Boys basketball

South rallies for all-star win

04/04/04

Piketon's Kyle Vulgamore and Cory Chamberlin of Wheelersburg combined for 21 second half points to rally the South to a 96-92 win in the District 14 Pepsi Classic All-Star boys basketball game Sunday afternoon at Valley High School.

Vulgamore -- District 14 Coaches Association Division III and Scioto Valley Conference player of the year -- scored 11 of his 15 points as the South exploded for 59 second half points. Chamberlin scored 10 of his 14 points after the intermission.

The North -- led by the inside presence of Unioto's 6-8 Will Besonen and Paint Valley's 6-5 Drew Bobb -- led by 17 points midway through the first half. Besonen and Bobb had 11 points each as the North led 46-37 at the half.

Bobb and the South's Eric Nordrum of Valley led all scorers with 19 points apiece.

The North had five players in double figures, but the South countered with 10 players scoring five or more points.

Erik Marting of Miami Trace followed Bobb with 15 points for the North and Besonen and Bryce Raney of Hillsboro added 13 each and Mike Angles of Westfall 12.

North         46  46 --  92

South         37  59 --  96

North -- Erik Marting (Miami Trace) 3-3 0-0 15, Willy Smith (Miami Trace) 1-1 3-4 8, Jason Huffer (McClain) 0-2 0-0 6, Tyler Robertson (Washington CH) 1 0-0 2, Bryce Raney (Hillsboro) 5-1 0-0 13, Drew Bobb (Paint Valley) 8-1 0-0 19, Eric Mount (Lynchburg Clay) 0 0-0 0, Will Besonen (Unioto) 5-1 0-2 13, Drew Shaw (Westfall) 2 0-0 4, Mike Angles (Westfall) 4-1 1-2 12. 29-10 4-8 9.

South -- Eric Nordrum (Valley) 5-2 3-3 19, Chris Meade (North Adams) 4 1-2 9, Kyle Vulgamore (Piketon) 3-3 0-2 15, Jarod Cox (West Union) 2-1 0-0 7, Ryan McGraw (Minford) 2-1 0-0 7, Cory Chamberlin (Wheelersburg) 3-2 2-4 14, Aaron Patton (Green) 2-1 1-2 8, Tim Yarnell (Green) 3 0-0 6, Dan Dowing (Sciotoville East) 0-1 3-5 6, Zach Messer (New Boston) 1-1 0-0 5. Totals: 25-12 10-18 96.

District all-star games Sunday

03/31/04

The District 14 Coaches Association Pepsi Classic all-star games will be played Sunday at Lucasville Valley High School with the girl North-South game beginning at 2 p.m.

The boys game will follow at approximately 3:30.

All-District 14 selections, coaches, assistant coaches and players of the year will be recognized at halftime of each game.

The boys game features five Scioto Valley Conference players, including Piketon's Kyle Vulgamore, SVC and district player of the year, on the South squad and Paint Valley's Drew Bobb, Will Besonen of Unioto and Westfall's Drew Shaw and Mike Angles on the North team.

Chillicothe's Alicia Brokaw joins a trio of SVC players -- Cassi Wertman of Zane Trace, Ashley Sowers of Adena and Unioto's Katie Frey -- on the girls North squad. That team will be coached by Chillicothe's Jeff Lisath and Linda Hatten of Lynchburg Clay.

Kara Bobo of Southeastern and Waverly's Ashley Borden will play for the South team.

