Feren looks to recruit locally

HIRAM -- Don Feren recruited three Youngstown-area players to the Hiram College women's basketball team over the past two seasons as an assistant coach for the Terriers.
Now the former South Range High girls and boys basketball coach from Canfield is hoping to recruit a lot more area talent to Hiram after being promoted to head coach.
"We are going to go after anyone who can play. There are a lot of area girls that want to play college basketball, and we will tell them the merits of coming to Hiram," said Feren, who previously recruited Valerie Goudy (South Range), Allison Davis (Boardman) and Abbey Gorby (East Palestine) to the Terriers' squad.
"We think there is a lot of local talent out there to get the program turned around in the right direction."
Feren, who will retire this year as a teacher and athletic director at South Range, recently was named to succeed Anne Haynam as coach after serving as her assistant the past two seasons.
Haynam's record
Haynam, a native of Kinsman and a graduate of Badger High and Hiram, and a former standout at both schools, compiled a 21-101 record in five years as the Terriers' coach, including 6-19 last season. Hiram was 2-14 in the North Coast Athletic Conference, finishing in ninth place.
While a Hiram player, Haynam set the school career scoring record and currently ranks No. 4 on the school's all-time list.
Feren will be assisted by Lenora Sundstrom, in her first year at Hiram after being the head junior varsity and varsity assistant coach at Gustavus Adolphus College in St. Peter, Minn. Sundstrom also will serve as a counselor in the Hiram Office of Admissions.
Feren, who also will coach the Hiram women's golf team and hold a teaching position at the school, expects Sundstrom to be a big help in recruiting.
"She works in the admissions office and already is recruiting students. She also will be recruiting basketball players. So she will be a valuable asset," said Feren, who hopes to capitalize on his area experience.
Looking for players
"Being a coach in this area for so long, I know a lot of coaches and a lot of athletic directors state-wide, and you have to make some phone calls and do some driving and talk to people," said Feren, who encourages interested student-athletes and coaches to contact him. "We will talk to anyone. They can phone us, write or e-mail and we will check it out. We are not going to get the [Amber] Blands and [Courtney] Davidsons. We are aware of that. But there are a lot of good players out there."
Feren will emphasize defense and a running game.
"We always take a great pride in our defense, and we will continue to work hard on defense because you will be in the game if you can play defense," said Feren.
"We will play an up-tempo floor game and run as much as possible. It will be similar to South Range where [the girls] averaged 60 some points a game and gave up 45."
Regarding area returnees Goudy, Davis and Gorby, Feren said: "They are the returning letter winners. They would have the inside shot at this point. But we haven't decided on who the starters will be."
Davis, a 5-foot-6 guard-forward and starter last season as a freshman, averaged 3.6 points, 2.6 rebounds and 0.8 assists; while Goudy, a 5-6 junior guard, averaged 2.4 points, 1.9 rebounds and 1.1 assists, and Gorby, a 5-5 freshman guard-forward, averaged 2.2 points, 1.1 rebounds and 0.3 assists.
kovach@vindy.com