Blair Klumpp takes over at Council Rock South girls basketball

HOLLAND – Council Rock South made it into districts last year but this year’s team is a mere shell of the squad that took the floor for the Golden Hawks last season.

For one, CR South has a brand new head coach. Former assistant Blair Klumpp has taken over for former skipper Jason Rapp, who guided the team in two previous campaigns.

In addition to the departure of graduates Peyton Spaddacino, an All-SOL National League point guard, and all-league forward Kasey Schlupp, two current seniors decided not to play hoops this season.

That leaves South with just a handful of returning varsity players and just one returning starter in 5-10 senior Allison McGowan.

That won’t stop the Hawks from competing for a spot in districts, however, says the coach.

“Even though we may lack varsity experience, I think we’re capable of competing for a playoff spot,” said Klumpp.

“The most important thing for this group is that they need their confidence to match the confidence that I and the staff has in them as players.

“If they can trust each other, play the right way and do all the little things then I think we’ll be able to achieve some of our goals.”

CR South returns to the hardwood with some experience. Senior Emma Jones, junior Bailey Vetter and sophomore Hannah Binder all recorded significant minutes last season off the bench.

“We have a lot of young players we’re trying to get adjusted into the mix – to the speed of a varsity basketball game.

“As a group, they are trying to get acclimated to the style that I would prefer us to play.

“They’ve worked hard throughout the offseason and the preseason and have looked good in the two scrimmages we’ve had.

“The more time they get to gel together and get adjusted to the varsity level as a group, I think we’ll be okay.”

Klumpp comes to the table with years of coaching experience. Before working the previous campaign under Rapp, he was an assistant for CR South boys for one season and 10 years as an assistant with the Archbishop Wood boys team.

Like Rapp, Klumpp is a graduate of Wood who played for the Vikings. He says his coaching style isn’t that much different than that of the previous skipper. Both coaches stress defense and doing the little things – boxing out, rebounding, fighting for loose balls – as the road to success.

If there’s one difference, Klumpp says, it’s the implementation of a more open offense that focuses more on the perimeter.

“We’re trying to get mismatches on the perimeter rather than running a more traditional offense.

“We don’t have a ton of traditional plays where you call something out and go; it’s more of a motion type offense that we started to implement at the end of last year.”

“I just added a couple of variations to it.”

A long-time boys basketball coach, Klumpp says, Rapp, who was an assistant for CR North boys hoops, probably faced similar challenges when he jumped over to CR South girls.

“I’m just trying to find different ways to motivate the girls and get them to play with confidence, and get them to believe that they have the ability to be in games with some of the top teams in the area.”

South is tipping off its season today against New Hope-Solebury (27-2 last season) in the Hatboro Horsham Tipoff Tournament and will play either the host team or Little Flower on Saturday (2 or 5:30 p.m.), depending on the outcomes of Friday’s matchups.

The projected starters for the Hawks include McGowan, Vetter, sophomore Claudia Steinmetz, sophomore Jenna Culp and freshman Nicole Blaustein, who will start the season at point guard.

Senior Emma Jones will spell Vetter in the low post while freshman Carley Irvin can fill in at point guard. McGowan, Binder, Steinmetz and Kulp will play the remainder of the guard slots.

“We don’t have a traditional post player, per se. Bailey will play inside the lane. Emma Jones will play that role as well.

“We DO have a lot of girls who have versatility from the wing to the baseline area.”

“And we have some girls who are good catching off penetration to finish and girls who are good off the move who can finish around the basket.

“We’ll utilize them more in that way than we would in the more traditional post up and dump the ball inside to somebody.”

McGowan and Steinmetz are among the best shooters on the squad. Kulp and Binder can also shoot and demonstrated as much in South’s scrimmage games with Villa Joseph Marie and Hatboro-Horsham.

Last year, the Hawks finished 10-13, overall, 5-7 in the SOL National Conference, capping off the campaign in a District 1 playoff loss to Neshaminy.

This year, the coach, sees his team in being able to battle in the Suburban One League, and beyond.

“I want to compete in the SOL. Our division is tough but I think with the effort that this group has, I think we’ll be able to compete and be in the mix.

“I want them to improve on a daily basis to the point where you can look at it at the end of the year and you can say you not only improved from last year, but you also improved from where you started from day one of this year.”

After finishing the tipoff tournament in Hatboro, the Hawks are homebodies through the first four games of the season with William Tennent (Dec. 12), CB East (Dec. 15) Abington (Dec. 19) and CR North (Dec. 22) taking the trip to CR South.

After Christmas, the Hawks will return to the Upper Merion Holiday Tournament on Dec. 27 and 28.

Contact Steve Sherman at ssherman@21st-Centurymedia.com or @BucksLocalSport on Twitter

COUNCIL ROCK SOUTH GIRLS BASKETBALL (2017-18)

(A) 12/08/17 3:30 PM New-Hope-Solebury Hatboro Horsham Tipoff

(A) 12/09/17 TBA Hatboro Horsham Tipoff

(H) 12/12/17 7:00 PM vs William Tennent HS Gym

(H) 12/15/17 7:00 PM vs Central Bucks East HS Gym

(H) 12/19/17 7:00 PM vs Abington HS Gym

(H) 12/22/17 5:00 PM vs Council Rock HS North Gym

(A) 12/27/17 5:00 PM Upper Merion Holiday Tournament

(A) 12/28/17 TBA Upper Merion Holiday Tournament

(A) 01/05/18 7:00 PM vs Jenkintown

(A) 01/06/18 1:30 PM vs Pennridge

(H) 01/09/18 7:00 PM vs Pennsbury

(A) 01/11/18 7:00 PM vs Bensalem

(A) 01/13/18 4:30 PM SOL Challenge Quakertown

(H) 01/16/18 7:00 PM vs Neshaminy

(H) 01/16/18 7:00 PM vs Neshaminy

(A) 01/19/18 7:00 PM vs Abington

(A) 01/23/18 7:00 PM vs Council Rock North

(H) 01/26/18 7:00 PM vs Harry S Truman

(H) 01/29/18 7:00 PM vs Wissahickon

(A) 02/01/18 7:00 PM vs Pennsbury

(H) 02/06/18 7:00 PM vs Bensalem

(A) 02/08/18 7:00 PM vs Neshaminy

(A) 02/09/18 7:00 PM vs Harry S Truman

(A) 02/10/18 TBA SOL Championships TBA

(A) 02/16/18 TBA District 1 Championships TBA