Brown Basketball Preview - 2018

A winter sports special section by The News Democrat and The Ripley Bee

O D D P A G E S

Featuring high school basketball teams from Eastern, Fayetteville-Perry, Georgetown, Ripley, and Western Brown

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Basketball Preview •

Basketball Preview

Lady Warriors begin hunt for another SHAC Div. I title High expectations for Eastern girls with skilled crew on the return By Evan Dennison, Jared MacDonald, and Wade Linville Champion Media Picked in the preseason coaches' poll to repeat as the Southern Hills Athletic Conference Division I champions, expectations are once again high for the Eastern Lady Warriors as they hit the hardwood for their 2018-19 court campaign. But the Lady Warriors are putting all the pressure aside as they focus on one game at a time with a great deal of experience and talent on the return to go along with an outstanding transfer who will contribute to their success. “I don’t want to put that burden on us so much, but I want us to play up to our potential every night, and I feel like we’ve got a shot if we can do that,” said fifthyear Eastern coach Kevin Pickerill. It was the winter before last when the Lady Warriors made their exciting OHSAA Division III Final Four appearance, and some members of that team still remain. Seniors Morgan Reynolds and Alexa Pennington are both Southern Hills Athletic Conference all-stars on the return for the Lady Warriors, both who played key roles in the Lady

Warriors' run to the Final Four during their sophomore year. Junior guard Camryn Pickerill, who saw significant minutes off the bench for the Lady Warriors as a freshman during the Lady Warriors' run to the Final Four, is another skilled player returning to the court. Four of the five starters from that team were on the floor last year for a 20-5 season – Allison Day, who averaged 15.4 points and 10.8 rebounds as a junior, was sidelined her senior year with a knee injury – but Whitney Broughton, who provided a shooting threat from the perimeter, and Mikayla Farris, who gave the Lady Warriors a post presence, were both seniors last year. Eastern will also look to replace senior role players in Haley Fannin and Maggie Fultz. Pickerill feels he has a solid core of players returning with the trio of Reynolds, Pennington and Pickerill, to go along with returning seniors Andrea Edmisten and Allison Malott. They also add a transfer from Bethel-Tate in Reagan Leonard, who led her team to a 22-3 record by scoring a team-high 11 points per game. “We’ve got three facilitators, then the other two are

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Page 11

Big shoes to fill on Western Brown varsity boys' basketball squad with loss of three SBAAC all-stars to graduation BY Wade Linville

Wade Linville/THE NEWS DEMOCRAT AND RIPLEY BEE

Members of this year’s Eastern High School varsity girls’ basketball team include, front row, from the left, Bailey Dotson, Hailey Hampton, Andrea Edmisten, Juanita Frost, and Allison Daniels; second row, Kalle Reynolds, Emma Prine, Allison Malott, Morgan Reynolds, and Camryn Pickerill; third row, assistant coaches Dan Beasley and Deb Forsythe, Emily Fannin, Caitlyn Wills, MacKenzie Gloff, Alexa Pennington, Reagan Leonard, Emma Brown, Izzy Barber, and head coach Kevin Pickerill.

workhorses. They’ll do anything you want to make the team better. Then you throw my daughter in that’s competitive and wants to win,” said Pickerill. “We’ve got a good nucleus of six, seven kids there. It’s going to take more than seven, so we’ve got to make sure I get that all in place. I’m pretty excited and they’re excited to see how it goes.” The preseason got off to a little bit of a rough start. Injuries for Leonard, Reynolds and Malott slowed the progress and Pickerill wanted to make sure the new Lady Warrior was picking up new systems. “I’m glad we’re having all that stuff early, but it’s kind of put us behind the eight ball a little bit about putting things in where we want to be at this time. We’re less than two weeks away from a game and what I’m trying to emphasize and get what’s important. We can put more in as we go,”

said Pickerill. “A little bit slowed up because I want to make sure Reagan knows everything. It only takes one cog of the wheel and it won’t work,” added Pickerill. “We want to make sure she’s on the same page and it’s all together, so it may be a little slower process on that end, but her athleticism makes up for it.” Between Reynolds, Pennington and Leonard, Pickerill feels there could be a different leading scorer on the team each night. He’d also throw his daughter and Malott into that mix as well. “Any time you’ve got three or four people that can get you into double figures, you feel like you’ve got a good shot every night,” said Pickerill. Eastern was picked as the preseason favorite in the SHAC. They shared the league title with North Adams last year and went undefeated in league play

eastern

before making the run to the Final Four two seasons ago. Pickerill expects the league to be a little more balanced this winter than it has in recent years. “The league seems a little stronger this year actually from top to bottom. Maybe the top ain’t quite as heavy as it has been in the past, where I felt like maybe us and North Adams and Lynchburg was maybe a little bit above. We ain’t that far above the rest of them if we even are,” said Pickerill. “Yeah, we’re probably preseason favorites and the kids like that. I don’t know if I like it because I can’t tell them that somebody is a little bit better than us right now. They don’t believe me. We’ll find out how it works.” The Lady Warriors will get 13 games before 2019 rolls around. The stretch starts with a league game at Ripley. Eastern will then host Portsmouth before traveling to Kettering Alter.