District 14 Pepsi Classic

Boys North squad

Erik Marting                 Miami Trace

Willy Smith                  Miami Trace

Jason Huffer                Greenfield McClain

Tyler Robertson            Washington CH

Bryce Raney                Hillsboro

Drew Bobb                  Paint Valley

Eric Mount                  Lynchburg Clay

Will Besonen                Unioto

Drew Shaw                  Westfall

Mike Angles                 Westfall

Coach: Doug Stiverson, Logan Elm

   Boys South squad

Eric Nordrum                 Valley

Chris Meade                  North Adams

Kyle Vulgamore              Piketon

Jarod Cox                     West Union

Ryan McGraw                Minford

Cory Chamberlin             Wheelersburg

Aaron Patton                 Green

Tim Yarnell                    Green

Dan Downing                  Sciotoville East

Brett Enz                       Sciotoville East

Zach Messer                   New Boston

Coach: Scott Lowe, Valley; Travis Bradford, Sciotoville East

Girls North squad

Alicia Brokaw                  Chillicothe

Alisha Lee                      Greenfield McClain

Lisa Hartley                    Miami Trace

Elisa Gillman                    Hillsboro

Kristen Tisdale                 Logan Elm

Tiffany Cole                    Washington CH

Katie Frey                       Unioto

Ashley Sowers                 Adena

Cassi Wertman                 Zane Trace

Jackie Hauke                    Whiteoak

Coach: Linda Hatten, Lynchburg Clay; Jeff Lisath, Chillicothe

Girls South squad

Ashley Borden                   Waverly

Ali Hull                             Portsmouth

Maggie Howe                    Wheelersburg

Jennifer Ruckel                  Eastern Brown

Heather Grooms                 Sciotoville East

Annie Clinger                     Sciotoville East

Brittany Brewster               Western

Jade Downing                    Western

Christy Keysor                   Manchester

Kara Bobo                         Southeastern

Coach: Walt Monroe, Sciotoville East

Scioto Valley Conference

boys varsity basketball

final 2003-04 standings

                                      Conference       Overall

                                          W      L             W     L

Piketon                       11      3        19     4

Adena                        10      4        14     7

Huntington                   9      5        13     9

Westfall                       7      7        14   10

Southeastern               7      7          9    13

Unioto                        6      8         10    12

Zane Trace                 3     11          5    16

Paint Valley                 3     11          5    17

Scioto Valley Conference

boys junior varsity basketball

final 2003-04 standings

                                      Conference       Overall

                                          W      L             W     L

Adena                         14      0        19     1

Huntington                   11      3        16     3

Zane Trace                   8      6        12     7

Unioto                          8      6        12     8

Westfall                        7      7        11     9

Southeastern                 5      9         7    12

Piketon                         3     11         5    12

Paint Valley                   0     14         2    17

Scioto Valley Conference

boys freshman basketball

final 2003-04 standings

                                      Conference       Overall

                                           W      L             W     L

Adena                         14      0         19     0

Huntington                   12      2         17     2

Unioto                           8      5         11    7

Westfall                         7      7          7   12

Piketon                          7      7          7     7

Zane Trace                    4     10          6   12

Southeastern                  2     12          2   15

Paint Valley                    1     12          2   16

Editor's note: Unioto and Paint Valley freshmen did not play each other in second round.

Scioto Valley Conference

boys 8th grade basketball

final 2003-04 standings

                                          W      L            

Huntington                    7      0

Westfall                        6      1             

Zane Trace                   4      3    

Unioto                          4      3    

Paint Valley                   3      4                

Adena                          3      4    

Southeastern                 1      6           

Piketon                         0      7            

Scioto Valley Conference

boys 7th grade basketball

final 2003-04 standings

                                          W      L                    

Piketon                         6      1       

Unioto                          5      2 

Huntington                    5      2   

Westfall                        4      3                  

Adena                          4      3

Zane Trace                   2      5 

Paint Valley                   2      5                      

Southeastern                 0      7 

Scioto Valley Conference

boys varsity basketball

final 2002-03 standings

                                      Conference       Overall

                                          W      L             W     L

Southeastern               14     0           21   3

Zane Trace                  10     4           14   9

Westfall                        7     7           10  11

Piketon                         6     8             9  12

Huntington                    6     8             9  13

Unioto                          5     9             7  14

Adena                          4    10             4  17

Paint Valley                   4    10             4  17

Scioto Valley Conference

boys junior varsity basketball

final 2002-03 standings

                                      Conference       Overall

                                          W      L             W     L

Unioto                         11     3          15    5

Southeastern                10     4          11    8

Huntington                     9     5          13    7

Adena                           9     5          13    7

Westfall                         8     6          11    8

Zane Trace                    5     9            5   13

Paint Valley                    3   11            5   14

Piketon                          1   13            4   16

Scioto Valley Conference

boys freshman basketball

final 2002-03 standings

                                      Conference       Overall

                                          W      L             W     L

Westfall                      13     1           17    1

Unioto                        11     2           15    2

Zane Trace                   9     5           12    6

Adena                          8     6           13    6

Huntington                    5     8             8  10

Paint Valley                   4     8           10    9

Piketon                         4    10            5   10

Southeastern                 0    14            2   17

Editor's note: Paint Valley freshmen did not play Huntington and Unioto in second round.

