Volume 40- issue 1
Serving Wilkes, Ashe, & Alleghany Counties
WHAT’S INSIDE
Etiquette
Luncheon
Presidential
Inauguration
First impressions
Do Natter
Lady Cougars Prey On Opponents
By: Keith BeU
While the Wilkes Community
College Women’s Basketball team
had a tremendous 2007-2008, the
2008-2009 squad reached even
higher accomplishments never
previously achieved at WCC. The
Lady Cougars pounced on their
opponents in route to becoming
conference co-champions for the
first time in school history, had five
members receive awards for the
team’s relentless play, defeated
a nationally ranked opponent for
the second straight season, and
participated in the conference
tournament championship game
for the second straight year.
The Lady Cougars, led by Coach
Keith Bell in his second season
at Wilkes Community College,
stormed through the 2008-2009
schedule while mauling their
opponents. The team’s notable
victories included a win versus
number #14 nationally ranked
Louisburg College which propelled
the team to a regular season
tie with the Lady Hurricanes
for the National Junior College
Athletic Association (NJCAA)
Division II Region X Conference
Championship. The victory
versus Louisburg marked the
second time in as many years
the Lady Cougars defeated the
nationally ranked team, a feat
never previously achieved prior
to Bell’s tenure at WCC. The
Lady Cougars conquests also
included an inspiring 67-61 win
on “Sophomore Day” versus
Guilford Technical Community
College (NJCAA Division I Region
X Champion), a day that brought
awareness to the fight against
breast cancer and honored all six
of the Lady Cougars’ sophomores
in their last home game. “It was a
terrific day for all of these young
ladies,” declared Bell. “I cannot
think of a better way to send the
sophomores off than with a win in
front of so many family members
and friends. The entire team
means a great deal to this school
and this program, but they mean
an even greater amount to me. I
am very proud of every member
of this team. They have helped
us turn this program from a six-
win team prior to my arrival into
conference champions in just two
years. That is exceptional!” When
all was said and done, WCC had
amassed an outstanding 17-10
regular season record and finished
18-11 overall.
While the victories were very
impressive, the most extraordinary
accomplishment of the season
may have come in a loss to non
conference opponent Walters
State Community College out of
Tennessee. Walters State finished
the regular season undefeated and
ranked #3 nationally in Division
I. The Lady Cougars were the
only team to challenge the Lady
Senators during the regular
season as WCC took Walters
State to overtime prior to falling
just short. “I think the Walters
State game gave our young
ladies the confidence we needed
at that time,” said Bell. “It was a
changing point in the year. We
are a non-scholarship school, yet
we competed with scholarship
providing institutions throughout
the entire year both in our
conference and out of it. It showed
we could compete with any team
in the nation on any given day.
We carried the momentum gained
in that game through the rest of
the season which is evidenced
by the accomplishments of these
young ladles. We finished the
regular season as conference
co-champions and reached
the conference tournament
championship game for the
second straight year. We also
received several Individual
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