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2016-17 Brown County Prep Basketball Preview Features Ripley, Western Brown, Fayetteville, Georgetown, and Eastern A publication of The Brown County Press
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‘16 - ‘17 Basketball Preview
Lady Warriors hit the hardwood with high expectations Eastern girls working hard to reclaim SHAC Div. I title BY Wade Linville The Brown County Press The Eastern Lady Warriors hit the hardwood this season with high expectations under the leadership of their third-year varsity coach Kevin Pickerill. Pickerill possesses what many local basketball fans would consider a "total package," a varsity team equipped with size, talent, and experience. Among the key players on the return for the Lady Warriors are three standouts who all stand at least 6'0" junior guard/forward Allison Day, junior forward Mikayla Farris and sophomore Alexa Pennington. Day has already managed to catch the attention of several college scouts after two years of varsity basketball, and this year she will take
Eastern Varsity Girls Schedule Nov. 26 - at Paint Valley Dec. 1 - at Fairfield Dec. 5 - vs. Peebles Dec. 8 - vs. Manchester Dec. 12 - at North Adams Dec. 15 - at Fayetteville Dec. 22 - at Logan Dec. 29 & 30 - Brown County Holiday Tournament at Eastern Jan. 5 - vs. Ripley Jan. 9 - vs. Lynchburg Jan. 12 - at Peebles Jan. 14 - vs. Lucasville Jan. 16 - at Georgetown Jan. 19 - at Paint Valley Jan. 21 - at Fairland Jan. 23 - vs. West Union Jan. 26 - at Lynchburg Jan. 30 - vs. Bethel Feb. 2 - at Ripley Feb. 6 - vs. Whiteoak Feb. 9 - at West Union
over a new role on the court as the team's starting point guard. Day said she is up for the challenge and has been working hard to take over as the team's point guard. "Now I actually get to take charge with my voice," said Day. Farris joins Day on the court once again, a pair that has played very well together at the varsity level. "I think the best thing about Allison and I is that we trust each other," said Farris. Pennington is a newcomer to the Eastern girls varsity team, a transfer from West Union High School. Junior point guard Maggie Fultz is expected to remain on the injured list at least for the early part of the season after injured in an automobile accident. Another junior who will play a big role in the Lady Warriors' success on the cour this season is Whitney Broughton. Haley Fannin and Megan Cox are also taking the court for their junior season with the Lady Warriors. The Lady Warriors may
Wade Linville/THE BROWN COUNTY PRESS
The Eastern Lady hit the hardwood this season with hopes of rising back to the top of the Southern Hills Athletic Conference big school division after finishing runner-up in the league last season. Frpnt row, from the left, are Camryn Pickerill, Morgan Reynolds, Whitney Broughton, Andrea Edmisten, Allison Malott, and Jensen Sowers; back row, assistant coach Dan Beasley, assistant coach Debbie Forsythe, Haley Fannin, Mikayla Farris, Allison Day, Alexa Pennington, Destinie Rose, and head coach Kevin Pickerill. Not present at picture time was assistant coach Janie Day.
return a great deal of varsity experience but have only two seniors - Jensen Sowers
and Destinie Rose. The Lady Warriors are also equipped with some
Eastern Varsity Girls Basketball Roster No. 1 5 10 11 12 14 15 21 24 30 32 43 44
Player Megan Cox Maggie Fultz Camryn Pickerill Whitney Broughton Jensen Sowers Morgan Reynolds Destinie Rose Allison Day Haley Fannin Allison Malott Andrea Edmisten Mikayla Farris Alexa Pennington
Grade 11 11 9 11 12 10 12 11 11 10 10 11 10
other talented underclassmen on the sophomore and freshmen level that includes Morgan Reynolds (soph.), Allison Malott (soph.), Andrea Edmisten (soph.), and Camryn Pickerill (fresh.). "Expectations have been pretty high," Kevin Pickerill said of the 2016-17 season. "We've kind of keyed on this third year being a big year for us. We're going to have even higher expectations with Alexa (Pennington) coming in to put more pressure on us to win league, sectional, etc." "This group is really special," Pickerill added. "This group is committed and they want to do it. They're a good group of kids to coach, and they can't get enough of the gym." Look for this year's Lady Warriors to once again be equipped with some skilled shooters, and on the defensive end you can expect
more zone than what you've seen in recent years, according to Pickerill. Pickerill expects some excellent senior leadership from Sowers and Rose. The Lady Warriors finished last season with an overall record of 17-7 and would earn a berth in Division III District Tournament play at Waverly High School where they fell to Wheelersburg. The Lady Warriors finished their 2015-16 regular season as runner-up in the SHAC big school division to the league champion team of Lynchburg-Clay after staking claim to the SHAC Division I title in their first year under the leadership of Pickerill. The Lady Warriors got off to an excellent start to their 2016-17 season by defeating South Webster (4336) and Fairfield Local (46-34).