Eastern Lady Warriors Nov. 26 - at Ripley Nov. 29 - vs. Portsmouth Dec. 1 - at Kettering Dec. 3 - vs. West Union Dec. 6 - vs. Peebles Dec. 10 - vs. Fairfield Dec. 13 - at N. Adams Dec. 15 - at Waynesville Dec. 17 - vs. Manchester Dec. 19 - at Miami Trace Dec. 20 - at Georgetown Dec. 28 & 29 - BC Holiday Tourn. (G’town) Jan. 3 - vs. Adena Jan. 7 - vs. Ripley Jan. 10 - vs. Whiteoak Jan. 12 - vs. Lynchburg Jan. 14 - at Fayetteville Jan. 17 - vs. N. Adams Jan. 21 - vs. ClintonMassie Jan. 31 - at West Union Feb. 4 - at Lynchburg

The Western Brown Broncos will soon begin their quest for a Southern B u c k e y e Athletic/Academic Conference American Division title, and head coach Greg Foster is equipped with a talented crew of varsity players as they take the court for their 2018-19 basketball season. The Broncos have big shoes to fill after graduating a trio of SBAAC all-stars from last year's team (Clayton Wolfe, Jack Finn, and Elijah Smith), a loss of approximately 900 total points combined. Foster heads a hard working group of varsity players highly capable of accomplishing their goals on the court. It's a mix of experience and young talent that has displayed good team play in the preseason. "The chemistry is good with this team," said Foster. “We don't have any bad attitudes and no selfeshness. We didn't have that last year either and I think that's why we won 15 games." The Broncos are equipped with four seniors this season - 5'10" guard Josh Taylor, 5'10" guard Vince Whitaker, 5'10" guard Liam Keller, and 6'3" forward Ty Crall. Taylor comes off a junior season in which he earned

Wade Linville/THE NEWS DEMOCRAT AND RIPLEY BEE

Some members of this year’s Western Brown varsity boys’ basketball team may lack in varsity experience, but the 2018-19 Broncos are packed with talent.

honors as a SBAAC American Division Honorable Mention. This year's Broncos have some talent in the junior class in their 6'3" forward Yani Williams, 5'10" forward Dylan Kidd, 5'10" guard Colton Carroll, 5'10" guard Ian Shaffer, and 5'10" guard/forward Chance Moore. Rounding out this year's Bronco varsity basketball roster are two skilled sophomores 6'3" guard/forward Zyon Tull and 6'1" forward Wil Sizer. Tull gained a great deal of varsity experience as a freshman last season, and as a more mature sophomore you can expect him to play

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a significant role in the Broncos' success on the court. Sizer will provide the Broncos with some strength in the paint, helping to make up for the team's overall lack of size at the post. The Broncos come off a 2017-18 season in which they finished runner-up in the SBAAC American Division with a 6-4 league record behind the league champion team from Wilmington that finished perfect at 10-0. As the members of this year's Western Brown varsity team gain additional varsity experience, look for quick improvements.

Western Brown Broncos Nov. 30 - at Clermont Northeastern Dec. 4 - vs. Bethel-Tate Dec. 7 - vs. Goshen Dec. 11 - at Williamsburg Dec. 14 - vs. Wilmington Dec. 21 - vs. Anderson Dec. 28 & 29 - BC Holiday Tournament at Georgetown Jan. 4 - at Batavia Jan. 5 - at Lynchburg-Clay Jan. 8 - vs. McClain "Some of these guys are getting better. They work hard every single day," Foster said of this year's Broncos. "I love this group."

Jan. 11 - at New Richmond Jan. 18 - at Clinton-Massie Jan. 22 - vs. Archbishop McNicholas Jan. 25 - at Goshen Jan. 26 - at Georgetown Feb. 1 - at Wilmington Feb. 2 - vs. Hillsboro Feb. 5 - vs. Batavia Feb. 8 - vs. New Richmond Feb. 12 - vs, Clinton-Massie Feb. 15 - TBA

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Basketball Preview •

Basketball Preview

Lady Broncos to rely heavily on young talent BY Wade Linville This year's Western Brown High School varsity girls' basketball team may lack senior leadership, but don't be quick to count the young Lady Broncos out of the running for this year's Southern Buckeye Athletic/Academic Conference American Division Title. There's not a single senior on this year's Lady Bronco varsity basketball roster, but there are some players with skills and basketball knowledge well beyond their years. In Tim Chadwell's second year as head coach of the Western Brown varsity girls' basketball squad, he's excited about what this year's Lady Broncos bring to the court. Chadwell has a number of players on the return with varsity experience who have worked hard to improve on their game during the offseason. Among those players is sophomore guard Baylee Jones. Jones gained a great deal of varsity experience as a freshman last year, and she has made significant strides heading into her sophomore season, according to Chadwell. Her

play as a freshman last year earned her SBAAC American Division Second Team honors. "Baylee Jones had a tremendous summer," said Chadwell. "She's put in time every day to get better. She's just a sophomore, but she's ready to step up and be a leader." Another key player on the return for the Lady Broncos is junior guard Gracie Fischer, a third-year varsity player and starter from last season. "Nobody out-works Gracie," Chadwell said of the junior guard. The Lady Broncos also return their 5'11" junior center Emma Sams, a skilled player who has worked hard to improve on her game. Providing the Lady Broncos with some additional size in the paint are two six-footers, freshman Olivia Young and sophomore Megan West. Other talented juniors looking forward to aiding in the Lady Broncos' success are forward Kaylee Loudon, Allie Buttree, and Erin Morgan. According to Chadwell, Buttree anchored last year's junior varsity team that went 21-1.

