In his a rookie season as Park Center's head coach, Chris VanderHyde guided the Pirates to last season's Class 3A state title.
His sophomore season is shaping up in similar fashion.
VanderHyde’s No. 1-seeded Pirates wore down No. 2 seed DeLaSalle en route to a dominant 57-39 victory in the Class 3A, Section 3 championship Thursday at Anoka High School.
Sophomore forward Mikayla Hayes scored 19 points, sophomore guard Ann Simonet had 13 and senior guard Hannah Schaub finished with 12 to lead Park Center (20-7), which is No. 3 in the season’s final rankings provided by Minnesota Basketball News.
Senior forward Jada Haynes led the No. 7-3A Islanders (21-6) with 12 points before fouling out late in the second half.
VanderHyde points to his team’s offensive balance as a key component to its success. The Pirates finished the regular season with three players averaging double-digit points: Hayes (15.5 points per game), Schaub (10.8 ppg) and Simonet (10.7). Sophomore guard Danielle Schaub, Hannah’s sister, was nearly a fourth, finishing at 9.6 ppg.
“We’ve got lots of girls who can play,” VanderHyde said with a smile after Thursday night’s win.
Tempo was also a key, he said.
“We try to play fast, so we try to keep the girls fresh,” VanderHyde added.
The strategy has worked this season, helping Park Center reach its fifth consecutive section championship.
Hannah Schaub, who has been a varsity mainstay since eighth grade, has played in four - missing only last season’s due to an anterior cruciate ligament injury - and experienced losing to DeLaSalle in each of the first three (2011, 2012 and 2013). The Pirates defeated the Islanders in last year’s section title game.
Schaub said the three losses make the last two victories even sweeter and that she’s pleased to contribute to this season’s win.
“(B)eing able to play and experience it is the best feeling ever,” she said.
The Pirates captured the Class 3A state title last season without Schaub, but prefer to have her as an active participant.
VanderHyde said the influence of his seniors - Schaub, guard McKenna Dubois and forward Camille McCoy - is crucial to Park Center.
“Hannah and McKenna and Camille are invaluable,” VanderHyde said. “They’re great leaders, and they bond our team together.”