Warriors reload after graduating four starters Rigdon takes over new role as only returning starter BY Wade Linville The Brown County Press This year's Eastern Warriors are looking to reload with a new crew of leaders after graduating four starters since last season. The Warriors will rely heavily on their only returning starter, senior guard/forward Blake Rigdon, who is asked to take on a bigger role as far as scoring goes. "He has got to be our leader," long-time Eastern boys basketball coach Rob Beucler said of Rigdon. "Blake is going to be asked to score more than he did last year." Rigdon played the role of point guard during his junior season, but as a senior he will take over a position such as a wing guard that puts him in a better position to score. Another senior back for
the Warriors this season is forward Jacob Diener. Taking over the point guard position will be junior TJ Stivers, a player who has gathered a great deal of varsity experience over the past couple of years. Expect big things out of 6'2" junior postman Garyn Purdy this season, providing the Warriors with a bit of needed size in the paint while also a skilled shooter from the outside. The Warriors are also equipped with an athletic group of underclassmen who will gain some varsity experience this season including sophomore guard Marcus Hamilton and sophomore Ethan Battson. Rounding out the Warriors' varsity roster this season are junior Logan Lainhart, junior Josh Tolle, junior Dakota Hiser,
Provided/THE BROWN COUNTY PRESS
The Eastern Warriors take the court for their 2016-17 basketball campaign. Front row, from the left, are Titus Burns, Marcus Hamilton, Kaleb Martin, Ethan Battson, Gage Boone, and Jordan Johnson; back row, assistant coach Tim Boone, Logan Lainhart, Dakota Hiser, Josh Tolle, Dare Minton, head coach Rob Beucler, Garyn Purdy, Jacob Diener, Blake Rigdon, TJ Stivers, and assistant coach Rich Kelch.
freshman Titus Burns, sophomore Gage Boone, junior Dare Minton, senior Jordan Johnson, and
freshman Kaleb Martin. "We could play as many as 10 kids or we could play seven or eight, de-
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pending on who is getting it done," said Beucler. "The biggest thing we're trying to figure out is where the pieces are going to go." As with Beucler's varsity teams from the past,
Eastern Varsity Boys Schedule Dec. 2 - vs. Hillsboro Dec. 7 - at Piketon Dec. 9 - vs. North Adams Dec. 13 - vs. Williamsburg Dec. 16 - vs. West Union Dec. 20 - at Lynchburg Dec. 29 & 30 - Brown County Holiday Tournament at Eastern Jan. 6 - vs. Ripley Jan. 10 - at West Union Jan. 13 - at Peebles Jan. 14 - at Chesapeake Jan. 20 - vs. Lynchburg Jan. 21 - at North Adams Jan. 27 - vs. Fairfield Jan. 31 - at Ripley Feb. 3 - vs. Fayetteville Feb. 7 - vs. Peebles Feb. 10 - at Whiteoak Feb. 14 - at Georgetown Feb. 17 - at Manchester
expect a hard-nosed group of defenders. "You have to play with intensity and you have to execute," said Beucler. "We're not 'super talented' with athletes but I think we have good kids that play hard." The Warriors would start off their 2016-17 court campaign on a successful note, defeating the Hillsboro Indians in their season opener.
Eastern Varsity Boys Roster No. 10 13 14 15 21 23 24 25 32 33 34 45 50 55
Name
Yr
Marcus Hamilton Titus Burns Gage Boone Dare Minton Logan Lainhart Jordan Johnson Garyn Purdy Jacob Diener Blake Rigdon TJ Stivers Dakota Hiser Ethan Battson Josh Tolle Kaleb Martin
10 9 10 11 11 12 11 12 12 11 11 10 11 9
‘16 - ‘17 Basketball Preview •
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Six seniors hit the hardwood for Rockets Jason Iles takes over as FPHS varsity boys' head coach BY Wade Linville The Brown County Press Expectations are running high for this year's Fayetteville-Perry Rockets as the varsity boys basketball program brings six seniors to the hardwood while under the leadership of first-year varsity head coach Jason Iles who served as an assistant coach and junior varsity coach of the program over the past three years under his uncle and former varsity head coach, Darryl Iles. Among the key players on the return for the Rockets this season is senior guard Max Lanham who led the team in scoring as a junior last year with an average of 15.9 points per game. Also on the return for the Rockets is senior point guard Nic Ball, a third-year
varsity point guard who averaged five points and 2.2 assists per game last season. Other seniors taking the court for the Rockets this season include 5'11" forward Tay Call, 6'3" postman Caleb Evans, Garhett Thompson (6'1"), and Tyler Kingus (5'11"). Evans returns with a bit of varsity experience, averaging 1.3 points and one rebound per game coming off the bench last season. The Rockets are also equipped with some size and talent in the junior class with 5'10" guard Colin Connor, 6'5" postman Zak Smyth, 6'4" postman Malachi Shelton, 6'3" post-
man Luke Wiederhold, and Clay Davis (6'0") appearing on the varsity roster. Smyth averaged four points and 4.5 rebounds per game as a sophomore last season, a player who has worked hard in the offseason to improve his game. "There's not a kid on the team who had a better summer than Zak (Smyth). He put in the most work," said Iles. "Luke Wiederhold has also been working hard. He had some good minutes on varsity and, for a big man, he has really quick feet." This year's Rocket varsity basketball roster also includes sophomores Bowen Doane (5'11"), and CJ McCulley (6'4"), as well as freshman Christopher Murphy (5'9"). "I expect good things," Iles said of his expectations
for the 2016-17 season. "We have a good core and I think we will be one of the deeper
teams in the league. We've got size and we've got some good guards. We have a lot
of tools to work with. I'm excited."
