Westbrook women in big turnaround

Women’s basketball at Westbrook College in Portland is in just its second year, but has made a dramatic turnaround. Last year, Westbrook finished 3-23, but going into an away game in Wenham, Mass., Wednesday with Gordon College, it sports a 6-5 record.

“We were doing really well until we met up with Husson,” said Coach Mike Bridges. “But they’re in a different class for now, anyway.”

Westbrook, with a busy, three-game week, competes in NAIA Division II. “We’ve certainly been pleased with what we’ve accomplished to date, but we’re not satisfied,” he said. “We want to do better.”

Considering the makeup of this team, Bridges (who offically began his duties July 1) has every right to be pleased since there is only one returnee, 5-foot-6 sophomore point guard Lorraine McNerney of South Amboy, N.J. The remaining players are freshmen.

Starting with McNerney are 6-1 center Bobbi Jo Blodgett, 5-7 guard Beth Cashman, 5-10 forward Emilee Osgood, and 5-7 guard Kelley Manning.

Blodgett was an East-West Senior All-Star from Mountain Valley of Rumford. Cashman was a three-time Western Maine Conference All-Star and Scarborough’s leading scorer the past two years. She played for Bridges, who coached there nine years.

Osgood, who starred at Old Orchard Beach, is Westbrook’s leading rebounder. Manning is a Catherine McAuley of Portland graduate who had a 20-point performance against Husson in a 106-47 setback.

Bridges also brought in 5-8 Rory LeMons from Scarborough. LeMons is a top reserve who can play point guard, off-guard or small forward.

Completing the roster are 5-9 small forward Michelle Girouard of Lewiston; twin guards Maureen Long and Kay Long of Cohasset, Mass.; forward/center Wendy Hebert of Dixfield; and Julie Wiles of Amherst, N.H.

Bridges makes no bones about looking for that elusive point guard. “We’re in desperate need of one,” he said. “We’re really playing this season without one because Kelley is a shooting guard. She has to switch off with Lorraine to get the ball down the floor. To be successful in this competition, we need a point guard, and I’d certainly like to find one up in eastern Maine.”

To that end, Bridges believes Westbrook women’s basketball is headed in the right direction.

“Last year, with only three wins, I think a lot of people still wondered if we were going to be able to ever get going. I’m not sure there’s any guarantee we’re going to win another game this year, but that’s not to say we won’t. At one point, we were 6-3. We upset St. Joe’s of Vermont and beat the University of Maine-Machias. We’ve been in most games we’ve played. So I’d tell recruits, not only can you get a great education at Westbrook, but you should know we do take basketball seriously here and we will be a team to be reckoned with in the future.”

WESTBROOK SCHEDULE

Jan. 14 at Gordon, 5 p.m.; 16 at UNE, 5:30 p.m.; 18 at St. Joe’s (Vt.), 3 p.m.; 25 Thomas, 7 p.m.; 27 at Atlantic Union, 7 p.m.; 29 UMA, 5:30 p.m.; Feb. 1 at Rivier, 2 p.m.; 2 Emerson, 1 p.m.; 5 at Thomas, 5:30 p.m.; 8 UMM, noon; 9 Johnson State, 2 p.m.; 11 Rivier, 7 p.m.; 14, UMPI, 7 p.m.; 15 at UMF, 5:30 p.m.