Girls basketball: Menace on the boards

Grand Forks Central coach Brent Hintz admits there is some technique to rebounding. He feels there are proper fundamentals to box out, an appropriate way to initiate contact.

"But the way I've always looked at it, there's a lot of just heart and determination in rebounding," Hintz said. "You have to want it more than the other player."

If that's the case, then Central senior forward Caitlin Farroh really, really wants that ball.

She's snagging 16 rebounds per game this season, on her way to a fourth North Dakota Class A rebounding title and a member of the exclusive 1,000-rebound club.

"She doesn't assume any rebound isn't hers," Hintz said. "There isn't a ball off the rim she doesn't feel she can't get."

According to the Hoopster's unofficial state records, Farroh might just be a couple of games away from breaking the all-time North Dakota rebounding record.

Farroh surpassed 1,000 career rebounds Thursday against Grand Forks Red River. The unofficial all-time record is held by Brittany Geffre, who played at Fargo Shanley from 2001-05 and ended her career with 1,040 rebounds.

The 6-foot-1 Farroh says her rebounding prowess is a product of an unpolished offensive game as a youngster.

"Rebounding was the only thing I could do," Farroh said. "Before I learned how to play offense, I just had big clumsy hands."

But when Farroh hit high school, she made an immediate impact on the Knights with her rebounding and scoring.

Hintz says Farroh's first varsity game as a freshman, she scored 12 points and had 15 rebounds.

"Your first game as a freshman, you're supposed to be nervous," Hintz said. "But she went out there and got 15 rebounds and hasn't stopped rebounding since."

Farroh went on to average 8 points and 12.9 rebounds as a freshman. As a sophomore, she averaged 14.6 points and 11.5 rebounds. The numbers took an even more aggressive leap as a junior, when Farroh averaged 22.5 points and 17.4 rebounds.

During her junior season, Farroh once scored 30 points and grabbed 30 rebounds in a nonconference game against Grafton.

So far this season, Farroh is averaging 19.3 points and 16 rebounds for the 8-1 Knights, who are ranked No. 3 in the latest Class A poll.

"I just try to get every ball that comes close," Farroh said. "I don't look at who's next to me when I try to rebound. Sometimes I knock over my own teammates."

Opposing defenses have tried a variety of methods to try and slow Farroh.

"Starting probably her sophomore year, teams were starting to double team box her out; I don't even know if there's a phrase for that," Hintz said. "She just always finds ways to get around it and through it. She can be blocking out on one side and instinctively know the ball is going to come off on the other side. To put up those numbers, you can't be lucky. You have to know something."

Even foul trouble hasn't slowed Farroh. In Central's season opener against Wahpeton, Farroh battled foul trouble the entire game and played an estimated 10 minutes against the Huskies. She still managed to grab 16 rebounds.

"That was an amazing stat," Hintz said.

Farroh, who is receiving college recruiting interest from several Division II programs and a handful of Division I schools, has decided to wait until the end of her senior season to make any decisions about her future.

"She didn't want it to be a distraction for her or her teammates," Hintz said. "The team is very important to her, and she just wants to win. She wanted everyone to focus on this season and do the best they can."

Miller reports on sports. Reach him at (701) 780-1121; (800) 477-6572, ext. 121; or send e-mail to tmiller@gfherald.com .