Fayetteville-Perry Boys Varsity Roster No. 2 3 10 11 12 14 20 21 23 24 32 33 44 45
Name Colin Connor Nic Ball Tyler Kingus Clay Davis Max Lanham Bowen Doane Luke Widerhold Christopher Murphy Tay Call CJ McCulley Malachi Shelton Caleb Evans Zak Smyth Garhett Thompson
Grade 11 12 12 11 12 10 11 9 12 10 11 12 11 12
Fayetteville Boys Schedule Dec. 4 - vs. East Clinton Dec. 6 - vs. North Adams Dec. 9 - vs. Manchester Dec. 13 - at Batavia Dec. 16 - vs. Fairfield Dec. 20 - at Whiteoak Dec. 23 - vs. Williamsburg Dec. 29 & 30 - Brown County Holiday Tournament at Eastern Jan. 3 - vs. Blanchester Jan. 6 - vs. Peebles Jan. 13 - at North Adams Jan. 17 - vs. Lynchburg Jan. 20 - vs. Whiteoak Jan. 24 - at Fairfield Jan. 27 - vs. Ripley Jan. 31 - at Manchester Feb. 3 - at Eastern Feb. 4 - vs. Middletown Chr. Feb. 7 - vs. Bethel Feb. 10 - at Lynchburg Feb. 17 - at West Union
Wade Linville/THE BROWN COUNTY PRESS
This year’s Fayetteville-Perry varsity boys basketball team consists of, front row, from the left, head coach Jason Iles, Max Lanham, Colin Connor, Bowen Doane, Nic Ball, Christopher Murphy, Clay Davis, and assistant coach Rusty McCulley; back row, assistant coach Eric Schaefer, Tay Call, Tyler Kingus, Garhett Thompson, CJ McCulley, Malachi Shelton, Zak Smyth, Luke Wiederhold, Caleb Evans, and assistant coach Miah Call.
Lady Rockets packed with size, talent BY Wade Linville The Brown County Press Local high school hoop fans should once again expect a great deal of success on the court in the upcoming season for the Fayetteville-Perry Lady Rockets. Entering his 29th season as head coach of the Fayetteville-Perry High School girls varsity basketball program is Toby Sheets, one of
Fayetteville Girls Schedule Nov. 28 - vs. Hillsboro Dec. 1 - at Ripley Dec. 5 - vs. Manchester Dec. 7 - at CNE Dec. 8 - vs. West Union Dec. 12 - at Bethel Dec. 14 - at Batavia Dec. 15 - vs. Eastern Dec. 19 - vs. Whiteoak Dec. 22 - at Blanchester Dec. 29 & 30 - Brown County Holiday Tournament at Eastern Jan. 5 - at North Adams Jan. 9 - at Manchester Jan. 12 - at Fairfield Jan. 19 - vs. North Adams Jan. 23 - vs. Lynchburg Jan. 25 - vs. Felicity Jan. 26 - at Whiteoak Jan. 30 - at Williamsburg Feb. 2 - at Peebles Feb. 9 - vs. Fairfield
the most experienced coaches in Brown County. Sheets has been blessed with a high number of talented players over the years to compile an overall coaching record of 447 wins and 205 losses coming into the 2016-17 season, coaching Fayetteville teams to 13 sectional championships, three district championships, three Sweet 16 appearances, two Elite 8 appearances, three Brown County Holiday Tournament championships, and 12 league championships. Last year's Lady Rockets would finish their season with an overall record of 17-8, and despite the loss of some key players to graduation you can expect this year's Fayetteville-Perry varsity girls basketball squad to be strong competitors on the court in this winter. Among the key returners for the Lady Rockets this season is senior guard Taylor Cornett, who was the second leading scorer on last year's team with an average of 9.8 points per game. At 5'7”, Cornett also saw some playing time as a forward in the zone defense last season. “Taylor (Cornett) has a great understanding of the fast-break. Expect her to be on the receiving end of layups in the break,” said Sheets. On the return for her
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The Fayetteville-Perry Rockets begin their quest for a Southern Hills League Division II title. Front row, from the left, are Haley Moore, Kasey Wallace, Cecilia Murphy, and Emily Houk; back row, head coach Toby Sheets, Taylor Cornett, Hannah Wiederhold, Margo Thompson, Savannah Lynch, assistant coach Shelby Sheets, and assistant coach Tory Rummel.
sophomore season and her second year as a varsity starter is point guard Cecilia Murphy. Murphy was the team's third leading scorer last season with an average of 7.9 points per game. “Her endurance level is extreme,” Sheets said of Murphy. “Don't expect her to come out of games very often.” Other key players on the return include 5'8” junior forward Haley Moore and 5'9” sophomore forward Hannah Wiederhold. Savannah Lynch and Emily Houk are two senior forwards who will compete
on the varsity squad this season after playing mostly junior varsity last year.
