Girls Prep basketball previews

LAKE ERIE LEAGUE

Warren Harding (Div. I)

Coach: Frank Caputo (4-19, first season).

2012-13 record: 4-19 (Lake Erie League).

Projected starters: Maya Bell (6-1, F, Sr.), Clarissa McKinney (5-6, G, Jr.), Emily Stevens (5-11, F, Sr.), Chelsea Dipaolo (5-6, G, Jr.), Gariana Bercheni (5-4, G, So.).

Outlook: Caputo’s rebuilding process will be spearheaded by the Raiders’ impressive heighth in the post. Bell is the team’s leading returning scorer and will shoulder much of the load this year. Caputo is hopeful Bell and Stevens can finish arouund the basket and be shot-blocking threats.

NORTHEASTERN BUCKEYE CONFERENCE

Salem (Div. II)

Coach: Steve Stewart (110-34, seventh season).

2012-13 record: 9-14 (Northeastern Buckeye Conference).

Projected starters: Tori Jones (5-9, F, Jr.), Rylee Meals (5-6, F, Jr.), Chloe Cheresne (5-5, G, Jr.), Megan Lehwald (5-4, G, Sr.).

Outlook: “We will be young but do return 5 players who lettered last year,” said Stewart, who returns to the sidelines after a seven-year absence. “Another concern this year will be our size which is rather small. To counter that, we will have to rely on our quickness.”

West Branch (Div. II)

Coach: Walt DeShields (127-57, ninth season).

2012-13 record: 23-3 (12-2 Northeastern Buckeye Conference).

Projected starters: Amanda Linhart (5-9, G, Sr.), Taryn Hahn (5-11, F, Sr.), Erica Johnson (5-8, F, Jr.), Pavin Heath (5-10, G, Jr.), Melinda Trimmer (5-7, G, Jr.).

Outlook: “We return a lot of experience this season, with eight letter winners, which include four starters from last year’s team,” DeShields said. The Warriors have reached a Division II district final three straight years.

NORTHEASTERN ATLETIC CONFERENCE

Badger (Div. IV)

Coach: Dusty Karr (38-76, sixth season).

2012-13 record: 7-16 (2-10 Northeastern Athletic Conference).

Projected starters: Harlee Logan (6-0, F-G, Jr.), Taylor Kramar (5-5, G, Jr.), Izabella Armstrong (6-0, F, Jr.), Brandi Nitch (5-6, G, Sr.), Cheyanne Dickson (5-4, G, Jr.).

Outlook: The young Braves will be looking up at Pymatuning Valley, Maplewood, and Windham, according to Karr.

Lordstown (Div. IV)

Coach: Dave Smith (61-30, fifth season).

2012-13 record: 20-5 (Northeastern Athletic Conference).

Projected starters: Sarah Cash, Ally Hajnosz, Mary Bennett, Marlena Liming, Kelsey Smith, Kansas Lickwar.

Outlook: Cash is a 1,000- point scorer and one of the best in the area. Smith says the experience she and the rest of the starters bring will be a strength. The Red Devils return seven letter winners from a team that reached the district final in Rootstown a season ago.

Maplewood (Div. IV)

Coach: Mark Yoder (247-109, 16th season).

2012-13 record: 22-6 (Northeastern Athletic Conference, regional runner-up).

Projected starters: Brooke Dawson (5-10, C, Sr.), Miranda Sloan (5-4, PG, Jr.), Ryley Urchek (5-7, F, Jr.), Morgan Hansel (5-4, G, Jr.), Victoria Karlovic (5-4, G, Jr.).

Outlook: Lone senior Brooke Dawson (14 points per game) will lead a cast of juniors and sophomores in defense of the Division IV district title. Only the state’s second-ranked team in Berlin Hiland kept them from a state berth a season ago. Coach Yoder likes his overall team speed and he’s very confident in Miranda Sloan’s abilities at point guard. With only eight players on the team, maintaining depth will be a test.

Mathews (Div. IV)

Coach: Joe Bornemiss (16-26, third season; first with girls).

2012-13 record: 8-12

Projected starters: Dayna Ellis (5-7, G, Sr.), Marena Wolford (5-5, G, Sr.), Maddie Williams (5-8, G, Jr.), Paula Sponsler (5-6, G, Jr.), Bryanna McClurg (5-6, G, So.).

Outlook: Bornemiss will try to work some magic with a small lineup and a limited bench. He says they will try and get it done with speed and aggression, but staying healthy and avoiding foul trouble will be paramount.

Pymatuning Valley (Div. III)

Coach: Jeff Compan (208-97, 15th season).

2012-13 record: 21-3 (Northeastern Athletic Conference).

Projected starters: Geena Gabriel (5-9, G, Sr.), Abby Hamilton (5-10, G, Jr.), Rebecca Dillon (5-11, G, Jr.), Kelsea Brown (5-7, F, Jr.), Megan Stech (5-11, C, Jr.).

Outlook: The Lakers have experience in spades. Compan really likes his size and wants to utilize it as much as he can. Pressure defense with their length and athleticism is the order of the day. The Lakers will see plenty of Maplewood with the league title at stake.

Windham (Div. IV)

Coach: Gregg Isler

2012-13 record: 13-9 (Northeastern Athletic Conference).

Projected starters: Jessica Isler (5-6, G, Jr.), Samantha Dean (5-4, G, So.), Britney Collins (5-5, G, Sr.), Dari Heller (5-9, G-F, Jr.), Brittany Knight (5-8, G-F, So.).

Outlook: The Bombers return the core of their team in the five starters. However, beyond that, only three players are available on the bench. Depth is a concern, Isler says.

INDEPENDENTS

Beaver Local (Div. III)

Coach: Michael Spinella (first season).

2012-13 record: 3-19

Projected starters: Danna Talbott (5-10, F, Sr.), Tannar Dolhun (5-11, C, Jr.), Sierra Wright (5-6, G, Sr.), Courtney Riccaridi (5-8, G, Jr.), Jade Favre (5-10, F, So.).

Outlook: Spinella is determined to turn around a program plagued by losing. The Leopards have good height. “Overall, I like the makeup of our team,” he said. “I am cautiously optimistic but realistic about the challenge ahead of us as a team and program. We are young but talented.”

Brookfield (Div. III)

Coach: Shawn Hammond (133-87, 10th season).

Projected starters: Lauren Hawley (5-6, G, Sr.), Autumn Kirila (5-10, F, So.), Danielle DiCristofaro (5-2, G, Sr.), Ashley Kirila (6-0, F, Sr.), Delany Saxton (6-0, F, Jr.).

Outlook: The Warriors have plenty of heighth and will look to explout that advantage. Saxton, who is also an outstanding volleyball player in the fall, can run and jump out of the gym. After a dissapointing 2012-2013 season that saw them bow out of the sectional’s first round, their three senior starters will be key in a revival.

East (Div. I)

Coach: Levon Lamb (0-0, first season).

2012-13 record: 2-15 (independent).

Projected starters: Tyra Whithers (5-1, F, So.), LaBraeah Hilton (5-7, F-G, Sr.), Tonneiqua Shade (5-4, G, Jr.), Aaliyah Brown (6-0, F, Sr.), Jalazia Green (5-1, G, Sr.).

Outlook: The Panthers will start three seniors and a junior. There’s nowhere to go, but up after their struggles of a year ago. One more senior and four more juniors will contribute off the bench on an experienced team.

Staff report