Girls basketball

North wins district all-star game

04/04/04

Jackie Hauke of Whiteoak and Cassi Wertman of Zane Trace combined for 46 points to lead the North to an 89-78 win in the District 14 Pepsi Classic girls all-star basketball game at Valley High School Sunday afternoon.

Hauke led all scorers in the game with 25 points and Wertman -- Scioto Valley Conference player of the year -- added 21 as each had five three-pointers apiece.

The South led 10-7 at the 14 minute mark in a slow-paced beginning, but the tempo increased markedly as the South continued to lead 36-33 at the half. The game was played in two 20-minute halves.

The North outscored the South 56-42 after the intermission as Hauke scored 21 of her 25 points, including all five of her three-point goals. Wertman and Chillicothe's Alicia Brokaw scored 11 points each in the second half.

McClain's Alisha Lee scored 12 points and Katie Frey of Unioto nine for the North.

Heather Grooms of Sciotoville East led the South with 21 points.

North           33  56 --  89

South          36  42  -- 78

North -- Alicia Brokaw (Chillicothe) 6 3-5 15, Alisha Lee (McClain) 4 2-3 12, Elisa Gillman (Hillsboro) 0 1-2 1, Kristen Tisdale (Logan Elm) 2 2-4 6, Tiffany Cole (Washington CH) 0 0-0 0, Katie Frey (Unioto) 3-1 0-2 9, Cassi Wertman (Zane Trace) 3-5 0-0 21, Jackie Hauke (Whiteoak) 5-5 0-0 25. Totals: 24-11 8-16 89.

South -- Ashley Borden (Waverly) 0 7-10 7, Ali Hull (Portsmouth) 3-1 2-7 11, Jennifer Ruckel (Eastern Brown) 2 0-0 4, Heather Grooms (Sciotoville East) 4-3 4-4 21, Annie Clinger (Sciotoville East) 2-1 2-2 9, Brittany Brewster (Western) 1-2 0-0 8, Jade Downing (Western) 1 1-3 3, Christy Keysor (Manchester) 3 1-2 7, Kara Bobo (Southeastern) 1 0-0 2, Maggie Howe (Wheelersburg) 1-1 1-1 6. Totals: 18-8 18-29 78.