Fayetteville Girls Varsity Roster No.
Name
Yr
2
Emily Houk
12
3
Savannah Lynch
12
5
Kasey Wallace
10
10
Taylor Cornett
12
11
Cecilia Murphy
10
15
Margo Thompson
9
21
Haley Moore
11
22
Hannah Wiederhold 10
Among the newcomers to the Fayetteville-Perry varsity girls team is 6'3” freshman center Margo Thompson, the tallest player Sheets has ever coached. The Lady Rockets finished runner-up in the Southern Hills Athletic Conference Division II last season and ended their season as Southwest District Division IV Sectional runner-ups. The Lady Rockets will
once again compete on the Division IV level in the 2016-17 season. The Lady Rockets kicked off their season Nov. 28 with a non-league home game against the Hillsboro Lady Indians to claim a victory and rose to a 2-0 record by defeating the RipleyUnion-Lewis-Huntington Lady Jays while on the road in game two of the 2016-17 season.
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‘16 - ‘17 Basketball Preview
Lady G-Men to rely heavily on young talent Georgetown girls seek basketball program's 16th league title in 17 years BY Wade Linville The Brown County Press This year's Georgetown Lady G-Men will rely heavily on young talent as they battle for the varsity girls basketball program's 16th Southern Buckeye Athletic/Academic Conference National Division title in the past 17 years. Back for his 21st year as head coach of the Georgetown varsity girls basketball team is Bernie Cropper, who recently topped the 500 career win milestone. The only senior taking the court for the Lady GMen this season is guard Kassidy Seigla, a returning starter. "Kassidy has been doing
Georgetown Girls Schedule Nov. 26 - at Shroder Nov. 28 - at Batavia Dec. 1 - vs. N. Richmond Dec. 3 - vs. Ripley Dec. 5 - vs. Lynchburg Dec. 8 - at Bethel Dec. 10 - at W. Brown Dec. 15 - vs. Williamsburg Dec. 19 - vs. Felicity Dec. 29 & 30 - Brown County Holiday Tournament at Eastern Jan. 5 - at CNE Jan. 9 - at Goshen Jan. 12 - at Blanchester Jan. 16 - vs. Eastern Jan. 19 - vs. Bethel Jan. 26 - at Williamsburg Jan. 28 - vs. Amelia Feb. 2 - at Felicity Feb. 6 - vs. CNE Feb. 9 - vs. Blanchester Feb. 11 - SBAAC Tourn.
a great job. I expect big things out of her this year," said Cropper. The Lady G-Men has no juniors, but there are some sophomores with some varsity experience who will aid in the team's success this season. Coming off an impressive freshman season in 201516, sophomore guard/forward Kennedy Underwood will be among the Lady GMen's most versatile players. Her play last season would earn her a spot on the SBAAC National Division First Team. "Kennedy always gives 100-percent," said Cropper. "She's a pretty versatile player. She can shoot the three and she can play inside." After missing last season due to injury, Kim Seigla takes the court as the sophomore point guard this season. "She's worked extremely hard to get back. She's a very talented player," Cropper said of Kim Seigla. "She can score and do a good job at creating offense for us." Sophomore forward Lauren Carter is among one of the most athletic players on Georgetown's varsity girls squad, an aggressive player in the paint who can help make up for the team's lack of size. Amaya Lovell marks another sophomore with a great deal of athletic ability who can contribute in the team's success on the court. Other talented sophomores appearing on this year's Georgetown varsity roster include guard Hannah Cox and forward Megan Young.
Wade Linville/THE BROWN COUNTY PRESS
The Georgetown Lady G-Men are in search of the varsity basketball program’s 16th SBAAC National Division title in 17 years.
There are a slew of Georgetown freshmen, some who will see significant playing time at the varsity level this season, that include guard Hailey Gregory, guard Hannah Gregory, guard Kati Colwell, forward Emilee Thomas, guard Allyson McHenry, forward Kenzie Benjamin, and guard Madison Moore. "We're going to play a lot of freshmen," said Cropper. In two decades of coaching the Georgetown varsity girls basketball team, Cropper said this is possibly the smallest team he's ever had, but you can expect this year's Lady G-Men to make up for lack of size with aggressive play, especially on the defensive end. "Our goal is to get better. I enjoyed the first few weeks of practice. This group works hard," said
Cropper. After falling to Shroder 37-34 in their season
opener, the Lady G-Men went on to claim three straight victories to up their
record to 3-1 with wins over Batavia, New Richmond, and Ripley.