BY Wade Linville

Members of the 2018-19 Western Brown High School varsity girls’ basketball team include: front row, from the left, Erin Morgan, Lanie Clark, Maddie Flischel, McKenna Conley, Kaylee Loudon, Rylee Jones, and Bre Large; back row, head coach Tim Chadwell, assistant coach Kathy Chadwell, Baylee Jones, Allie Buttree, Megan West, Olivia Young, Emma Sams, Gracie Fischer, team manager Orlane Vanderborght, assistant coach Patrick Schneider, and assistant coach Gina Lawrence.

Unfortunately, junior guard Cailyn Kohus will appear on the Lady Broncos' injured list this season. In addition to West and Jones, the Lady Broncos are equipped with five more very skilled sophomores Bre Large (5'6" guard), Rylee Jones (5'6" guard), McKenna Conley (5'6" guard), Maddie Flischel (5'3" guard), and Lanie Clark (5'7" forward).

There will once again be some excellent teams going to war for this year's SBAAC American Division Title, including last year's champion team of Wilmington that finished 10-0 and has the league's Player of the Year back as a senior, Mya Jackson. Goshen returns some excellent players from last year's SBAAC American Division runner-up team

that finished with a league record of 6-4. The Lady Broncos come off a 2017-18 season in which they finished in a tie with New Richmond for third place in the SBAAC big school division with a league record of 5-5. "I think we'll be competitive," Chadwell said of this year's Lady Broncos. "We have really good balance inside and out. We have a

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Page 3

The Eastern Warriors hit the hardwood hungry for a Southern Hills Athletic Conference Division I Title coming off a 2017-18 winter season that saw them finish in a tie for second place in league standings with the Ripley Blue Jays. It was the Blue Jays getting the nod over the Warriors in the SHAC preseason coaches' poll; but don't be too quick to go along with the coaches' predictions in what is once again a very well-balanced league. "The SHAC is pretty competitive, so any given night anybody can beat anybody," said Eastern head coach Rob Beucler. Beucler, in his 24th year

as head of the EHS boys' basketball program, is equipped with a varsity crew that brings to the court some talented underclassmen mixed in with his two seasoned seniors and eight juniors. Marcus Hamilton (5'11") and Gage Boone (5'9") are two excellent guards to have on the return as seniors. Hamilton earned All-SHAC honors last season as one of the Warriors' offensive leaders. Boone is a skilled team player and hard worker who is looking to make the best of his final season of high school basketball. Among the juniors on the return for the Warriors are Titus Burns (6'0") and Kaleb Martin (6'2"). Martin is among the Warriors'

biggest players on the court, while Burns is a wellrounded guard who is capable of putting up big offensive numbers on any night. Both have varsity experience, and both are tuned in on contributing to the team's success in any way they can. Also ready to contribute to the Warriors' success are juniors Dustin Jimison, Blade Carrington, Landyn Pickerill, Ian Wiles, Parker Murphy, and Joe Becknell. Ian Wiles split time between varsity and junior varsity as a sophomore, so he brings a bit more experience at the upper level to the court for the Warriors. There are three talented sophomores appearing on the Eastern varsity roster this season. Among those sophomores is Colton Vaughn (6'1"), a player who gained a significant amount of varsity experience as a

freshman last year. Expect Vaughn to once again be a significant contributor in the paint for the Warriors. Ryan Boone is also back for his sophomore season with the Warriors, a talented 5'9" guard. Another skilled sophomore is Ethan Daniels (5'11"). There are two freshmen appearing on the Eastern varsity boys' roster who will be working hard in their attempts to earn some varsity playing time - Trent Hundley (6'1") and Luke Garrett (5'9"). The Warriors lack in overall size with their tallest players just over six-foot, so look for them to utilize their speed when possible while looking to set a game-pace that will bring them success on the court. "We're not very big," said Beucler. "We are pretty athletic. We're quick (and) we

shoot the ball decent." Beucler said his Warriors will look to run the ball when they can, but it's important not to be a onedimensional team when speaking of tempo. "We're going to do what it takes to win," said Beucler. "We're not going to be bigger than people, so we want to take good shots and be able to shoot the ball." This year's Warriors have what it takes to bring home the SHAC big school title and go on to make an exciting run in the post season tournament, but it's a long season and many things can happen along the way. As Beucler said, "it takes team chemistry" and commitment to team goals. "You've got to have some luck, but you have got to have some kids committed to being part of the team and playing together," said Beucler.