Scioto Valley Conference

girls varsity basketball

final 2003-04 standings

                                      Conference       Overall

                                          W      L             W     L

Zane Trace                 13      1         20     4

Unioto                        11      3         19     4

Southeastern                9      5         17     6

Huntington                   6      8         11    11

Westfall                       6      8         11    11

Adena                         6      8         10    13

Paint Valley                  5      9         12    11

Piketon                        0     14          2    19

Scioto Valley Conference

girls junior varsity basketball

final 2003-04 standings

                                      Conference       Overall

                                          W      L             W     L

Zane Trace                 13      1         15     3

Huntington                  12      2         15     3

Unioto                        10      4         13     6

Paint Valley                  8      6          12     7

Southeastern                5      9           9   10

Westfall                       4     10          5    13

Adena                          3    11          5    15

Piketon                        1     13          1    15

Scioto Valley Conference

girls 8th grade basketball

final 2003-04 standings

                                          W      L            

Huntington                    6      1                         

Westfall                        6      1 

Unioto                          5      2          

Adena                           5      2

Zane Trace                    3      4  

Paint Valley                    2      5

Southeastern                  1      6  

Piketon                          0      7    

Scioto Valley Conference

girls 7th grade basketball

final 2003-04 standings

                                          W      L            

Adena                          7      0   

Huntington                    6      1 

Unioto                          5      2  

Piketon                         4      3                     

Westfall                        3      4         

Zane Trace                    2      5   

Paint Valley                   1      6    

Southeastern                 0      7

Scioto Valley Conference

girls varsity basketball

final 2002-03 standings

                                      Conference       Overall

                                          W      L             W     L

Unioto                         12     2          17    4

Huntington                   10     4          22    6

Zane Trace                  10     4          16    6

Adena                         10     4          12    9

Southeastern                 5     9          11   10

Westfall                        4    10           5   16

Paint Valley                   3    11           8   14

Piketon                         2    12           8   15

Scioto Valley Conference

girls junior varsity basketball

final 2002-03 standings

                                      Conference       Overall

                                          W      L             W     L

Zane Trace                  13     1          16    2

Huntington                   10     4          12    6

Unioto                         10     4          11    7

Paint Valley                    8     6          10    9

Piketon                          6     8           6   10

Southeastern                  5     9           7   11

Westfall                         3    11          4    15

Adena                           1    13           1    18

Final 2003-04 girls SVC scoring

03/14/04

Name, school                              G        Pts        Avg

Cassi Wertman, Zane Trace      24      404      16.8

Dennale Speakman, Unioto        22      360      16.4

Daphene Butcher, Huntington    22      348      15.8

Ashley Sowers, Adena              22      308      14.0

Ashton Hice, Southeastern       23      310       13.5

Karen Diehl, Zane Trace           24      301       12.5

Whittney Smith, Piketon           21      251       12.0

Chelsea Eblin, Paint Valley        23      270       11.7

Katie Frey, Unioto                   23      270       11.7

Jessica Rodgers, Westfall         21      214        10.2

Kara Bobo, Southeastern         23      233        10.1

Amanda Angles, Westfall          22      223        10.1

Offense

Team                      G          Pts        Avg

Unioto                23       1335      58.0

Zane Trace         24       1298      54.1

Southeastern      23        1129      49.1

Huntington         22        1077       49.0

Westfall             22        1008       45.8

Paint Valley        23        1051       45.7

Piketon              21          927       44.1

Adena               23          967       42.0

Defense

Team                      G         Pts       Avg

Southeastern       23       922     40.1

Unioto                23       963      41.9

Adena                23      1019      44.3

Zane Trace         24      1094      45.6

Westfall              22      1016      46.2

Paint Valley         23      1066      46.3

Huntington          22      1065      48.4

Piketon               21      1191      56.7

Scoring differential

School                                 Diff

Unioto                          +16.1

Southeastern                 + 9.0

Zane Trace                   + 8.5

Huntington                    + 0.6

Westfall                        - 0.4

Paint Valley                   - 0.6

Adena                          - 2.3

Piketon                        -12.6

Bunstine district player of the year

02/25/04

Chillicothe junior Abby Bunstine is the District 14 Coaches Association Division I-II 2003-04 player of the year and Lady Cavalier coach Jeff Lisath is the District 14 Division I-II coach of the year.

Bunstine -- averaging 20 points per game in leading CHS to a 14-5 regular season record -- and Unioto junior Dennale Speakman are the only underclassmen on the Division I-II first and second teams.

They are joined on the first eam by Kimberly Williams of Circleville, Kristen Tisdale of Logan Elm and Waverly's Ashley Borden.

Chillicothe's Alicia Brokaw and Katie Frey of Unioto are second team selections. Borden will represent the district in the annual North-South all-star game with Frey as an alternate.

Scioto Valley Conference player of the year Cassi Wertman and teammate Karen Diehl headline the Division III first team that also includes Huntington's Daphene Butcher and Ashley Sowers of Adena.

Wertman is the alternate to the Division III-IV North-South all-star game behind Division III player of the year Whitney Lewis of Lynchburg Clay. Lynchburg Clay's Linda Hatten is the district's Division III coach of the year.

Westfall's Amanda Angles is on the Division III second team and teammate Jessica Rodgers is a third team selection along with Piketon sophomore Whittney Smith.

In Division IV, Southeastern senior Kara Bobo is a second team selection.

District #14 Coaches Association
Girls All-District 2003 - 04

Wertman SVC player of the year

02/17/04

Cassi Wertman -- the leading scorer on Zane Trace's first outright girls basketball championship team -- is the Scioto Valley Conference 2003-04 player of the year.

The 5-8 Wertman is the only senior on the all-SVC first team -- dominated by juniors, including teammate Karen Diehl.

Rounding out the first team are Dennale Speakman of Unioto -- last year's SVC player of the year -- Ashton Hice of Southeastern and Daphene Butcher of Huntington.

Wertman finished the regular season with a career total 119 three-point goals, already a school record -- surpassing the previous mark of 88 set by Kristal Tharp -- and became only the sixth Lady Pioneer to score 1,000 points.