Georgetown Varsity Girls Roster No. 1 2 3 4 5 10 11 12 14 20 21 22 30 41
Grade 9 9 10 10 12 9 10 10 9 10 9 10 9 9
Name Kati Colwell Hannah Gregory Kennedy Underwood Kim Seigla Kassidy Seigla Hailey Gregory Megan Young Hannah Cox Madison Moore Lauren Carter Kenzie Benjamin Amaya Lovell Allyson McHenry Emilee Thomas
G-Men seek improvement after last year’s three-win season Four seniors take the court for Georgetown varsity boys squad BY Wade Linville The Brown County Press The Georgetown G-Men take the court this season with hopes of showing significant improvement coming off of last year's three-win season. The G-Men are led by their first-year head coach Doug Williams who is equipped with four seniors who hit the hardwood for their fourth year of high school hoops – forward Levi Burns, forward Chris Dietrick, guard Christian
Georgetown Boys Schedule Dec. 2 - at Batavia Dec. 3 - vs. Ripley Dec. 6 - vs. N. Richmond Dec. 9 - at Bethel Dec. 14 - at Fairfield Dec. 16 - at Williamsburg Dec. 20 - vs. Felicity Dec. 22 - vs. Clark Mont. Dec. 29 & 30 - Brown County Holiday Tournament at Eastern Jan. 6 - at CNE Jan. 10 - at Goshen Jan. 13 - at Blanchester Jan. 17 - vs. W. Brown Jan. 20 - vs. Bethel Jan. 27 - vs. Williamsburg Jan. 28 - vs. Amelia Feb. 3 - at Felicity Feb. 10 - vs. CNE Feb. 14 - vs. Eastern Feb. 17 - vs. Blanchester Feb. 18 - SBAAC Tourn.
Linville, and guard Solomon Underwood. Other key returners to the court for the G-Men are two Southern Buckeye Athletic/Academic Conference National Division all-stars from last season – junior Logan Doss and sophomore Noah Pack. Junior guard Jonny Strickland is also back on the court after gaining a great deal of varsity experience last season. Expect junior guard Luke Gast, sophomore forward Tanner Ellis and sophomore guard Cameron Brookbank to see a significant amount of varsity playing time this season after competing on Georgetown's junior varsity team last year. Other sophomores on this year's Georgetown varsity roster include guard Emerson Cahall, guard Jackson
Gregory, guard Kyle Cornette, forward Morgan Fleming, and forward Alex Bolington. “I think this is a group that's going to work hard,” Williams said of this year's G-Men. “I'm pleasantly surprised by the kids and how willing they are to change what happened last year. Sometimes when you take over a program that was 319 the previous year you don't really know how the kids are going to react the following year, but the tradition here at Georgetown is so rich that the kids have
been around seen what it takes to be good. I think it was a fluke more than anything for Georgetown to be down that year. I think they understand what winning is and they want to get back there.” After making the league's all-star list last season, Doss and Pack are certainly names that teams and hoop fans throughout the league have become familiar with, but there are also some other talented players who can provide big contributions on the court for the GMen this season.
show up every day,” Williams added. While Williams felt this year's G-Men are capable of some exceptional offensive play this season, team defense is something he would like improvement on. “If we're going to win the league championship we're going to have to defend,” said Williams. “A league championship and sectional championship are obvious goals, but we must decide to go hard on a daily basis,” said Williams. “For us, our daily goal is to go as hard as we can.”
Georgetown Boys Roster No. 5 10 12 15 20 23 25 30 32 34 35 40 45 53 55
Name
Yr
Solomon Underwood Christian Linville Luke Gast Cameron Brookbank Logan Doss Levi Burns Emerson Cahall Jonny Strickland Tanner Ellis Chris Dietrick Noah Pack Jackson Gregory Kyle Cornette Morgan Fleming Alex Bolington
12 12 11 10 11 12 10 11 10 12 10 10 10 10 10
Wade Linville/THE BROWN COUNTY PRESS
Taking the court for the Georgetown varsity boys basketball team this season are, front row, from the left, Chris Dietrick, Cameron Brookbank, Christian Linville, Solomon Underwood, Luke Gast, Kyle Cornette, and Emerson Cahall; back row, Jackson Gregory, Alex Bolington, Morgan Fleming, Noah Pack, Levi Burns, Logan Doss, Tanner Ellis, and Jonny Strickland.
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“This group of kids has some skills,” said Williams. “I think we have two solid seniors to play point guard – Solomon Underwood and Christian Linville. Chris Dietrick is a great leader in the locker room and plays very hard. Cameron Brookbank has worked on his athletic ability. Logan Doss is a great athlete. I think Strickland is one of the best athletes in the league and he's going to give us a lot of minues.” “I'm happy with the senior leadership. We have a good group of seniors who
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‘16 - ‘17 Basketball Preview •
Page 5
Skilled crew on the return for the Blue Jays Four seniors to provide leadership for Ripley varsity boys squad BY Wade Linville The Brown County Press The Ripley-UnionLewis-Huntington Blue Jays take the court this season with hopes of improving on last year's overall record of 5-17 and Southern Hills Athletic Conference record of 211. Equipped with four experienced seniors and a mix of young talent, the Jays have what it takes to accomplish their goal. Back on the hardwood for their senior season of hoops are 5'9" guard Laymon Marshall, 5'8" guard Dalton Moran, 5'10" forward/guard Jordan Griffith, and 5'9" guard Josh Deaton. All seniors are effective scorers who will also provide the Jays with excellent senior leadership on the court. Also back on the court
Wade Linville/THE BROWN COUNTY PRESS
The Ripley-Union-Lewis-Huntington Blue Jays hit the hardwood this season with a mix of experience and young talent. From the left, are Laymon Marshall, Dalton Moran, Jordan Griffith, Josiah Staggs, Alex King, Peyton Fyffe, Josh Deaton, Brian Dunn, Jaki Royal, and Ryan Harney.
for the Jays is 5'10" guard Brian Dunn, joined by fellow juniors Ryan Harney
(6'1" forward) and junior Josiah Staggs (6'1" forward).