Eastern Warriors Nov. 30 - at Whiteoak Dec. 4 - vs. Peebles Dec. 11 - at Batavia Dec. 14 - at N. Adams Dec. 18 - at Manchester Dec. 21 - vs. West Union Dec. 28 & 29 - BC Holiday Tourn. (G’town) Jan. 4 - vs. Hillsboro Jan. 8 - at Lynchburg Jan. 11 - at Ripley Jan. 12 - Beast of Southeast Tournament Jan. 15 - at West Union Jan. 19 - Coach Young Classic (N. Adams) Jan. 22 - at Williamsburg Jan. 25 - vs. N. Adams Jan. 29 - vs. Felicity Feb. 1 - vs. Lynchburg Feb. 5 - vs. Ripley Feb. 8 - vs. Fairfield Feb. 9 - at Georgetown Feb. 15 - vs. Fayetteville

Western Brown Lady Broncos Nov. 26 - at Clermont Northeastern Nov. 29 - vs. Goshen Dec. 3 - at Indian Hill Dec. 6 - vs. Wilmington Dec. 10 - vs. McNicholas Dec. 13 - at Batavia Dec. 17 - vs. Blanchester Dec. 28 & 29 - BC Holiday Tourn. (G’town) Jan. 3 - at New Richmond Jan. 5 - at Lynchburg Jan. 7 - vs. Bethel Jan. 10 - at ClintonMass. Jan. 15 - at Williamsburg Jan. 17 - at Goshen Jan. 24 - at Wilmington Jan. 26 - vs. Batavia Jan. 31 - vs. New Richmond Feb. 2 - vs. Hillsboro Feb. 7 - vs. ClintonMassie Feb. 9 - TBA

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The Eastern Warriors hit the hardwood this season in search of a Southern Hills Athletic Conference Division I Title.

eastern

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Basketball Preview •

Basketball Preview

Page 9

Lady Rockets hit the hardwood for 2018-19 court campaign

Experienced crew of seniors take the court for the Lady Jays

Fayetteville-Perry girls looking to prove SHAC preseason coaches' poll wrong after picked to place fourth in league

BY Wade Linville

BY Wade Linville Could the Southern Hills Athletic Conference girls' basketball coaches have underestimated this year's Fayetteville-Perry Lady Rockets in the SHAC preseason coaches poll? This year's Lady Rockets were picked to finish their regular season fourth in the SHAC small school division in the conference's preseason coaches poll coming off a 2017-18 season which they finished 1113 overall and 4-9 in the SHAC, and there's no doubt that the Lady Rockets' SHAC opponents are well aware of the key players on the return to the Fayetteville varsity girls squad. Among the Lady Rockets key returners is senior guard Cecilia Murphy. Murphy is a two-time AllSHAC player and two-time District 16 First Team allstar who averaged 13.7 points per game last season while leading the team in three-point shooting, steals, and assists. "Cecilia has been a very versatile player for us going on her fourth year as starting point guard," said Toby Sheets, who is in his 31st season as the FayettevillePerry varsity girls' basketball head coach."

Murphy enters the season just 218 points shy of becoming the ninth member of Fayetteville-Perry's 1,000 point club. Also on the return for her senior season is forward Hannah Wiederhold, who averaged 10 points per game last season as a guard. But Wiederhold will return to her forward position to aid to the team's inside game after the Lady Rockets lost their 6'3" center, Margo Thompson, who moved out of the school district. Another senior on the return for the Lady Rockets is guard/forward Kasey Wallace. Wallace has battled injury since her sophomore season, a player who has led the junior varsity team in scoring for three seasons with injury limiting her playing time. Sheets expects Wallace to be among the Lady Rockets' best outside shooters this season. Perhaps there is one player SHAC coaches overlooked when picking the Lady Rockets to finish fourth in the small school division. Could there be a very talented freshman guard who already possesses the basketball skills to excel at the varsity level? A freshman that Sheets may have been keeping a secret

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Members of this year’s Fayetteville-Perry varsity girls’ basketball team include: front row, from the left, Olivia Crawford, Hannah Wiederhold, Kasey Wallace, McKenna Schaefer, Cecilia Murphy, and Maddie Brockman; back row, head coach Toby Sheets, Kelby Craig, Cora Hansel, Taylor Malone, Brinli Crosley, Kelbee Coffman, Paige Lockwood, assistant coach Russ Ward, and assistant coach Tory Rummel.

during the preseason? A freshman who broke the Fayetteville-Perry Middle School scoring record with 428 junior high points before reaching high school? Yes, there is such a freshman, and her name is Olivia Crawford. "We are really excited to have Olivia in high school," said Sheets. Brinli Crosley, a 5'11" sophomore center, will contribute big to the Lady Rockets' success this winter, as will 5'10" junior forward Taylor Malone and 5'8" sophomore forward Kelbee Coffman. Other members of this year's Fayetteville-Perry varsity girls' basketball squad include: Cora Hansel (sophomore guard), Maddie Brockman (freshman forward), Paige Lockwood (sophomore guard), Kelby Craig (sophomore forward), and McKenna Schaefer (senior forward). With a great deal of speed on the court, expect

the Lady Rockets to push an up-tempo game.

