The challenge ahead for first-year Kentwood High girls basketball coach Dean Montzingo is daunting. Even pressure packed.
After all, in Keith Hennig, Montzingo is replacing the most successful girls basketball coach in Kentwood High history. Hennig led the Conquerors to the program’s first-ever state title last winter, a season that included the team’s fourth-straight South Puget Sound League North Division crown.
In five years at the helm of the Conquerors, Hennig compiled an astronomical record of 117-24.
Pressure?
“Of course I feel pressure,” Montzingo admitted. “Keith Hennig built a great program and won state. It’s my job to help continue that. But I also know it’s a new year, a new team with a new coach.”
Indeed. But if anybody on the planet has the proper credentials to fill Hennig’s shoes, Kentwood likely has found the right fit with Montzingo. Possibly even the perfect fit. Because it wasn’t too long ago that Montzingo provided remarkably similar numbers to Hennig at the helm of the school’s boys basketball program.
Montzingo stepped down from the boys program in 2006. He led the Conquerors to four-straight SPSL North titles and a state championship in 2004.
His record?
At 136-35, almost identical to what Hennig did with the girls program.
That said, Montzingo will be guiding a team this winter that graduated its top two scorers in Lindsey Moore and Jessie Genger.
How does Kentwood fill those holes?
“To replace the scoring and some of the players they lost last year is going to take a great team effort,” Montzingo said.
Of course, Kentwood has plenty of talent from which to draw, including the return of starting guard Kylie Huerta (11.3 ppg.) and forward Courtney Johnson (7.3 ppg.). In addition, senior guard Sanda Milovic (6.7 ppg.) and junior guard Liz Mills (6.1 ppg.) also are back in the fold.
“I know when I was the boys coach and we won state, you kind of feel the next year that everybody is out to beat the state champions,” Montzingo said. “I expect everybody’s best shot.”
The transition of coaches has gone well so far, Johnson said.
“It’s different because its not Hennig, but (Montzingo) is well known around the community and around the school considering he coached the boys to a state title,” Johnson noted. “We all trust him and believe in his style.”