Ripley Varsity Boys Roster Name
Grade
1
Laymon Marshall
12
2
Brian Dunn
11
3
Dalton Moran
12
5
Jordan Griffith
12
10
Ryan Harney
11
22
Alex King
10
23
Josiah Staggs
11
30
Jaki Royal
10
33
Peyton Fyffe
9
35
Josh Deaton
12
No.
With some skilled underclassmen who will see varsity playing time this season, depth could play a role in the Jays' success this season. Sophomore postman Alex King (6'3") will help make up for the lack of size the Jays are forced to deal with this season, while 5'9" sophomore guard Jaki Royal will prove to be an effective scorer and quick defender on the varsity level. Ripley has one freshman appearing on this year's varsity roster, 6'2" forward/guard Peyton Fyffe. Expect Fyffe to gain a great deal of varsity experience this season, a player who has proven early in the season that he can contribute to success of this year's RULH varsity team. The Jays are once again coached by Marty Adams.
"We have four seniors who played multiple minutes last season," said Adams. "We have 10 guys on varsity, and all 10 guys are going to play multiple minutes. We have eight guards and no real post players except King who is a sophomore." What the Jays lack in overall size this season they make up for in athletic ability. Look for the Jays to be a well-conditioned team that likes the transition game, an exciting team to watch for local basketball fans when they're on their game. "We're getting there," Adams said of his team's progress. "We're working to get better every day and the kids are jelling well. It should be a great year for us."
Ripley Boys Schedule Dec. 3 - at Georgetown Dec. 6 - at Peebles Dec. 9 - vs. West Union Dec. 13 - vs. Augusta Dec. 16 - vs. N. Adams Dec. 17 - at N. Richmond Dec. 20 - at Manchester Dec. 28 - vs. Blanchester Jan. 6 - at Eastern Jan. 10 - vs. Lynchburg Jan. 13 - at Whiteoak Jan. 20 - vs. Peebles Jan. 24 - at West Union Jan. 27 - at Fayetteville Jan. 31 - vs. Eastern Feb. 7 - vs. Amelia Feb. 10 - vs. Fairfield Feb. 13 - vs. Batavia Feb. 14 - vs. Bethel Feb. 17 - at Lynchburg
Experienced crew of Lady Jays return to the hardwood BY Wade Linville The Brown County Press While this year's RipleyUnion-Lewis-Huntington Lady Jays once again face a challenging regular season schedule for their 2016-17 court campaign, don't count this year's RULH varsity girls basketball team out of the running for the Southern Hills Athletic Conference Division I title. This year's Lady Jays may lack in size, but they return an experienced varsity team that is packed with competitiveness. The Lady Jays are equipped with three seniors to provide leadership on the court - post player Kacy Gilkerson, guard Kassey Arnett, and guard Kursten Prater. Also on the return for the Lady Jays are a talented crew of underclassmen, some of whom gained a great deal of varsity experience last season. Sophomore Cailey Kirk takes the court this season as starting point guard for the Lady
Jays after seeing a great deal of playing time last season. Carlee Daulton marks another skilled sophomore who returns with a significant amount of varsity experience, coming off an impressive freshman season in which she proved herself to be an effective scorer at the post and the perimeter as well as an aggressive defender. Sophomore post player Jennifer Eichner is also back on the court after gaining some varsity experience as a freshman last season. Rounding out this year's RULH varsity girls basketball roster is sophomore Grace Mitchell, freshman Tori Lewis, and freshman Savanna Proffitt. Proffitt has given the Lady Jays some good minutes off the bench already this season. "We're not going to be big, but we will be pretty solid defensively. This group plays hard," RULH varsity girls basketball
coach Chris Coleman said of this year's Lady Jays. "Our biggest thing is probably taking care of the ball. If we do that, I think we will win some games." The Lady Jays are looking to improve on last year's overall record of 6-15 and league record of 4-9. "It's not going to be easy," said Coleman. "Our schedule is tough again this year." The Lady Jays started off their season with a 55-44 non-league loss to a talented Williamsburg team on Nov. 26, and on Dec. 1 they suffered a narrow 5045 loss in gutsy battle against the FayettevillePerry Lady Rockets. The Lady Jays then ventured to Georgetown High School on Dec. 3, falling to the Lady G-Men 54-53 in overtime. Although they started out their season at 0-3 while facing some stiff competition, expect wins to come for this year's Lady Jays as the season rolls along.