"We are getting back to our 'bread and butter' of fast basketball both on offense and defense," said Sheets.

Wins were hard to come by for last year's RipleyUnion-Lewis-Huntington Lady Jays, a team that lacked senior leadership and experience at the varsity level. But that isn't the case this winter, as the 2018-19 RULH varsity girls' basketball team is equipped with more experience and plenty of senior leadership. Head coach Chris Coleman is back at the helm, so look for defense to once again be among the Lady Jays' strong points; but what you can also expect out of this year's Lady Jays is more offensive production than they had last season. "We've always been focused on trying to guard people, to keep them from scoring and taking bad

shots," Coleman said following a preseason win in which his varsity squad was fueled by the traditional Lady Jay defense. Among the key players on the return for the Lady Jays is senior Carlee Daulton, a fourth-year varsity player and Southern Hills Athletic Conference all-star. Daulton has played a leadership role on the court for the Lady Jays in prior years, especially last year as an experienced junior on a team with no seniors. Daulton's size and skills have thrown her into various positions on the court for the Lady Jays over the past three years, a player capable of performing well in the paint or as a guard. Also back for her senior year with the Lady Jays is Cailey Kirk, a seasoned guard who can lead the

point of the Ripley offense. Joining Daulton and Kirk on the court and providing this year's Lady Jays with size and experience in the paint are seniors Jennifer Eichner and Emily King. Both are strong players under the basket who hammer the boards, and both are equipped with a great deal of varsity experience. "This is really the first time I've had two big girls, and we're going to try and use that to our advantage as much as we can," said Coleman. Other seniors hitting the hardwood for the Lady Jays are Shanee Weatherspoon and Grace Mitchell. Coleman also has some new weapons in his varsity arsenal this season, a very talented crew of underclassmen that include three freshmen - Reggie Taylor,

Kylee Glover and Rachel Shepherd. Sophomores appearing on this year's Ripley varsity girls' basketball squad are Hannah Morgan and Kadence Madison. Expect this year's Lady Jays to improve on last year's overall record of 4-14 as they bring to the court a good mixture of size and experience to go along with some speed at the guard positions. The Lady Jays were picked in the Southern Hills Athletic Conference preseason coaches poll to finish fifth of the five teams in the conference's big school division, but Coleman and his crew have other plans as they begin their quest to bring home a league title. Coleman expects the key to success for his Lady Jays this season depends on their

"Our guards will be our strength, as it has been for many of our successful seasons."

CECILIA MURPHY

fayetteville

Dec. 28 & 29 - BC

Nov. 28 - vs. Hillsboro

Holiday Tourn. (G’town)

Dec. 3 - vs. Fairfield

Jan. 7 - at North Adams

Dec. 6 - vs. Manchester

Jan. 10 - vs. Ripley

Dec. 10 - at Ripley

Jan. 14 - vs. Eastern

Dec. 12 - at Batavia

Jan. 17 - at Fairfeild

Dec. 13 - at Cin. College

Jan. 24 - at Manchester

Prep

Jan. 28 - vs. Peebles

Dec. 17 - vs. West Union

Jan. 30 - at Blanchester

Dec. 19 - vs. Clermont

Jan. 31 - vs. Lynchburg

Northeastern

Feb. 4 - at Whiteoak

Dec. 20 - vs. Whiteoak

Feb. 6 - vs. Felicity

rest of it will come as the season goes, but if we can score with some teams we'll be better off."

Ripley Lady Jays Nov. 26 - vs. Eastern Nov. 28 - at Madeira Dec. 1 - at Georgetown Dec. 3 - vs. North Adams Dec. 6 - at West Union Dec. 10 - vs. Fayetteville Dec. 12 - vs. Felicity Dec. 15 - at Lewis Co. Dec. 17 - vs. Lynchburg Dec. 20 - at Peebles Dec. 27 - vs. Reading Dec. 28 & 29 - Ripley

Fayetteville-Perry Lady Rockets Nov. 26 - at Peebles

CARLEE DAULTON

offensive output. "We're going to have to score some, consistently" said Coleman. "I think the

Holiday Classic Jan. 3 - vs. Manchester Jan. 7 - at Eastern Jan. 10 - at Fayetteville Jan. 16 - at N. Richmond Jan. 17 - at Lynchburg Jan. 24 - vs. West Union Jan. 28 - vs. Whiteoak Jan. 31 - at Fairfield Feb. 4 - at North Adams Feb. 6 - vs. Augusta

GO BLUE-JAYS!

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Taking the court for the Ripley Lady Jays varsity basketball squad this season are, front row, from the left, Emily King, Jennifer Eichner, Cailey Kirk, Carlee Daulton, Shanee Weatherspoon, and Grace Mitchell; back row, Hannah Morgan, Kadence Madison, Reggie Taylor, Rachel Shepherd, and Kylee Glover.

