Back (l-r): Myecha Taylor, Colorado Springs; Ashlynn Steffensen, Rio Rancho, N.M.; Kari Ameling, Greeley; Tiffany Wilson, Pueblo; Melinda Perry, Layton, Utah; Tracy Fosterling, Rio Rancho, N.M.; Upuia Fui, West Jordan, Utah; Kersten Jaramillo, Greeley; and Kaitlyn Lowen, Colorado Springs. Front (l-r): Megan Cowden, Pueblo; Desiree Marrufo, Las Cruces, N.M.; Angie Andenucio, Pueblo; Chelsea Rotondo, Colorado Springs; Ashley Jelly, Alamogordo, N.M.; Rose Harvey-Akes, Commerce City; Christian Anderson, Denver; and Shannon Rousseau, Colorado Springs.
2009 - 2010 Women’s Basketball Wrap Up ~ Lady Rattlers take Runner-up title in Region IX Tournament
The Otero Junior College Women’s Basketball team finished the season 24-9 with an impressive post-season at the Region IX Tournament held in Sterling, Colo.
The team was ranked in the top five of the Region throughout the season and went into the tournament as the #2 seed from the South Sub-Region facing Western Wyoming College from Rock Springs, Wyo. in the first round. The Lady Rattler’s started out nervous in the first half scoring 23 points and was trailing WWC by 3 at the half. The team went on to shut down Western’s offense allowing only 21 points in the second half and won 60-47.
Sophomore Kari Ameling and Freshman Tracy Fosterling led the team with 15 and 14 points respectively. Fosterling also had 9 rebounds for the game.
The team then faced off with Western Nebraska Community College, Scottsbluff, NE. JC came out hot and knocked down key shots to win the game 68-60 and the team didn’t back down defensively either. The game was close for the full 40 minutes with several lead changes throughout.
Sophomore’s Desiree Marrufo and Angie Andenucio were unstoppable from beyond the arc, knocking down 9 of the team’s 12 three pointers.
Marrufo who led the team with 19 points went 5 for 8 from the three, with 4 of them in the second half. Andenucio scored 13 points and was 4 for 6 from three point range making 3 three’s in the first half. The team finished the game shooting 12 for 21 from 3 point range, which was the most amount of three’s made in a game on the season and also the highest 3 point percentage shot for the season.
The team reached the final four and had to beat Central Wyoming College from Riverton, Wyo. to advance to the Championship game. OJC’s game plan included executing plays offensively, playing solid defense and shutting down CWC’s key offensive player, who was averaging over 5 3’s per game in the tournament. Otero did exactly that and took the scrappy Central Wyoming out of their game. Both teams matched up well, but with solid defense and an outstanding performance from freshman point guard Chelsea Rotondo scoring 22 points with 3 assists and 4 steals, the Lady Rattler’s won 66-54 and earned their bid to the Region IX Tournament Championship Game.
Casper College from Casper, WY was the team to beat for the Championship. Casper went into the tournament as the #1 seed for the Central Sub-Region. As the undersized and chosen underdog, the Lady Rattlers were ready to win their first Championship and came out strong in the first half leading 31-29 going into halftime, with a three-pointer from Andenucio at the buzzer. Casper then went on a run in the second half outscoring Otero 43 to 25 and beat the Lady Rattler’s 72-56. Rotondo and Ameling led the team with 17 points each. Rotondo had 6 assists and 3 steals for the game.
Sophomore’s Kari Ameling and Angie Andenucio and also freshman Chelsea Rotondo received All-Tournament Team honors. Ameling finished her career as the 4th Leading All-Time Scorer for OJC and was named to the All-Region team for the second year in a row.
Most of the sophomores hope to continue playing college basketball while achieving their academic goals and have been receiving scholarship offers from four year schools.
Explore the links below to find out more about the lady rattler basketball team.
