Ortmeier continues tradition at WPCC

The names rattle off like a Who's Who of West Point Central Catholic girls basketball.

Names like Steffen, Knievel, Neuvirth and Heimann have helped establish the Bluejays as a Nebraska prep basketball powerhouse. Kristine Ortmeier is the latest player to help carry on the WPCC tradition.

Ortmeier, a 5-9 junior, is the honorary captain of the Fremont Tribune's All-Area Girls Basketball Team. Joining her on the first team are North Bend teammates Sara Bloom and Jenna Wesch, Howells senior Jenny Svoboda and Morgan Smeal of Scribner-Snyder.

Ortmeier averaged 14.3 points, 5.2 rebounds and 2.8 assists while helping the Bluejays advance to the Class C-2 state tournament. She earned C-2 all-state honors from various media outlets.

While Ortmeier was an offensive stalwart, she contributed in other ways for the Bluejays.

“She has always been known as an offensive player, but this year she really worked hard on her defensive game,” WPCC coach Jerry Stracke said. “She has good court sense and does a great job of anticipating the pass. That ability allowed her to get a lot of steals this year.”

Ortmeier was frequently the focal point for opposing defenses, but she was versatile in how she could impact a game.

“She often was double-teamed down on the low block,” Stracke said. “But she has that quick first step and that makes her hard to defend. She also got her teammates involved. She led the team in assists and she also increased her shooting range this year.”

Ortmeier wasn't the only All-Area athlete to play a more prominent role for her team this year. Smeal was the only returning starter for Coach Fred Ivey's team.

The 5-6 senior, who averaged 15.1 points and 3.9 rebounds per game as a junior, contributed 18.5 points, 9.8 rebounds and 3.1 steals per game in her final prep season.

Bloom and Wesch were part of a North Bend team that compiled a 22-2 record and qualified for the Class C-1 state tournament.

Bloom, a 5-5 guard, missed five games due to injury, but was second on the Tigers in scoring (7.3 points per game), and assists (2.9 per game) and first in steals (3.1).

“Sara is just an all-around athlete who helps you in a number of ways,” North Bend coach Aaron Sterup said. “She is able to do just about everything, which is what makes her valuable to us and a pain to the teams she plays against. ... It was hard to get her off the floor because she is valuable in any situation.”

Bloom, who also excels in volleyball, softball and track, is considering various options for college, Sterup said. She will be missed next season by the Tigers.

“We relied on her to do a lot for four years here,” he said, “and she rarely disappointed.”

There also weren't many disappointing moments with Wesch. The 6-0 senior averaged 9.2 points and 5 rebounds per game while shooting 49 percent from the field.

The Tigers lost All-Area performer Melissa Wesely to graduation in 2006, but Wesch helped pick up some of the scoring slack.

“This year she knew we needed her presence inside and she became more of a threat,” Sterup said. “She is as athletically gifted as they come at 6-feet tall so she created a lot of problems for opposing defenses.”

Svoboda, a 5-9 senior, is one of the best track athletes in the area, but she also made her mark in basketball.

She averaged 15.4 points and 8 rebounds per game as the Bobcats finished the season with a 16-5 record. She was a consensus Class C-2 all-state selection.

The seven-person second-team is headed by Fremont High School teammates Breanna Bentley and Courtney Kavan. Other second-team picks, include: Laura Wilmes of Fremont Bergan, Whitney Collins of Prague, Mallory Shanahan of Wahoo High, Chelsey Schinck of Oakland-Craig and Jenna Peters of Logan View.

Honorable Mention - Erica Leaver, Arlington; Kelsey Hansen, Stacey Havekost, Bennington; Cassie Keck, Miki Wulf, Elly Janssen, Blair; Megan Stansberry, Cedar Bluffs; Karla Bertelsen, Jewel Doherty, Douglas County West; Madi Sorrick, Fremont High School; Shelly Jacobs, Halie Wewel, Fremont Bergan; Erin Dostal, Annie Schlautman, Howells; Lisa Bopp, Logan View; Kristen Cameron, Lyons-Decatur; Jessica Guyle, Heather Thorson, Chelsea LaCroix, Mead; Paige Walla, Nora Spath, North Bend; Kaitlin Nelson, Jessica Guill, Oakland-Craig; Ashley Paseka, Tiffany Petrzelka, Amber Vanek, Prague; April Dolezal, Kellie Wachal, Schuyler; Annie Jackson, Abby Shamburg, Tekamah-Herman; Brianna Triplett, Abbey Grandgenett, Wahoo High; Amy Pleskac, Erin Gerdes, Megan Meduna, Wahoo Neumann; Mary Kreikemeier, Nicole Stieren, Jackie Steuter, West Point Central Catholic; Kendra Johnson, Chelsea Rew, Casey Smith, Yutan.