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Page 8 •

Basketball Preview •

Basketball Preview

Blue Jays are the SHAC coaches' No. 1 pick for Division I BY Wade Linville This year's Ripley-UnionLewis-Huntington Blue Jays take flight this season with high expectations after being picked in the preseason coaches' poll as the team predicted to bring home the Southern Hills Athletic Conference Division I Title. The Jays are definitely up for the challenge in Rex Woodward's second year as the RULH varsity boys' head basketball coach, as he returns a very talented crew of experienced varsity players from last year's team that finished their regular season tied for second with the Eastern Warriors in the league and went on to claim a Southwest District Division IV Sectional championship and earn a berth in the district tournament at Dayton Arena. "Expectations are high, we know we have a lot of talent, and we know we can have a special year; but, like I've been telling the guys early on, it's really all up to them...how hard they work every day to continue to get better," said Woodward. The Jays may have lost six seniors from last year's team to graduation, but there are six seniors this

year who are ready to fill the leadership roles on the court. Among them is SHAC all-star and the team's top returning scorer, Jaki Royal. The senior leader is an allaround player, an effective shooter from the outside and a skilled finisher on drives to the hoop. He will once again be among the top players on the return throughout the SHAC, an exciting player to watch compete on the court. Also on the return for the Jays are senior guards Landon Rigdon and Landon Dearing, both exceptional shooters from beyond the arc. In addition to their three-point shooting, Rigdon and Dearing can also make things happen in transition and with their quick penetration to the hoop. The senior leadership doesn't end there. Corey Germann is another experienced senior on the return for the Jays. Germann possesses a great deal of skills that will contribute to the Jays' success this winter. The senior guard is a skilled three-point shooter and smart passer who can also get up and down the court on transition. Ryan Mitchell didn't play

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GOOD LUCK BLUE JAYS!

Rockets ready for 2018-19 lift off BY Wade Linville

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Page 5

Equipped with strong leadership, size, and some talented guards, this year's Fayetteville-Perry Rockets are ready for lift off to their 2018-19 basketball season. Back at the helm as head of the Fayetteville-Perry varsity boys' basketball team is Jason Iles, and back on the court for Iles are three returning starters from last season, two of them seniors. The Rockets finished runner-up in the Southern Hills Athletic Conference small school division last season, and after being

picked fourth in SHAC preseason coaches' poll you can expect the Rockets to surprise some opponents early on in their 2018-19 court campaign. "I think we will be ready to roll," said Iles. "We have strong leadership. I think we will be a lot better defensively this season." "This group works hard and I think we will continue to improve throughout the season," Iles added. "I think we will be a dangerous team towards the end of the year." This year's Rockets are equipped with five seniors to provide leadership on the

court- CJ McCulley, Bowen Doane, JJ Houk, Hayden Brockman, and PJ Blankemeyer. Blankemeyer will provide senior leadership from the sidelines while injured. Expect Doane and McCulley to be big contributors on the court for the Rockets as two of their key returners. Also on the return for the Rockets is junior guard Christopher Murphy, a third-year varsity player. Providing the Rockets with some additional size in the paint will be junior post man Dalton Novak. Also taking the court for

his junior season is forward Calvyn Cate. There are two sophomores appearing on this year's Fayetteville-Perry varsity boys' roster - guards Matthew Johnson and William Cornett. There are also two freshmen looking to make their varsity basketball debut with the Rockets this season guard Levi Wiederhold and forward Blake Coffman. "We need some experience but we have some good players," said Iles. "I think we will surprise some teams."

Fayetteville-Perry Rockets Nov. 30 - vs. Lynchburg Dec. 4 - vs. Gamble Montessori Dec. 7 - at West Union Dec. 11 - vs. North Adams Dec. 14 - vs. Manchester Dec. 18 - at Hillsboro Dec. 21 - vs. Fairfield Dec. 28 & 29 - BC Holiday Tourn. (G’town) Jan. 4 - at Lynchburg Jan. 8 - at Whiteoak

Jan. 11 - at Manchester Jan. 15 - vs. Felicity Jan. 18 - vs. Peebles Jan. 22 - vs. CCP Jan. 25 - at East Clinton Jan. 29 - at Peebles Feb. 1 - vs. Whiteoak Feb. 5 - at Fairfield Feb. 8 - vs. Ripley Feb. 12 - at Miami Valley Christian Academy Feb. 15 - at Eastern

Members of this year’s Ripley-Union-Lewis-Huntington varsity boys’ basketball team include; front row, from the left, Ryan Mitchell, LAndon Dearing, Jaki Royal, Landon Rigdon, Corey Germann, and Alex King; back row, Quincy Ellis, Cody Germann, Peyton Fyffe, TK Whaley, Tristan Fisher, and Nigel Royal.