Final 2003-04 boys SVC scoring

03/14/04

Name, school                         G       Pts       Avg

Drew Bobb, Paint Valley       22      477     21.7

Will Besonen, Unioto           22       363     16.5

Drew Shaw, Westfall           21      331     15.8

Kyle Vulgamore, Piketon       23      358     15.6

Jeremiah Oates, Huntington  20      293     14.7

Eric Farmer, Piketon            23      315     13.7

Kyle Miller, Piketon              23      314     13.7

Nick Milliken, Adena             21      288     13.7

Mike Angles, Westfall           24      309     12.9

Drew Prater, Southeastern    22      277     12.6

Tony Young, Southeastern    22      255     11.6

Josh Beard, Westfall             24      263     11.0

Corey White, Unioto             22      238     10.8

Offense

Team                        G        Pts        Avg

Westfall                24     1564     65.2

Piketon                 23     1462     63.6

Huntington            22     1254     57.0

Unioto                  22     1226     55.7

Adena                  21     1126     53.6

Paint Valley           22     1160     52.7

Southeastern         22     1119     50.9

Zane Trace            21      913     43.5                   

Defense

Team                        G       Pts       Avg

Adena                  21     1039    49.5

Zane Trace           21     1057    50.3

Piketon                 23     1163    50.6

Southeastern         22     1195    54.3

Huntington            22     1254     57.0

Unioto                  22     1281     58.2

Paint Valley           22     1320     60.0

Westfall                24     1453     60.5        

Scoring differential

School                         Diff

Piketon                   +13.0

Westfall                  + 4.7

Adena                     + 4.1

Huntington                  0.0

Unioto                     - 2.5

Southeastern            - 3.4

Zane Trace              - 6.8

Paint Valley              - 7.3

Vulgamore district player of the year
03/03/04

Piketon's Kyle Vulgamore -- Scioto Valley Conference player of the year -- is the Division III player of the year on the District 14 Coaches Association boys 2003-04 all-district teams announced Wednesday.

The 6-1 senior -- the leader of the Redstreaks' Scioto Valley Conference champions -- is the Division III-IV representative to the annual North-South all-star game. The alternate to the all-star game is Paint Valley's 6-5 Drew Bobb.

Vulgamore is one of three Redstreaks honored by the coaches association. Teammates Kyle Miller and Eric Farmer were named to the third team in Division III.

Vulgamore and Bobb share first team honors with junior Brett Beucler of Eastern Brown and seniors Chris Meade of North Adams and Eric Nordrum of Valley in Division III. The coach of the year is Valley's Scott Lowe.

Huntington sophomore Jeremiah Oates, Will Besonen of Unioto and Westfall's Drew Shaw are second team selections. Westfall's Mike Angles joins Miller and Farmer on the third team.

Player of the year Tyler Evans of Logan Elm and freshman sensation Dante Jackson of Greenfield McClain headline the Division I-II first team.

Evans -- a junior -- is joined by junior teammate Kyle Jones on the first team and McClain senior Jason Huffer and Eric Marting of Miami Trace round out the first team.

Chillicothe junior Clint Austin is a second team selection.

District #14 Coaches Association
boys all-district 2003 - 2004

Vulgamore SVC player of the year
02/24/04

Kyle Vulgamore -- the catalyst in Piketon's first Scioto Valley Conference boys basketball championship since the heyday of former Redstreak great Eric Caudill in the 1991-92 season -- is the SVC player of the year for 2003-04.

The 6-1 senior averaged 16.3 points per game in leading Piketon to a 17-3 regular season that also includes a No. 2 seeding in the Division III sectional tournament underway at Waverly High School.

Piketon's scoring, rebounding and assist leader, Vulgamore accumulated numerous double-doubles and several triple-doubles during the regular season.

The Redstreaks' Brett Coreno is the league's coach of the year.

Vulgamore heads a first team featuring three other seniors and sophomore Nick Milliken, who led Adena back to prominence with a championship run that nearly took the Warriors from a last place finish a year ago to a title in 2003-04.

Rounding out the first team are Paint Valley's 6-5 sensation Drew Bobb, Unioto's dominating 6-8 Will Besonen and Westfall scoring machine Drew Shaw.

Vulgamore and Shaw are repeat first team selections and Bobb was a second team pick a year ago.

Milliken is one of only four underclassmen named to the three all-league teams. Piketon juniors Kyle Miller and Eric Farmer join Huntington sophomore Jeremiah Oates on the second team. The third team is all seniors.