The Lady Pioneers' Joe Dunkle is co-coach of the year for the second straight year -- sharing that honor with Southeastern's Mike Jordan. Dunkle is 33-9 in two seasons, including a 17-3 record entering tournament play this season.

Jordan is 32-31 in three seasons, leading the Lady Panthers to a 15-5 regular season, including a third place finish in the SVC.

Unioto's Speakman is a first team selection for the third straight year and Diehl -- a third team pick as a freshman -- is a two-time first team choice. Hice was a third team selection a year ago

Scioto Valley Conference

Girls' all-league basketball team

2003-2004

First team

Player                       School                       Year

Cassi Wertman        Zane Trace              12

Dennale Speakman   Unioto                     11

Karen Diehl             Zane Trace              11

Ashton Hice            Southeastern           11

Daphene Butcher     Huntington               11

Second team

Player                      School                       Year

Kara Bobo              Southeastern            12

Holly Schoenholtz    Unioto                     12

Jessica Rodgers       Westfall                  11

Ashley Sowers        Adena                     12

Chelsea Eblin          Paint Valley              10

Third team

Player                        School                     Year

Katie Frey               Unioto                    12

Amanda Angles        Westfall                  11

Courtney Congrove   Zane Trace             10

Holly Edler               Adena                    12

Whittney Smith        Piketon                   10

Honorable mention

Player                          School

Arica Harris               Adena

Katie Roush               Adena

Courtney Jenkins        Huntington

Tiffany Carroll            Huntington

Hillary McCloskey        Paint Valley

Emmalee McKell          Paint Valley

Katie Wheeler            Piketon

Chrise Wheeler           Piketon

Nikki Young               Southeastern

Kristen Monroe           Southeastern

Jamie White               Unioto

Lindsey Dix                Unioto

Courtney Joyce          Westfall

Chelsea Popowski        Westfall

Amanda Renner           Zane Trace

Rylie Hill                     Zane Trace

Player of the year: Cassi Wertman

Coach of the year: Mike Jordan, Southeastern; Joe Dunkle, Zane Trace

League champions: Zane Trace (13-1)

Reserve champions: Zane Trace (13-1)

Junior high league champions: Westfall/Huntington

Junior high tournament champion: Unioto

CHS, Zane Trace ranked in polls

01/21/04

After slipping one notch last week, Chillicothe is now eighth -- a jump of three places -- in the latest Division I girls weekly poll by the Ohio High School Basketball Coaches Association (OHSBCA).

Coach Jeff Lisath's Lady Cavaliers also are ranked 16th in the second weekly Associated Press Division I poll.

Zane Trace's Scioto Valley Conference leaders are 14th in the Division III Ohio High School Basketball Coaches Association poll.

Chillicothe (10-2) garnered seven points in the OHSBCA poll while Upper Arlington -- which owns both wins over Chillicothe -- is tied for 13th with two points. Unbeaten Chaminade-Julienne leads both polls.

Zane Trace (11-3) received three votes in the Division III poll, led by unbeaten Regina's defending state champions.

The entire listing of boys and girls polls conducted by the OHSBCA can be found at www.ohiobkcoaches.com.

CHS drops one notch in coaches poll

01/13/04

Chillicothe's Lady Cavaliers dropped one notch from 10th to 1th in the second weekly Division I girls basketball poll conducted by the Ohio High School Basketball Coaches Association (OHSBCA).

CHS and Hilliard Darby are tied for 11th place with eight points each, one point below Cincinnati Princeton, which inherits the 10th spot. Dayton Chaminade (11-0) continues to lead the poll.

The entire listing of boys and girls polls conducted by the OHSBCA can be found at www.ohiobkcoaches.com.

SVC wins four games in Shootout

11/29/03

The Scioto Valley Conference won four of the six games Saturday in the 10th annual SOC-SVC Shootout at Waverly High School.

The winners were Westfall, Unioto, Huntington and Southeastern while Waverly and Oak Hill salvaged the final two games for the Southern Ohio Conference.

Oak Hill wrapped up the evening with a 74-60 win over Zane Trace in the marquee matchup of the girls basketball extravaganza.

Westfall started the day with a 45-36 win over Franklin Furnace Green, followed by Unioto drubbing South Webster 57-27, Huntington defeating Minford 57-52 and Southeastern downing Sciotoville East 63-39.

