Last year’s heartbreak; this year’s motivation

CENTER POINT — Yeah, it still stings.

'It's still fresh for all of us,' Payton Hasleiet said, referring to Center Point-Urbana's girls basketball regional-final loss to Mount Vernon last season. 'We're trying to learn from that without bringing it up.

'It may turn out to be the best thing that could have happened to us, because it will motivate us all season.'

This wasn't your typical bummer of a go-to-state-or-stay-home defeat. This was a heartbreaker times 10.

A Class 3A state-tournament team in 2014, the Stormin' Pointers appeared to be on their way to a return trip to Des Moines, sprinting to a 26-8 lead and owning a 16-point halftime cushion.

But the Stormin' Pointers faded after intermission, and Mount Vernon broke their hearts, 55-48.

'What I remember is that everybody was blaming each other,' Hasleiet said. 'It was pretty chaotic. It just wasn't a good team effort.'

The opportunity for redemption has arrived.

Center Point-Urbana returns its entire roster, led by second-team all-stater Arika Wooldridge, from a team that finished 19-5, including a 14-game winning streak before the regional-final collapse, and won the Wamac Conference West Division.

The Stormin' Pointers are ranked No. 3 in The Gazette's 3A preseason rankings. They open the new season Tuesday at home against — wouldn't you know it? — No. 4 Mount Vernon.

'We're capable of a lot,' said Wooldridge, a strong-bodied, 6-foot senior who has signed with NCAA Division-II Winona State University. 'We just need to take one step at a time and not allow stuff from getting into our heads.'

Wooldridge (17.2 points, 7.6 rebounds per game) and Hasleiet (6.2 ppg) are the veterans of a still-youthful squad. Five freshmen made significant contributions last season, including Wooldridge's younger sister, Allison (11.5 ppg).

'Usually, the two of us, we're a hard matchup,' Arika Wooldridge said. 'I use my strength, and she handles the ball better and has more moves.'

Hasleiet said, '(Both Wooldridge girls) are so athletic. The can do anything they want. They're long, they can guard anyone ... and they're not selfish with the ball at all.'

Sophomores Olivia Brecht, LaMia Sisk, Sydney Boevers and Raegan Dufoe also appeared in all 24 games last season. Brecht averaged 7.5 points per game.

'All those kids are ready to go,' said CPU Coach Philip Klett. 'They've gotten stronger. They've gotten more comfortable in their abilities. A little bump isn't going to stop them.'

He was talking in physical terms. Now, the trick is to get past last year's season-ending disappointment. That was more than a mere bump.

'One of these days, we'll all get together and watch that tape,' Klett said. 'We just lost control of that game and couldn't stop the snowball.

'We've got the potential to make a deep run in the postseason. A lot of things can happen between now and then, but there's no reason we shouldn't contend for the highest thing at the end of the season.'

l Comments: (319) 368-8857; jeff.linder@thegazette.com