Glenwood Springs senior Emily Worline has a good feel for things that include long distances.
In the spring, summer and fall, Worline is one of the top female distance runners in the area at the high school level.
This winter, though, the senior guard has made herself into one of the top marksmen in the 4A ranks, leading the state in 3-pointers through 18 games with 62 made on the year. She currently sits one 3-pointer ahead of Pueblo West’s Hannah Simental, who has made 61 in 17 games during the 2018-19 season
As Worline goes, so go the Demons on offense this season. Moving into a starting role this winter under head coach Rhonda Moser, Worline leads the Demons with 12.3 points per game and is shooting 37 percent from beyond the arc, hitting 46 of a possible 126 treys through 15 games played.
finding her range
During her time on varsity over the last two seasons, Worline has served as the outside shooter, but she’s taken a monumental step forward in her final season in red and white, improving from 18 percent from 3-point range last season to a 37 percent clip this year.
“She’s taking better shots this season, and she’s much more confident,” said Moser during a recent Demon practice inside Chavez-Spencer Gymnasium. “She’s stepping into that senior leadership role, and that’s led to more confidence.
“The big thing this year, too, is that she’s more inclined to not drop her head after misses and just keep firing.”
Worline doesn’t hesitate to let it fly this season for Glenwood, hitting a career-high nine 3-pointers in a home loss to Battle Mountain on Jan. 25, five against Rifle on Jan. 11 in a 51-24 win, and four each in a loss to Discovery Canyon on Dec. 1 and a win against Coal Ridge on Dec. 8.
“It’s been awesome,” said Worline. “All of my hard work has paid off this season, and I’m finally getting my chance to shine. It’s been a really special season, and I’m really grateful for everything that’s happened this season.”
Shooters shoot, and that’s what Worline is doing. Surprisingly, she was caught off guard when she was made aware she was leading the state in 3-point shooting. It’s not something she’s set out to do, but she has made it a goal to do everything she can to help her team succeed. This season, that’s been mostly from beyond the arc.
taking what they give
With Worline clicking from long range, it has forced defenses to focus on her defensively, which opens things up for teammates all over the floor.
That’s led to some adjustments in play for Worline, who has learned to take what the defense is giving her. That revolves around her dual ability to drive to the hoop when defenders close out hard on her on the perimeter.
But the big thing with Worline in the second half of the season has been her comfort level in taking contested shots, and knowing she has to be a producer for the Demons.
“That’s been the great thing that I’ve seen with her, and that speaks to why she’s shooting so well; she’s adjusted her game,” said Moser. “If you watch her in practice, she consistently looks right over the top of her defensive player. She looks to shoot right over the top of someone because she knows teams are going to do whatever they can to slow her down the rest of the season.”
Moser added that, with Worline’s size, she has just enough advantage over most of the guards she’ll play against. That allows her to get her quick release off, while also having the agility to get around defenders and get to the basket.
As teams start to tinker with the way to guard her down the stretch and into the playoffs, Worline has adjusted her mindset as a shooter. She often looks to take an early 3-pointer, not only to try to get herself into an early rhythm, but to also gauge the defense and see how they respond to her presence on the perimeter.
“Sometimes it works out the way I want it to,” said Worline. “If I can make an early three, it seems to get the team going as a spark. I tend to look for those early shots from outside. I try to watch what the defense is doing, and if they’re not playing up on me, I’m going to let it fly.”
Glenwood is currently tied for first place in the 4A Western Slope League standings with Battle Mountain, with a showdown on Feb. 12 in Edwards against the Huskies looming.
The Demons want to take it one game at a time in their quest for the first league championship under Moser, and they’ll need Worline at her best gunning from the perimeter one shot at a time down the stretch. With the way the senior is shooting as of late, the league should be on notice.