Waverly pulled away from Piketon in the second half for a 49-35 victory in their Pike County rivalry.

Oak Hill 74, Zane Trace 60

The Lady Oaks' Alyssa Hammond frustrated Zane Trace at every turn with 31 points and 11 rebounds in a preview of what could be a Division III matchup come tournament time.

The 6-0 junior took control of the game in the second quarter after Zane Trace had battled the Southern Ohio Conference powerhouse to a 14-14 first quarter.

Hammond scored 15 of her team's 24 points in the second quarter to open a 38-27 halftime lead and scored the opening basket of the second half to spark a 6-0 run. Zane Trace could get no closer than nine points the rest of the way.

Cassi Wertman led the Lady Pioneers with 22 points -- 14 coming in the second half -- and Karen Diehl scored 13 of her 19 points after the intermission.

Whitney Hale -- a 5-11 senior -- helped Oak Hill's cause with 15 points.

Zane Trace                            14  13  19  14  --  60

Oak Hill                                  14  24  17  19  --  74

Zane Trace -- Paige Halley 2 1-4 5, Sarah Kauffman 0-1 0-0 3, Cassi Wertman 4-2 8-11 22, Justine Zilli 0 0-0 0, Rylie Hill 1 1-2 3, Amanda Renner 0 0-2 0, Karen Diehl 7 5-7 19, Courtney Congrove 1-1 3-4 8. Totals: 15-4 18-30 60. Three-point goals: Kauffman, Congrove, Wertman 2.

Oak Hill -- Kayla Moore 0 0-1 0, Devin McGoon 1 1-3 3, Jamie Slone 1-2 0-0 8, Ashley Midkiff 4 0-0 8, Keisa Davis 1-1 4-4 9, Alyssa Hammond 10-3 2-4 31, Whitney Hale 5 5-5 15. Totals: 22-6 12-17 74. Three-point goals: Slone 2, Hammond 3, Davis.

Westfall 45, Franklin Furnace Green 36

The Lady Mustangs recorded their second victory in a span of less than 24 hours by outscoring Green in each of the final three quarters.

The two teams were tied 8-8 at the end of the first quarter before Westfall began to steadily widen the gap despite a rash of turnovers and 8-for-25 shooting at the free throw line.

Chelsea Popowski and Kari Rodgers led the Lady Mustangs with 14 and 10 points, respectively.

Westfall                             8  14  8  15 --  45

Green                                 8  10  7  11 --  36

Westfall -- Karen Shotsky 0 0-0 0, Amanda Angles 2 0-0 4, Courtney Joyce 2-1 1-2 8, Jessica Rodgers 2 1-4 5, Chelsea Popowski 6 2-2 14, Jessica Link 0 2-5 2, Kari Rodgers 4 2-8 10, Randi Rodgers 0 0-0 0, Tabi Carter 1 0-4 2. Totals: 17-1 8-25 45. Three-point goal: Joyce.

Green -- Jessica Dyer 1 1-2 3, Meagan Pierce 2 2-2 6, Brittany Tackett 0 2-4 2, Traci Elrod 0-2 2-2 8, Leigh Ann Williams 4 0-2 8, Chelsey Pierce 3 0-0 6, Heidi Tackett 1 1-2 3. Totals: 11-2 8-14 36. Three-point goals: Elrod 2.

Unioto 57, South Webster 27
The defending Scioto Valley Conference champions had no trouble with the Lady Jeeps, leading 7-0 at the end of the first quarter and 23-4 at halftime.

Junior Dennale Speakman scored 14 of her game-high 23 points in the first half and 5-11 senior Holly Schoenholtz added 10 points.

Only three players scored for South Webster with sophomore Whitley Bobst leading the way with 15.

Unioto opens Scioto Valley Conference play Tuesday at Westfall.

Unioto                          7  16  25    9  --  57

South Webster            0   4     9  14  --  27

Unioto -- Jamie White 2-1 0-0 7, Dennale Speakman 8-1 4-7 23, Ashley Smith 1 0-0 2, Lindsey Dix 0 2-4 2, Holly Schoenholtz 3 4-8 10, Annie Matson 0 0-3 0, Emily Robertson 2 1-2 5, Jessica Lewis 1 2-4 4, Katie Frey 1 0-0 2, Erin Murray 0 0-0 0, Tiffany Jenkins 0 0-0 0, Amanda Nichols 0 0-0 0, Elizabeth Wiley 1 0-0 2. Totals: 19-2 13-28 57. Three-point goals: White, Speakman.