Scioto Valley Conference

boys' all-league basketball team

2003-04

First team

Player                         School                  Year

Nick Milliken              Adena                 So.

Drew Bobb                Paint Valley          Sr.

Kyle Vulgamore          Piketon                Sr.

Will Besonen              Unioto                 Sr.

Drew Shaw                Westfall               Sr.

Second team

Player                         School                  Year

Brian Grigsby             Adena                  Sr.

Jeremiah Oates          Huntington            So.

Eric Farmer               Piketon                 Jr.

Drew Prater              Southeastern         Sr.

Kyle Miller                 Piketon                 Jr.

Third team

Player                         School                 Year

John Eldridge            Huntington           Sr.

Tony Young             Southeastern        Sr.

Brennan Lovely         Unioto                 Sr.

Mike Angles              Westfall              Sr.

Trey Baker               Zane Trace          Sr.

Honorable mention

Player                                 School

Jerimiah Copley               Adena

Justin Metzger                Adena

Neil Depugh                    Huntington

Matt Shoemaker              Huntington

Chad Bethel                    Paint Valley

Tristan Chrisman              Paint Valley

Darreck Hitchcock            Piketon

Ely Porter                       Piketon

Jason Day                      Southeastern

Josh Cooper                    Southeastern

Corey White                    Unioto

Josh Beard                      Westfall

Lee Fausnaugh                 Westfall

Cody Lawhorn                  Zane Trace

Zach Roll                         Zane Trace

Player of the year: Kyle Vulgamore, Piketon

Coach of the year: Brett Coreno, Piketon

League champions: Piketon (11-3)

Reserve champions: Adena (14-0)

Freshmen champions: Adena (14-0)

Junior high league champions: Huntington

Junior high tournament champions: Huntington

Dave's picks
11/27/03

Each year, the-sportspage.com's Dave McMillen makes his picks for the boys and girls Scioto Valley Conference basketball races.

Here are Dave's picks for the 2003-04 boys SVC season:

1. Westfall                      11-3

2. Piketon                       10-4

3. Southeastern                 9-5

4. Huntington                    8-6

5. Unioto                          6-8

6. Paint Valley                   5-9

7. Adena                          4-10

8. Zane Trace                   3-11

Here were the actual final boys SVC standings and McMillen's picks for the 2002-03 season:

                                    Actual             McMillen

1. Southeastern                14-0               12-2

2. Zane Trace                   10-4                8-6

3. Westfall                         7-7                4-10

4. Piketon                          6-8                5-9

    Huntington                     6-8                6-8

6. Unioto                           5-9                8-6

7. Adena                           4-10              4-10

    Paint Valley                   4-10               9-5

Two veteran coaches see no gold

11/26/03

"Very interesting SVC this year," says veteran Unioto coach Ron Lovely of 2003-04 boys Scioto Valley Conference basketball.

"When was the last time you did not see Southeastern, Zane Trace or Unioto in the top three picks and most likely two or all three of those teams in the bottom four?

"I believe there will be no golden ball this year and three or four losses could still get a shot at the title," he concludes.

Southeastern's Larry Jordan -- the only coach with seniority on Lovely in the Scioto Valley Conference -- agrees.

"I don't think there will be any gold basketball this year," Larry Legend says of the league practice of awarding a gold basketball for an undefeated season. His Panthers are the defending league champions after claiming a second straight gold basketball in 2002-03.

Ironically, Jordan and Lovely are approaching career milestones in a season opposing coaches are tabbing Westfall and Piketon to battle for the league championship.

Piketon is just one season removed from an 0-21 disaster in 2001-02 and Westfall is just two seasons from 2-19 futility in 2000-01.

Westfall and Piketon began the climb back to respectability last season when the Redstreaks went 9-12 that could easily have been much better but for a spate of late-season injuries. Westfall is aglow with high expectations with four starters returning from last year's 10-11 campaign.

Jordan -- accustomed to career milestones -- needs just 10 wins to reach 500 victories at Southeastern. His career record of 523-214 includes a 33-30 stint in three years at Waverly. He is 490-185 in 28 years at the Panther helm.

Lovely -- 166-124 in 13 seasons at Unioto -- needs five wins to reach 300 victories. He enters the season with a career record of 295-234.

Only one new head coach will be on the bench when the 2003-04 season gets underway. Former Paint Valley assistant and Unioto prep Shayne Combs takes over the Bearcat reins from Craig Kerns.