Ripley Girls Schedule Nov. 26 - vs. Williamsburg Dec. 1 - vs. Fayetteville Dec. 3 - at Georgetown Dec. 5 - vs. West Union Dec. 8 - vs. Lynchburg Dec. 10 - at Felicity Dec. 15 - vs. Manchester Dec. 17 - at N. Richmond Dec. 19 - vs. Peebles Dec. 28 - vs. Blanchester Dec. 30 - vs. Gamble Montessori Jan. 5 - at Eastern Jan. 9 - at West Union Jan. 12 - at Lynchburg Jan. 19 - vs. Whiteoak Jan. 21 - at Bethel Jan. 23 - at Fairfield Jan. 26 - at Peebles Jan. 30 - at Manchester Feb. 2 - vs. Eastern Feb. 4 - vs. Augusta Feb. 9 - at N. Adams
Ripley Varsity Girls Roster No.
Name
Grade
3
Cailey Kirk
10
4
Kassey Arnett
12
5
Savanna Proffitt
9
14
Kursten Prater
12
15
Carlee Daulton
10
31
Grace Mitchell
10
33
Kacy Gilkerson
12
34
Jennifer Eichner
10
42
Tori Lewis
9
Nominate a Brown County Athlete of the Week by emailing nominations to wlinville@browncountypress.com
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937-378-6384 937-444-0323 937-392-1112 KENNETH A. CAHALL • STEPHANIE R. DYER JOE VAUGHN • JEFFREY EGBERT Provided/THE BROWN COUNTY PRESS
Taking the court for the Ripley-Union-Lewis-Huntington varsity girls basketball team this season are, front row, from the left, Kacy Gilkerson, Cailey Kird, and Savanna Proffitt; back row, Carlee Daulton, Jennifer Eichner, Kassey Arnett, Kursten Prater, and Tori Lewis.
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Page 6 •
‘16 - ‘17 Basketball Preview
Broncos begin quest for SBAAC American Div. crown Western Brown boys in search of first league title since 2011-12 season BY Wade Linville The Brown County Press The Western Brown Broncos hit the hardwood this season in search of their first Southern Buckeye Athletic/Academic Conference American Division title since the 2011-12 season, and this year's Western varsity boys basketball team is equippd with the talent and experience it will take to bring the league crown back to Western Brown. With the loss of some skilled seniors to graduation, the Broncos return only one SBAAC American Division First Team player from last season, Joseph Sams (6'3" senior).
Western Brown Boys Schedule Dec. 6 - at Williamsburg Dec. 9 - at Goshen Dec. 13 - vs. Amelia Dec. 16 - at Norwood Dec. 20 - vs. Batavia Dec. 16 - at Williamsburg Dec. 20 - vs. Felicity Dec. 29 & 30 - Brown County Holiday Tournament at Eastern Jan. 6 - vs. N. Richmond Jan. 7 - at Lynchburg Jan. 10 - vs. Bethel Jan. 17 - at Georgetown Jan. 20 - vs. Goshen Jan. 21 - vs. Hillsboro Jan. 24 - vs. McNicholas Jan. 27 - vs. Norwood Jan. 28 - at Glen Este Jan. 31 - vs. Anderson Feb. 3 - at Batavia Feb. 4 - vs. Mason Co. Feb. 10 - at N. Richmond Feb. 17 - vs. Amelia
Sams averaged 9.2 points per game as the Broncos' second leading scorer last season and led the team in rebounding with 7.2 rebounds per contest. Also on the return for his senior season with the Broncos is 6'3" senior postman Hunter O'Hara. O'Hara averaged 5.5 points and 3.6 rebounds per game last season. The list of experienced Bronco seniors doesn't end there. Guard Logan Nickell (5'10") is also back on the hardwood for his senior season after averaging 4.8 points per game last season, gaining a great deal of varsity experience in past years. Tim Harvey, a 5'9" senior forward, returns to the hardwood after averaging just over two points per game and 1.5 rebounds coming off the bench as a junior last season. Eli Crall, a 6'4" forward, did not play basketball as a junior last season, but expect his skills and athletic ability to contribute to the Broncos' success as a senior this year. Joining the five seniors on the court are seven skilled juniors - 5'9" guard Carson Eyre, 5'11" guard Clayton Wolfe, 6'0" guard Colston Roades, 6'0" guard Elijah Smith, 6'3" forward Jack Finn, 5'10" guard Seth Becker, and 6'0" guard Wyatt Fischer. Eyre, Fischer, and Wolfe all return with some varsity experience. "We have 12 guys and every one of them can play," Western Brown head coach Greg Foster said of
Wade Linville/THE BROWN COUNTY PRESS
The Western Brown Broncos hit the hardwood this season in search of the varsity boys basketball program’s first league title since 2011-12.
this year's Broncos. "I feel this team is well-rounded. We're deep, we have a little bit of size and a bunch of guards." As far as dedication, Foster is pleased with what he saw out of this year's crew of varsity players throughout the preseason and during the summer months, a group that finished 7-1 in the Amelia Summer League while at times missing some regular varsity players. Even with such an experienced crew on the return, the climb back to the top of the SBAAC American Division will be no walk in the park with a great deal of talent also on the return for
last year's league champion team from Amelia and the league runner-up team from Norwood. The Broncos finished last season with a league mark of 5-5, tying for third place in the SBAAC American Division with Batavia. The Broncos will also have some big shoes to fill in a guard position after losing the 2015-16 SBAAC American Division Player of the Year, Chaiten Tomlin. The Broncos were scheduled to kick off their 201617 court campaign on Tuesday, Dec. 6 with a nonleague contest at Williamsburg High School.