last winter, but for his senior year he has joined the RULH varsity boys' basketball team. He may lack in varsity experience, but expect his athletic ability and basketball knowledge to make him another big contributor on the court. The Jays' sixth senior will aid in the team's success in a different way after suffering from a torn ACL. Alex King, the varsity team's 'big man', will provide senior leadership from the sidelines until making a full recovery. There is also a crew of talented juniors taking the court with the Ripley varsity, and among this is Nigel Royal. Nigel Royal gained a great deal of varsity experience last season as he played a key role in the team's success. Like his older brother, Jaki Royal, he possesses a wide range of skills that include good shooting from beyond the arc and the ability to finish off quick drives to the hoop. Junior Peyton Fyffe is back for his third season of varsity with the Jays, an

aggressive post player who will help make up for the lack of size in the paint. Fyffe's good shooting, size, and hard play in the paint will be a huge asset to the Jays, especially with King on the injured list. TK Whaley and Tristan Fisher are two juniors who will aid the Jays at the post this season, both players who can clean up the boards. Also among this year's Ripley juniors is guard Quincy Ellis, a player who you can expect to gain a great deal of varsity experience after contributing to the success of the junior varsity team as a point guard in previous years. There is one skilled Ripley sophomore who has earned a spot on the varsity team this year, Cody Germann. With the loss of six seniors to graduation, the Jays also lost much of their size in the paint. "The biggest players in our program all graduated," said Woodward. "We had Logan Hanson, Dalton

rulh

England, Chris Reuss, and Josiah Staggs all played big and all graduated; so we're going to need guys to step up and play bigger. Ryan Mitchell is going to have to play big at times, and Jaki Royal is going to have to play a lot bigger than he was asked to play last year." The Jays finished last season with an overall record of 17-9. Although the Jays were the SHAC Division I favorite in the preseason coaches' poll, Woodward knows after his years as a player in the league and as a coach in the league that any team in the conference is capable of defeating any other SHAC opponent on any given night. "I think it's pretty wide open," Woodward, who coached on as a varsity assistant and junior varsity coach prior to taking over as head coach last year, said of this year's war for the SHAC Division I crown. "In the big school division there are going to be 'knock down, drag outs' night in and night out. From one-to-

five, it's pretty tough. It's as tough as it's been since I've been around coaching, and this is my eighth year."

Ripley Blue Jays Nov. 30 - vs. Fairfield Dec. 1 - at Georgetown Dec. 7 - at Lynchburg Dec. 8 - at Robertson Co. Dec. 14 - vs. West Union Dec. 15 - vs. Augusta Dec. 18 - vs. Bracken Co. Dec. 21 - at North Adams Dec. 28 & 29 - Ripley Holiday Classic Jan. 8 - at Manchester Jan. 11 - vs. Eastern Jan. 12 - vs. Manchester Jan. 15 - Lynchburg Jan. 18 - vs. Mason Co. Jan. 19 - at South Point Jan. 25 - at Whiteoak Jan. 29 - at West Union Feb. 1 - vs. North Adams Feb. 5 - at Eastern Feb. 12 - at Peebles

Wade Linville/THE NEWS DEMOCRAT AND RIPLEY BEE

The Fayetteville-Perry Rockets hit the hardwood this season in search of a Southern Hills Athletic Conference Division II Title and a successful run in the post season tournament.

fayetteville

Page 6 •

Basketball Preview •

Basketball Preview

G-Men seek SBAAC National Division repeat with slew of talent on the return BY Wade Linville The Georgetown G-Men are on a mission to repeat as the Southern Buckeye Athletic/Academic Conference National Division champions, and in his third year as the Georgetown High School varsity boys' basketball head coach, Doug Williams possesses the tools he needs to claim back-to-back league titles. With seven seniors on this year's varsity team, the GMen are packed with player leadership and experience. Among their key upperclassmen on the return is 6'8" senior hoop star Noah Pack. Pack led the G-Men in nearly every stat category as a junior last season including scoring (376), rebounding (343), assists (69), steals (38), blocked shots (73), and field goal percentage (61.4). Pack was named SBAAC National Division CoPlayer of the Year to top off the 2017-18 season. Twice he has been named to the SBAAC National Division

First Team and during his freshman year he earned Second Team honors. He has committed verbally to continue his basketball career on the collegiate level at Thomas More. “He’s really made some strides. He’s much better offensively than last year. He’s added parts from midrange and 3-point range,” Williams said of Pack. “It makes it hard to guard him. He’s 6-foot-8 with a sevenfoot wingspan and still has guard skills.” Another SBAAC National Division all-star on the return for the G-Men is senior guard Cameron Brookbank. Brookbank's play earned him SBAAC National Division Second Team honors as a junior last year, a season in which he totaled 179 points as the team's fourth leading scorer while also recording 54 rebounds, 49 assists, and 34 steals. The G-Men will also be looking for big contributions from their 6'5" senior Jackson Gregory, a good shooter from the perimeter who also provides the G-

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Wade Linville/THE NEWS DEMOCRAT AND RIPLEY BEE

The Georgetown G-Men hit the hardwood this season on their quest to claim back-to-back league titles.

