Craig Daily Press

About five months away from the start of the 2007-08 girls basketball season, the Moffat County High School Bulldogs put their skills to the test this week in Grand Junction.

MCHS coach Craig Mortensen and his staff took 27 players, from incoming seventh-graders to seniors, to face 38 other girls teams at the Mesa State College Basketball Camp from Monday through Thursday.

The camp format included eight games played Monday through Wednesday, and two tournament games Thursday. Teams were placed into leagues according to their talent level.

The team that was comprised mostly of MCHS varsity players went 9-1 overall.

Seniors-to-be Angie Char-

chalis and Markie Workman were selected co-MVPs, along with a girl from Texas, at the tournament's conclusion.

The co-MVPs said they enjoyed the team's ability to bond and saw the same weakness at the camp's conclusion.

"It was kind of like our last season -- we won the entire season, but fell short in the postseason," Charchalis said. "We need to stay focused the entire time."

Workman agreed.

"Some games we did really good and others we didn't," she said. "We are starting to be more confident as a team, but it felt like we lost our focus as a team."

Mortensen, recently retired as a teacher at MCHS, points to team camaraderie as a benefit of the four-day camp.

"We think it is a good time to get to know each other," he said. "The kids all get together on the last evening for a talent show, we stay in the dorms, eat cafeteria food and do the whole college experience."

Would the Bulldogs be ready if the season were to kick off today?

"I think some of us would be confident and others wouldn't," Workman said. "We need all 10 girls to be on the same page confidence wise."

Mortensen appears to be a little more confident.

"I think we would be pretty good," he said. "I am really encouraged by all the girls. We are really fortunate -- I think our kids are buying into our program, and we are excited about that."