High expectations

Expectations are going to be high for the Corvallis High girls basketball team this season.

The Spartans placed fourth in the state a year ago and return all but two players from that team, including four starters, tww of which were first-team all-Mid-Willamette Conferece selections.

Some of the players, like the Laney twins, don't want to look at the polls or rankings because they don't want to know what others are saying.

Others don't mind seeing the rankings and expectations, like coach Joe Williamson.

No matter the philosophy, it's always fun to talk about, even if you say it isn't.

"Anybody who says they don't care is clicheing you," Williamson said this past Monday.

Williamson said he doesn't mind being ranked high or having people talk about the expectations.

"It's just more pride in where the program's at," he explains.

And maybe it has something to do with his competitive nature. Williamson wants to win, even when he says he doesn't care. Like earlier this week -- Williamson was telling his team that he didn't care if they finished 5-5 during the nonconference part of the season. It was all about building to the MWC season and earning a trip to the postseason.

Then he changed his tune a bit, saying something close to, "forget what I said, being 0-2 would kill me. I am very competitve. I don't want to lose."

Then the mentioning of a possible 28-0 record was brought up. That would mean a perfect 10-0 nonconference season that comes against a tough slate of games that includes perennial power Willamette and others,as well as a trip to Malibu, Calif., for four games after Christmas. It just might be the most competitive schedule in all of 5A this season.

Then a 14-0 MWC campaign. The Spartans went 11-3 last year in conference play last year, but those three losses came by a total of 10 points. And with the most returners this year, a perfect campaign isn't out of the question. Of course, you have to come ready to play each game.

Then there is the postseason. A first-place finish in conference means a home game against a third- or fourth-place team which has already played a game, for a trip back to the Chiles Center. On paper, the top half of the state tournament bracket looks easier than the bottom (Jefferson and Willamette are on the bottom), but there is still a whole season to play and anything can happen.

Whether they want to look at rankings and polls or not, one thing the players need to do is have th belief that they are good enough to be mentioned as possible state champions, or a team that has the capability of making a lot of noise come the postseason.

"Play like a team that is supposed to win state," Williamson has encouraged them.

A year ago, I thought a state tournament appearance was a pipe dream. I just hoped they made the playoffs. It's a good thing I wasn't playing.

There is a long way to go and Williamson and the players know it. The first two weeks are just about over and the Spartans are less than two weeks away from their first game, at home against West Salem on Dec. 4.