Western Brown Varsity Boys Roster No. 5 3 1 30 33 10 23 32 22 12 20 15
Name Carson Eyre Clayton Wolfe Colston Roades Eli Crall Elijah Smith Hunter O’Hara Jack Finn Joe Sams Logan Nickell Seth Becker Tim Harvey Wyatt Fischer
Grade 11 11 11 12 11 12 11 12 12 11 12 11
Lady Broncos working hard toward SBAAC American Div. title after finishing as league runner-up last season BY Wade Linville The Brown County Press The Western Brown Lady Broncos hit the hardwood this season with hopes of climbing back to the top of the Southern Buckeye Athletic/Academic Conference American Division after finishing as league runnerups last season, but in Dennis Overstake's second year as Western Brown's head coach he knows the task will not be easy. Not only will they face league opponents with a great deal of experience and talent, but the Lady Broncos are looking for new leaders on the court in the wake of losing eight seniors to graduation and all of last year's starters. Expect this year's Lady Broncos to improve as they gain varsity experience while making their way through another grueling regular season schedule, coming off an overall record of 11-13 and a league record of 5-5 from the 2015-16 season. "Our schedule is just as strong as it was last year," said Overstake. "We have to take each game as they come, and hopefully we will continue to improve. We have a good group this year and the girls are working hard. I hope this group realizes what they are capable of." Only three seniors appear on this year's Western Brown varsity girls roster Taylor Barthel, Bailie Darnall, and Kaitlyn Huseman.
Wade Linville/THE BROWN COUNTY PRESS
The Western Brown Lady Broncos are in search of an SBAAC American Division title after finishing as league runner-up last season. From the left are Amanda Woodyard, Emily Cooper, Maddy Whisman, Cana Kleemeyer, Tessa Pinkerton, Rylie Young, Taylor Barthel, Kaitlyn Huseman, Bailie Darnall, Gracie Fischer, and Courtney Crisp.
Barthel, a 6'1" forward, will provide the Lady Broncos with some size and experience in the paint after getting some varsity playing time coming off the bench last season. Expect Darnall to provide this year's Lady Broncos with some leadership on the court in her first year as a regular varsity starter. Huseman spent last season on the sidelines due to an injury, looking forward to getting the opportunity to contribute to her team's success as a senior leader. Joining the three seniors on varsity are seven juniors who you can expect improvements from as they gain additional varsity experience. Among the juniors is guard Cana Kleemeyer who only played half a season last year due to injury. Other juniors include guards Amanda Woodyard (5'4"), Emily Cooper (5'4"), and Maddy Whisman
(5'6"); as well as forwards Courtney Crisp (5'7"), Tessa Pinkerton (5'9") and 6'1" center Rylie Young. Rounding out the Lady Broncos' varsity roster is 5'5" freshman guard Gracie Fischer. Look for size and versatility to be among the Lady Broncos' strong points this season. "We have two girls over six-feet tall and Kaitlyn (Huseman) is very strong inside, and with Bailie (Darnall) and Tessa (Pinkerton) we actually have five post players. Bailie and Tessa will also play wings for us when we have the other girls inside," said Overstake. "We can interchange a lot of people, so that's one of our strengths." While the climb to the top of the SBAAC American Division may be steep, the Lady Broncos certainly have the talent it will take to accomplish their goals. "They're all willing to do
what it takes to accomplish
Western Brown Girls Schedule Nov. 29 - vs. Wilmington Dec. 1 - at Williamsburg Dec. 5 - vs. Clinton Massie Dec. 8 - at Goshen Dec. 10 - vs. Georgetown Dec. 12 - vs. Kings Dec. 15 - at Norwood Dec. 19 - vs. Batavia Dec. 29 & 30 - Brown County Holiday Tournament at Eastern Jan. 5 - vs. N. Richmond Jan. 7 - at Lynchburg Jan. 9 - vs. Bethel Jan. 11 - vs. Amelia Jan. 19 - vs. Goshen Jan. 21 - vs. Hillsboro Jan. 26 - vs. Norwood Jan. 30 - vs. McNicholas Feb. 2 - at Batavia Feb. 6 - at N. Richmond Feb. 9 - at Amelia Feb. 11 - SBAAC Tourn.
their team goals - to win the (Brown County) Holiday Tournament, then win the league, and then when it
comes tournament time to get through the sectionals," said Overstake.
Western Brown Varsity Girls Roster No.
Name
Grade
13
Amanda Woodyard
11
14
Emily Cooper
11
21
Cana Kleemeyer
11
23
Courtney Crisp
11
24
Maddy Whisman
11
25
Tessa Pinkerton
11
30
Kaitlyn Huseman
12
32
Rylie Young
11
33
Bailie Darnall
12
42
Taylor Barthel
12
44
Gracie Fischer
9
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