Crusaders' turnaround well-timed

By BOB PUTNAM
Published October 25, 2005

ST. PETERSBURG - There are poor starts and then there are nosedives from which a quick recovery seems impossible.

For Keswick Christian the first two months this season, which included eight straight losses, was the latter.

"It was tough, no doubt," coach Karrmayne King said.

Since then, the Crusaders' nightmarish beginning has become a distant memory.

Keswick Christian, which entered last week's Class 2A, District 11 tournament with a losing record, beat Indian Rocks Christian in the semifinals. That in itself was remarkable considering the Crusaders had not won a game against the Golden Eagles in two previous matches this season.

But a strong performance against defending state champion Tampa Prep was needed in the final to make the turnaround complete. Keswick (14-13) got more than that, upsetting the Terrapins to win the district title.

The Crusaders host Fort Myers Canterbury in the region quarterfinals on Thursday.

"No one expected much from us," King said. "To see where we started and how we finished, I was so excited for my players. It was unreal."

King guided the program to consecutive final four appearances in 1998-99 and has more than 300 wins in 21 years at the school. But she did not plan on coaching this season.

She sought someone to replace her so she could concentrate on basketball and her role as athletic director. In fact, King hired one of her former players, Lindsey Crosby, as her successor.

But Crosby had to finish her senior season at Rollins before she could take over, so King decided to stay one more year.

It was not exactly the beginning she had in mind.

Inexperience was largely to blame for a 6-11 start. Senior setters Sarah Hodupp and Laurie Norris were consistent, but King said she had to be patient, waiting for the others to play their best.

"We would have someone play great one night but never really had everybody on the same page," King said. "We needed to gain some mental toughness."

The maturity showed in a stunning about-face that started when Keswick won six of its final eight regular-season matches.

"We had some things to overcome and players finally started believing in themselves and stepping up," King said. "One of youngest players, Laura Hodupp, a sophomore, really came through in the district tournament. She probably had two hitting errors, played smart and was really vocal for the first time. That's what we'll need to keep this going."

[Last modified October 25, 2005, 03:00:29]