South Webster -- Whitley Bobst 4-2 1-1 15, Jenny Royse 3 0-0 6, Katie Milliken 2 2-2 6. Totals: 9-2 3-3 27. Three-point goals: Bobst 2.

Huntington 57, Minford 52

Daphene Butcher made four free throws and Lindsey Grubb scored seven of her 12 points down the stretch as Huntington held off the Lady Falcons.

Butcher -- who went 11-for-11 at the free throw line -- scored 10 of her game-high 22 points in the first quarter to help stake the Lady Huntsmen to an early 19-10 lead they never relinquished.

Minford still trailed 40-31 entering the fourth quarter and outscored Huntington 21-17 in the final eight minutes, got no closer than the final margin.

Nikkita Carroll added 10 points to give Huntington three players in double figures.

Katie Donahoe led Minford -- coached by former Piketon coach Kim Conley -- with 19 points.

Huntington hosts Whiteoak in a non-conference game Monday evening and opens Scioto Valley Conference play Tuesday at home against Piketon.

Huntington                      19    8  13  17  --  57

Minford                             10  10  11  21  --  52

Huntington -- Courtney Jenkins 1 2-4 4, Julie Hammond 1 1-4 3, Shandra Kellough 0 0-0 0, Tiffany Carroll 1-1 1-1 6, Betty Hiller 0 0-0 0, Daphene Butcher 4-1 11-11 22, Lindsey Grubb 4 4-8 12, Nikkita Carroll 5 0-0 10, Shasta Madden 0 0-0 0. Totals: 16-2 19-28 57. Three-point goals: T. Carroll, Butcher.

Minford -- Katie Donahoe 6 7-10 19, Arrica Shonkwhiler 0 1-2 1, Sweden Walke 4 0-0 8, Mandy Donahoe 0-1 0-1 3, Kristin Martin 3 2-2 8, Rachel James 1-1 0-0 5, Brittany Brigner 2 2-4 6, Cameron Donini 1 0-0 2. Totals: 17-2 12-19 52. Three-point goals: James, M. Donahoe.

Southeastern 63, Sciotoville East 39

Nine Lady Panthers got into the scoring act as Southeastern won its second straight game after opening the season with a 62-47 win over Vinton County Friday night.

Southeastern eked out a 13-11 first quarter lead and never trailed the rest of the way in establishing a 30-19 halftime lead.

Ashton Hice led the scoring with 14 points, followed by Kristen Monroe with 13 and Kara Bobo with 11.

Sciotoville East -- formerly Portsmouth East -- was led by 5-1 Annie Clinger with 13 points.

Southeastern opens Scioto Valley Conference play Tuesday evening at Zane Trace.

Southeastern                    13  17  21  12  --  63

Sciotoville East                 11    8  11    9  --  39

Southeastern -- Kara Bobo 3-1 2-2 11, Ashton Hice 4-1 3-4 14, Julie Patterson 0 0-0 0, Courtney Keesee 0 1-2 1, Ashley McCray 3 0-1 6, Tara Kinzer 0 0-0 0, Kristen Monroe 4 5-8 13, Nikki Young 3 1-7 7, Laura Hall 2 2-4 6, Megan Skaggs 1 2-2 4, Jessica Dixon 0 1-2 1. Totals: 20-2 17-32 63. Three-point goals: Hice, Bobo.

Sciotoville East -- Annie Clinger 5-1 0-0 13, Heather Moore 2 0-0 4, Shawna Williams 2 0-0 4, Heather Grooms 3-1 2-4 1, Sara Oster 1 0-0 2, Leah Evans 0 1-2 1, Holly Moore 2 0-0 4. Totals: 15-2 3-6 39. Three-point goals: Clinger, Grooms.

Waverly 49, Piketon 35

Ashley Borden and Nataliegh Murray combined for 38 points as the host Lady Tigers pulled away from Piketon in the second half.