Men with some needed size. Emerson Cahall (5'7" guard) is another seasoned senior back for the G-Men. Other returning seniors include: 5'10" guard Kyle Cornette, 6'4" forward Morgan Fleming, and 6'4" forward Alex Bolington. There are also a couple of talented juniors appearing on this year's G-Men varsity roster - 6'1" forward Fred Linville and 6'0" guard Garrett Ernst. As for the sophomore class, expect 6'0" guard Joshua Galley to aid the GMen varsity team. “We had seniors (last sea-

son) that really stepped into roles that allowed them to have success. They learned to play off Noah,” said Williams. “They played off that so they could be successful in their own right. We will miss them, but we have to have guys stepping into those roles.” Rounding out the GMen's varsity roster are two sophomore, 5'7" guard Blake Tolle and 6'2" forward Aaron Teegarden, and 5'10" freshman guard Blaise Burrows. The G-Men will once again follow Williams' H.I.P.E. (heart, integrity,

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pride, and excellence) basketball standards that led them to such success last season. “It’s something we’ll continue as long as I’m here. The four letters all stand for our standards we want to live up to for as long as I’m the coach here. We strive to meet those four standards every day, do it on a daily basis and put ourselves in good situations to be successful,” said Williams. “The kids respond to those types of things. It makes them understand why we’re doing what we’re doing.” Williams' main goal is same as it has been since he took over as Georgetown head coach three seasons ago, to show consistent improvement. “For me as coach, the best way to measure success or not is if we’re better at the end than the beginning,” said Williams. We were undefeated in the league and that was a big thing for me, but even though we lost in

the tournament, I felt as a team we were better at the end than the beginning.”

Georgetown G-Men Dec. 1 - vs. Ripley Dec. 4 - at Hillsboro Dec. 7 - at Blanchester Dec. 11 - at Bethel Dec. 15 - at Cincinnati Country Day Dec. 18 - vs. Williamsburg Dec. 28 & 29 - BC Holiday Tourn. (G’town) Jan. 4 - vs. East Clinton Jan. 8 - at Felicity Jan. 11 - at Clermont Northeastern Jan. 15 - at Mariemont Jan. 18 - vs. Blanchester Jan. 22 - vs. Bethel Jan. 26 - vs. Western Brown Jan. 29 - at Lynchburg Feb. 1 - at Williamsburg Feb. 5 - at East Clinton Feb. 8 - vs. Felicity Feb. 9 - vs. Eastern Feb. 12 - vs. Clermont Northeastern Feb. 15 - SBAAC Tourn.

Page 7

Lady G-Men look to improve under leadership of new head coach BY Wade Linville The Georgetown Lady GMen are looking for big improvements under the leadership of a new head coach. Andrew Gill has taken over as head of the Georgetown High School girls' basketball program after serving as an assistant coach at Western Brown in prior years, and this year's Lady G-Men bring a bit more experience to the court as compared to last year's senior-less team led by coach Janel Blankespoor. According to Gill, the Lady G-Men are doing well in making their transition to the different coaching style. "I think it's going good," said Gill. "I feel they're adjusting to the new coaching style, and I like our progress. All in all, I think they've come a long way." On the return for the Lady G-Men are three players who earned Southern Buckeye Athletic/Academic Conference National Division honors last season. Kennedy Underwood is an SBAAC National Division First Team all-star who is back on the court for her senior year with the Lady G-Men, a fourth-year varsity player. Senior guard Kim Seigla earned SBAAC National Division Second Team honors as a junior last year, and sophomore guard Maddi Benjamin comes off a freshman season in which she

Wade Linville/THE NEWS DEMOCRAT AND RIPLEY BEE

The Georgetown Lady G-Men take the court this season with a more experienced crew of players and a new head coach.

was named an SBAAC National Division Honorable Mention. Also back for her senior season with the Lady GMen is post player Lauren Carter, an aggressive defender and rebounder. Rounding out this year's seniors is forward Megan Young. This year's Lady G-Men are also equipped with several juniors, some who have gained some varsity experience in past years. Juniors on this year's GHS varsity girls' basketball squad

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include: guard Hailey Gregory, guard Hannah Gregory, guard Kati Colwell, forward Julia Finck, forward Emilee Thomas, guard Madison Moore, and guard Allyson McHenry. In addition to Benjamin, the Lady G-Men have one more sophomore on the varsity roster, guard Grace Burrows. Rounding out the GHS varsity girls' roster is one skilled freshman who will see significant varsity playing time, guard Torie Utter.

The Lady G-Men seek improvement on last year's league record of 4-8 and an overall record of 7-15, a varsity basketball program that once dominated the SBAAC National Division for more than a decade. Making the climb back to the top of the SBAAC small school division won't be easy, but you can expect hard play from this year's Lady G-Men every time they take the court. "They're hungry! They want to win," Gill said of his Lady G-Men.

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Georgetown Lady G-Men Nov. 29 - at Blanchester Dec. 1 - vs. Ripley Dec. 3 - at Bethel Dec. 5 - at Clinton-Massie Dec. 10 - vs. Williamsburg Dec. 13 - vs. East Clinton Dec. 17 - at Felicity Dec. 20 - vs. Eastern Dec. 28 & 29 - BC Holiday Tourn. (G’town) Jan. 3 - at Clermont Northeastern Jan. 10 - vs. Blanchester Jan. 12 - vs. West Union

Jan. 14 - vs. Bethel Jan. 21 - vs. Mariemont Jan. 24 - at Williamsburg Jan. 26 - vs. Western Brown Jan. 28 - at East Clinton Jan. 31 - vs. Felicity Feb. 4 - at Cincinnati Country Day Feb. 7 - vs. Clermont Northeastern Feb. 9 - SBAAC Tournament