggs, who transferred from Davis County.

“Kennedy loves basketball. She wants to play in college,” Dacey said. “What’s different is that she’s left-handed, and I don’t know if teams expect that. She loves to compete.”

Carly Rich, a junior and Dacey’s niece, leads the team at 15.0 points per game. Skaggs, who is shooting 62.5 percent from the field, is at 13.0 points per contest.

Then it’s junior Makenna Hughes (10.0 ppg), sophomore Zoe Allen (8.0) and freshman Taylor Sanchez (8.0).

In both games, Williamsburg had four players in double figures.

The Raiders are shooting 46.0 percent from the field, compared to 34.5 percent last year.

“Last year, we had to be perfect defensively and make some shots to have a chance to win,” Dacey said. “This year, our defense is still solid, but from an offensive standpoint, we’re so much better.”

Better. And faster.

“My assistant said, ‘Oh, we’re going to be able to press.’ I hadn’t planned on it,” Dacey said. “But pressing gives us energy. It keeps them dialed in and focused.”

As Stephanie Rich, Dacey was the key figure in a three-year Class 3A state-championship run by Washington (Iowa) from 1999 through 2001.

She was Miss Iowa Basketball and The Gazette’s Female Athlete of the Year in 2001 after scoring 2,205 career points, then played at the University of Wisconsin.

After her college career, she got into coaching; her most recent high-level job had been as an assistant at Saint Louis University (2007-12). Then she got her real-estate license and got into business with her husband, Tony, in the St. Louis area.

The couple had a desire to raise their son outside the hubbub of the city, though. And that brought them to Williamsburg.

There was little time to bask in Tuesday’s win. The Raiders host Solon on Friday.

Such is life in the Wamac Conference.

“East Division, West Division ... it’s one of the most competitive conferences in the state,” Dacey said. “We’ve got to have a couple of great practices.”

Comments: jeff.linder@thegazette.com