Waverly led 15-9 at the end of the first quarter, but the Lady Redstreaks scored the first eight points of the second quarter to take a 17-15 lead. Borden nailed a three-pointer to give the Lady Tigers the lead again and they never trailed the rest of the way.

Borden scored all seven of her team's second quarter points as Waverly led 22-17 at the intermission.

Borden finished with 23 points and Murray 15 as four players accounted for all of Waverly's scoring. LeAnna Montgomery led the short-handed Lady Redstreaks with 10 points as all seven players who saw action for Piketon scored.

The Lady Redstreaks have lost 5-10 junior Erica Shepherd until at least the first of the year with mononucleosis.

Piketon hosts Wheelersburg and Eastern Brown is at Waverly in non-conference games Monday.

Piketon                           9  8    7  11  --  35

Waverly                       15  7  13  14  --  49

Piketon -- Chrise Wheeler 2 4-4 8, Whitney Shepherd 0 2-2 2, Whittney Smith 1 3-4 5, Hilary Days 0 1-2 1, Amanda Burton 1 0-0 2, Katie Wheeler 2-1 0-2 7, LeAnna Montgomery 5 0-0 10. Totals: 11-1 10-14 35. Three-point goal: K. Wheeler.

Waverly -- Nataleigh Murray 3-3 0-2 15, Ashley Borden 7-1 6-10 23, Brooke Leffler 0 0-0 0, Michelle McCormick 0 0-0 0, Bethanie Bixler 0 0-2 0, Tara Kelly 0 0-0 0, Lucy Schmitt 0 0-0 0, Casey Catanzaro 0 0-0 0, Samantha May 0 0-1 0, Elizabeth Crocker 1 3-6 5, Katrina Beekman 3 0-1 6, Amanda Tackett 0 0-0 0. Totals: 14-4 9-22 49. Three-point goals: Murray 3, Borden.

Dave's picks
11/27/03

Girls

Each year, the-sportspage.com's Dave McMillen makes his picks or the boys and girls Scioto Valley Conference basketball races. Here are his picks for the 2003-04 girls SVC season:

1. Unioto                    11-3

2. Zane Trace             10-4    

    Adena                    10-4

4. Southeastern             7-7

5. Huntington                6-8

6. Paint Valley               5-9

7. Westfall                    4-10

8. Piketon                     3-11

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

                              Actual             McMillen

1. Unioto                          12-2              11-3

2. Huntington                    10-4                9-5

    Zane Trace                   10-4                6-8                          Adena                     10-4              10-4

5. Southeastern                   5-9               6-8

6. Westfall                          4-10             4-10

7. Paint Valley                     3-11             4-10

8. Piketon                           2-12             6-8

SVC girls "tough league this year"

11/24/03

"It will be another tough league this year," says Joe Dunkle, girls basketball coach at Zane Trace, one of three schools mentioned prominently as 2003-04 Scioto Valley Conference title contenders.

"I think Unioto has to be the favorite," says Dunkle, who begins his second season at the Zane Trace helm, "because of all five starters returning and being defending champs.

"Adena also will be in the mix. They will put the most athletic team in the league on the court. Southeastern will surprise a lot of teams and could be in the hunt.

"Anyone can beat anyone else on any given night."

Dunkle's assessment is echoed by Piketon's Libby Crothers, the league's only new coach this season. She takes over a program that has suffered through four straight losing seasons since sharing the 1998-99 league championship with Zane Trace.

Her Lady Redstreaks and Huntington are the only teams returning less than four starters from a year ago.

Barring injuries, when league play opens Dec. 2, 31 of the 40 starting positions are likely to be filled by returning starters -- including 12 players who were selected to the three all-league teams in 2002-03.

Unioto's defending SVC champions graduated just one player from last year's 17-4, 12-2 squad and Adena and Zane Trace return four starters each from teams that tied with Huntington's Division III state runnerup team for second place.

Southeastern and Paint Valley also return five starters and Westfall four.

Here is a team-by-team preview, in alphabetical order:

Adena

Coach Lee Snyder begins his 12th season at the Lady Warrior helm with a veteran cast headed by a pair of first team all-SVC selections -- seniors Ashley Sowers and Arica Harris.