Here is a team-by-team preview of the 2003-04 season, in alphabetical order:

Adena

The Warriors finally have some size in head coach Mike Patrick's third year at the Adena helm.

A year ago Adena suffered through a 4-17 season with only one player taller than six feet.

That player -- sophomore Nick Milliken -- has grown from 6-1 to 6-3 and he is no longer the tallest player on the squad. That distinction goes to senior Jeremiah Copley, a bulky 6-4, returning to the hardcourt for the first time since his sophomore year.

Zach Ackley -- a 6-2 junior -- has moved up after spending last season on the junior varsity.

Milliken -- who started as a freshman -- is one of three returning letter winners. He is joined by seniors Justin Metzger (5-11) and Brian Grigsby (5-8). Sophomore Colton Coy and senior Greg Garrison -- both 5-7 -- head a group of newcomers that includes sophomore Andrew Sowers (5-9) and juniors Stacey Lewis (6-0) and Shaun Sowers (5-10).

A team that is shy on experience, the young Warriors could benefit from a schedule that starts with three home games.

Huntington

The Huntsmen could be this year's sleeper.

Randy Hauswirth begins his second year at Huntington with the tallest player -- 6-8 sophomore Neil Depugh -- and tallest squad in school history with four other players in the 6-3 to 6-4 range.

Included in that group are 6-3 senior John Eldridge -- second team all-SVC -- and 6-4 senior Ryan Richards -- a deadly three-point shooter who was third team all-SVC in 2002-03.

The Huntsmen are experienced with five other letter winners returning from last year's 9-13, 6-8 squad, including 6-4 sophomore Jeremiah Oates, who blossomed into a starter by the end of his freshman season.

The other letter winners are seniors J. D. Cooper (6-0), Matt Shoemaker (6-0) and Josh Flannery (6-0) and junior point guard Jacob Carroll (5-10).

Among the newcomers, Depugh could provide help inside with 6-3 junior Drew Fultz providing another outside presence. Rounding out the squad are sophomore Derek Oyer (6-1) and juniors B. J. Reynolds (6-0), Wes Clary (5-9), Colt Harrington (5-10) and Corey Williams (6-1).

If the Huntsmen can survive the first half of the season, eight of their final 11 regular season games are at home.

Paint Valley

New Bearcat boss Shayne Combs got a late start because of Paint Valley's playoff football team that advanced to the regional finals.

The Bearcats must stay healthy if they are to erase the memory of last year's 4-17, 4-10 slide. Center Drew Bobb missed the first game of the 2002-03 season, 6-5 swingman Chris Younge missed the first half of the season and 6-5 Shane Cooper played in just five games -- all because of injuries.

A healthy Bobb -- a 6-5 senior who was second team all-SVC last season -- is a ferocious rebounder with a soft scoring touch around the basket. One of three returning starters, he averaged nearly 16 points per game last season.

Clay Knisley -- a 5-10 senior point guard -- and 6-1 senior Nate Reed also started a year ago. A pair of seniors -- 6-0 Joe Depugh and 6-3 Tristan Chrisman, a transfer from Unioto -- earned letters last season.

Rounding out the roster are sophomores Justin McGrath (6-0), Cory Coll (6-1), D. J. Clark (6-3) and Brandon Ramsey (5-6), juniors Jamie Hughes (5-11) and Chad Bethel (6-0) and seniors Philip Free (5-7) and Justin Vangundy (5-9).

Piketon

The Redstreaks return all five starters from last year's 9-12, 6-8 team that suffered five of its losses when guard Kyle Vulgamore was out of the lineup with injuries.

Vulgamore -- a 6-1 senior guard -- averaged 18 points, eight rebounds and five assists per game in earning first team all-SVC and second team all-district recognition in 2002-03.

The other returning starters are 6-1 Nathan Francis, who averaged 13 points and six rebounds, for coach Brett Coreno last season, 6-1 junior Kyle Miller, 6-3 junior Eric Farmer, and 6-6 junior Ely Porter. Francis was a third team all-SVC selection and honorable mention all-district and Miller and Farmer were honorable mention all-SVC.

Derrick Hitchcock and Ben Thompson -- a pair of 6-0 seniors -- also lettered last season. Hitchcock scored in double figures in four of the team's last five games.