The winningest basketball coach in school history, Snyder is blessed with two other returning starters and the addition of 5-9 Amanda Kinnamon. The Lady Warrior senior bypassed the sport a year ago when the Lady Warriors lost to Huntington's eventual state runnerup team 41-35 in a Division III sectional.

At 5-9, Kinnamon is the tallest player on the Lady Warrior squad.

Sowers and Harris -- who averaged 15.4 and 16.6 points a game, respectively, last season -- are joined by returning starters Katie Roush and Holly Edler. Senior Schae Reed and Evyn Gray lettered in reserve roles in last year's 12-9, 10-4 campaign.

Rounding out the squad are a pair of athletic sophomores -- Summer Rinehart and Amanda Atchison -- junior guard Amanda Lane and senior Giulia Aricioni, a foreign exchange student from Rome, Italy, who is a renowned track and field athlete in her native country.

Season opener: Washington CH at Adena, 1 p.m., Saturday.

SVC opener: Paint Valley at Adena, Dec. 2, 5 p.m.

Huntington

The loss of 6-3 Nicole Depugh, 5-10 Janna Edwards and 5-9 Crystal McCloskey through graduation has led to a lineup shuffle by head coach Steve Bridenbaugh after last year's improbable tournament run.

The lone returning starters from that 22-6, 10-4 unit are a pair of senior mighty mites -- 5-5 Lindsey Grubb and 5-2 Tiffany Carroll. Grubb -- a two-year letter winner who plays bigger than her size -- is being moved to forward to take advantage of junior guard Daphene Butcher's three-point shooting.

Carroll -- arguably the best point guard in the league -- will be counted on to get the ball inside to 5-10 sophomore Courtney Jenkins and 5-8 senior Nikkita Carroll. Julie Hammond -- a 5-10 sophomore up from the reserve team -- will spell Carroll in the post with senior Betty Hiller providing relief at the forward spots.

Butcher, Jenkins, Nikkita Carroll and Hiller all earned letters in relief roles last season.

Shasta Madden -- a 5-7 sophomore forward/center -- and 5-5 freshman guard Shandra Kellough are pushing for playing time along with sophomore forwards Amber Kerns and Julie Posey.

Season opener: vs Minford in SOC-SVC Shootout, Saturday, 2:30 p.m., at Waverly High School.

SVC opener: Piketon at Huntington, Dec. 2, 5 p.m.

Paint Valley

Seniors Hillary McCloskey, Chassidy Birchfield, Clarissa Elliott and Emmalee McKell and 5-10 sophomore center Chelsey Eblin have starting experience.

"Depth and flexibility of personnel could lead to matchup problems for our opponents," says second-year coach Eric Snyder, 8-14, 3-11 in his first season.

The only player to graduate from that squad was Richelle Miller, all-SVC honorable mention.

Sophomore guard Tiffany Dailey and junior guard/forward Brook Skaggs earned letters off the bench last season and Snyder expects big things this season from 5-10 junior pivot Meggan Ward and freshman forward Maggie Cooper.

Rounding out the squad are sophomores Tabetha Hatfield and Kelsey Lloyd and freshman Chelsey Wright.

Season opener: vs North Union at Olentangy High School, 11 a.m., Friday.

SVC opener: Paint Valley at Adena, 5 p.m., Dec. 2.

Piketon

others -- boys freshman coach a year ago -- is finding the going tough sledding even before the first basket has been scored by her Lady Redstreak team.

One of her two returning starters -- 5-9 junior Erica Shepherd -- has been sidelined with an as yet undiagnosed illness and did not participate in the girls SVC preview.

Katie Wheeler is recovering from a broken hand and Chrise Wheeler has been slowed by a tender hamstring. The Wheelers -- 5-7 junior twins -- transfered this season to Piketon along with 5-11 junior LeAnna Montgomery after all three started for Waverly a year ago.

Montgomery -- who showed in the SVC preview that she can score inside and outside -- will be joined in the front court by 5-10 sophomore Whittney Smith, who developed into a starter during last season's 8-15, 2-12 campaign.

Until Shepherd returns, Montgomery, Smith, the Wheeler twins and -3 junior Amanda Burton will take the floor for the opening whistle. Rounding out the squad are sophomores Whitney Shepherd, Brittany Holsinger and Hilary Days.

Season opener: vs Waverly in SOC-SVC Shootout, Saturday, 6 p.m., at Waverly High School.

SVC opener: Piketon at Huntington, Dec. 2, 5 p.m.

Southeastern

Six of the eight players on the varsity roster have starting experience and all eight were letter winners in last year's 11-10, 5-9, leading several opposing coaches to consider coach Mike Jordan's Lady Panthers a darkhorse candidate in the league race.

Kara Bobo and Ashton Hice -- a pair of 5-7 guards -- were second and third team all-SVC, respectively, in 2002-03 and Megan Skaggs and Nikki Young honorable mention. Hice -- a junior -- was the team's leading scorer with 12.3 points per game.

The 5-10 Skaggs will share time in the post with 6-0 sophomore Kristen Monroe, an occasional starter as a freshman.

Young -- a 5-8 workhorse -- will team with fellow junior Ashley McCray at the forwards. Jessica Dixon and Laura Hall -- a pair of 5-7 senior guards -- round out the varsity squad.

Season opener: Vinton County at Southeastern, Friday, 6 p.m.

SVC opener: Southeastern at Zane Trace, Dec. 2, 5 p.m.

Unioto
Last season coach Tony Taylor's Lady Shermans defeated Huntington 51-46 in a thriller to secure an outright league championship in the regular season finale.

That left Taylor just five wins short of 100 career wins at Unioto when his team was ambushed 71-48 by the state tournament-bound Lady Huntsmen in a sectional final.

All the key parts in that SVC championship team are back -- SVC player of the year Dennale Speakman, second team all-SVC Katie Frey, third team all-SVC Holly Schoenholtz and all-SVC honorable mention guards Jamie White and Lindsey Dix.

But the talent doesn't stop there.

At one time or another during the 17-4, 12-2 2002-03 campaign, seniors Annie Matson, Emily Robertson and Ashley Smith and uniors Chastity Neff and Jessica Lewis were in the starting lineup.

That gives Taylor the luxury of going 10 deep, if necessary, into his pool of talent.

Season opener: vs South Webster in the SOC-SVC Shootout, Saturday, 12:45 p.m., at Waverly High School.

SVC opener: Unioto at Westfall, Dec. 2, 5 p.m.

Westfall

Coach Cindy Hauserman's Lady Mustangs remain a young team despite the graduation of just one player off last year's 5-16, 4-10 squad.

The 2003-04 Lady Mustangs have only one senior again -- guard Courtney Joyce, one of seven returning letter winners. Joyce and juniors Jessica Rodgers, Amanda Angles and Chelsea Popowski are the four returning starters.

Angles -- second team all-SVC -- was the team's leading scorer a year ago with a 10.3. average. Popowski and Rodgers were honorable mention all-SVC.

Freshman Brittney McBride, sophomores Kari Rodgers and Jessica Link and juniors Tabi Carter, Samantha Wagner, Karen Shotsky and Randi Rodgers round out the squad. Shotsky and Kari and Randi Rodgers lettered in reserve roles last season.

Season opener: Logan Elm at Westfall, Friday, 6 p.m.

SVC opener: Unioto at Westfall, Dec. 2, 5 p.m.

Zane Trace

Cassi Wertman -- second team all-SVC last season -- has moved to the point with the graduation of Corinna Hutton and the loss of Ashley Drexel, whose family moved to the state of Delaware.

Wertman -- the team's second leading scorer -- averaged 14.6 points per game in last season's 16-6, 10-4 campaign.

Karen Diehl -- first team all-SVC -- averaged 16.4, giving the Lady Pioneers a potent 1-2 punch. Diehl and Wertman are joined by returning starters Justine Zilli and Amanda Renner, an outstanding defender who led the league in floor burns last season.

Paige Halley -- a 5-10 junior letter winner -- rounds out the starting five.

Like Unioto, Zane Trace possesses a deeper bench than a year ago, anchored by letter winners Courtney Congrove and Sarah Kauffman. Rounding out the second unit are 6-0 junior Kyla Lyons and sophomores Rylie Hill and Katie Bost.

Season opener: vs Oak Hill in SOC-SVC Shootout, Saturday, 7:45 p.m., at Waverly High School.

SVC opener: Southeastern at Zane Trace, Dec. 2, 5 p.m.