Rounding out the squad are sophomores Cabel Breitenbach (5-11), Craig McCann (5-11) and Dustin Woodruff (6-4), juniors Ross Wheeler (6-0) and Jonathon Buckler (6-0) and seniors Chase Vickers (5-10) and Blake Osborne (6-2).

Southeastern

"Our goal is still to win this thing," says Jordan, a sly grin creasing his countenance.

"I like these kids," he continues, "they're busting their butts.

"We're struggling offensively and defensively to find any consistency," he says of his 2003-04 Panthers, who enter the season with a 30-game winning streak in the SVC.

The team returns one starter -- senior Tony Young, a 6-3 leaper, who averaged 8.5 points per game in 2002-03. Seven other letter winners dot the roster, but only two -- senior Drew Prater and junior Jason Day played in every game last season. The 6-5 Day and 6-2 Prater are likely starters with Young.

Jake Clever -- a 5-9 junior -- and 5-11 senior Josh Cooper are the leading candidates among the remaining letter winners that includes 6-7 senior Matt Monroe and juniors Zach Holyman (6-2) and Chris Mavis (6-0).

Rounding out the squad are juniors Chris Junk (5-11) and James Sparks (5-6) and seniors Richard Adams (5-11), Justin Sever (5-11) and Tommy Woods (6-1).

Unioto

Just two letter winners -- seniors Will Besonen (6-8) and Brennan Lovely (5-10) -- return to lead a young Sherman squad that includes a freshman and two sophomores.

The freshman -- 6-4 Jordan Lodge -- could be in the starting lineup when Unioto opens the season against Circleville. The two sophomores -- 6-3 Corey White and 6-0 Corey Cottrell -- are expected to see plenty of playing time as the Shermans seek to rebound from last season's 7-14, 5-9 finish.

Point guard Koby Doughty -- a 5-8 junior -- and Lovely are expected to man the backcourt with Besonen flanked up front by Lodge and 6-1 junior Joe Jinks.

Also contending for playing time are juniors Cameron McKimmey (5-8), Caleb Gaus (6-2), Michael Conley (6-2) and Alex Smith (6-3) and senior Stephen Pflug (5-9).

After opening at home against Circleville, Unioto is at Piketon and at Chillicothe on back-to-back nights in week two of the season.

Westfall

This is a team capable of scoring in bunches with the return of four starters from last year's 10-11, 7-7 team that finished third behind Southeastern and Zane Trace in the SVC.

Seniors Drew Shaw (5-9) and Mike Angles (6-1) averaged 17.1 and 15.3 points per game, respectively, as coach Jeff Holbert's Mustangs averaged 61 points per game. However, the defense also yielded 61 points per game.

Joining Shaw -- first team all-SVC -- and Angles -- second team all-SVC -- as returning starters are 5-9 junior Lee Fausnaugh and 6-0 senior Josh Beard, honorable mention all-SVC.

Seniors Kyle Clark (6-3) and Mike Robinson (6-5) earned letters in supporting roles last season, but will have to become a presence inside if Westfall is to challenge for an SVC championship.

Rounding out the Mustang squad are freshman Skylar Gibson (5-9), sophomores Chance Sowers (5-10), Cody Schleich (5-11) and Corey Fullen (6-0) and juniors Bobby Horney (5-10) and Jordan Egelhoff (6-3).

Westfall's Scioto Valley Conference opener is at Southeastern.

Zane Trace

A team already ravaged by graduation was further depleted by the loss of a potential leader in junior guard Logan Green, who is listed on the Pioneer roster, but may miss the entire season after undergoing knee surgery.

Green -- a 6-0 junior -- was the lone underclassmen to play in every game in last year's 14-9, 10-4 Pioneer season.

Head coach Gary Kellough begins his 20th year at Zane Trace with four letter winners -- all in reserve roles -- 6-4 senior Donovan Jenkins, 5-9 senior Trey Baker, 6-2 sophomore Cody Lawhorn and 6-2 sophomore Zach Roll.

Sophomores Nick Jones (6-2) and Brandyn Street (5-10), junior Seth Weaver (6-3) and senior Cory Helford (6-0) will battle the letter winners for playing time.

Rounding out the squad are sophomores Justin Roll (6-2) Lance Leadingham (5-10) and Jordan Buck (6-1), juniors Brandon Davis (6-0) and Chris Davis (6-1) and senior Zach Lawhorn (6-1).

The young Pioneers -- seven sophomores on the varsity roster -- will benefit from playing five of their first six games at home.