There hasn’t been all that much competition in the North Tier League for Coudersport or Otto-Eldred over the past two seasons.
The Lady Falcons and Terrors have gone a combined 57-7 against league opponents in that span, with a 94-20 overall record, as well as two straight District 9 Class AA titles glistening the résumé of Coudersport.
But don’t expect things to continue that easily for either team heading into the 2018-19 basketball season.
Both teams will have to replace their leading scorers, head coaches and key depth contributors as they try to reload, and not rebuild, with the usual target on their backs.
Otto-Eldred will be led this season by Shawn Gray, last season’s varsity assistant and junior high head coach on the boys side, to replace longtime bench boss Barb Close, who stepped aside after last season.
Gray will have his work cut out for him in replacing last year’s leading scorers and Big 30 All-Stars Camryn Thomas and Ali Cousins.
But Gray insists that the cupboard isn’t bare and that the girls who have spent years playing behind Thomas and Cousins are ready for their time to shine.
“They are really amped to finally get their shot and see what they can do,” he said. “There is a mix of solid veteran leaders and young, hungry players on the team who have come together quite well over the summer and the first few weeks of practice.”
That mix is evident as Gray highlights his expectations for the season.
“We are probably going to go as far as (senior) Britney Greeley takes us. If she has a big year, we are going to be just fine,” he said. “Kayley Heller, who is a sophomore, can be a beast on the glass. If she does that we are going to be really fun to watch if those two come to play every night.”
And while Gray contends that the NTL is completely up for grabs this season, he hasn’t let his players forget about the successes they’ve achieved over the past few years and how they’re viewed around the district.
“I told our kids that Otto-Eldred is now the team to beat in this league” he said. “I came out and said that right to them, and they should be happy to have a target on their back. People look to us as a team they really don’t want to play in this league. Hopefully they took that to heart and they believe it.”
Coudersport, meanwhile, has to replace Haley Keck, who led all of District 9 in scoring last season. The Falcons, who averaged the most points in the NTL, do return a decent chunk of scoring from that team in Shaelyn Black (14.5 points) and Sarah Chambers (8.7) for first-year coach Bob Tingley.
“We will have seven returning letterwinners from the 2017-18 District 9 champions, including two starters (Black and Chambers),” Tingley said. “Shaelyn garnered several postseason honors (last year). Four newcomers will fill out the roster.”
And while there will certainly be a learning curve during the first few weeks of the season, don’t expect any teams around the league to feel sorry for Coudy and O-E because of their changes.
Six of the NTL’s nine teams have a new head coach this year, with Cameron County’s Dave Sullivan (returning for his 12th season) the longest tenured girls coach in the league.
Sullivan’s Lady Red Raiders return four starters from last year’s team that posted a 10-6 record in the NTL. Seniors Alyvia McKimm (11.1 points last year) and Laila Smith (5.9 points, 4.8 rebounds) give Cameron County a scoring punch that should make them contenders this year.
Port Allegany, which went 2-0 over the weekend and won the Sheffield Tip-Off Tournament, returns four starters from last year’s 9-12 season, including Cailey Barnett’s team-high 13 points per game.
First-year head coach Jamie Evens said that he expects his team to compete for a league title with an experienced team that has three players who have started for three straight seasons.
Here’s a capsule look at the NTL teams:
AUSTIN
Coach: Denise Valenti (first year)
League: North Tier
2017-18: 0-21 Postseason: none
No roster provided
CAMERON COUNTY
Coach: Dave Sullivan (12th year, 121-132)
League: North Tier
2017-18: 10-13 Postseason: DuBois Central Catholic (L, 48-42, D-9 Class A pre-quarterfinals)
Roster: Alyvia McKimm (5’3”, sr., G, 11.1 ppg), Kamme Guisto (5’6”, sr., G, 6.6 ppg), Laila Smith (5’8”, sr., F, 5.9 ppg, 4.8 rpg), Eliza Farabaugh (5’6”, jr., F), Kaelee Bresslin (5’8”, so., G, 6.8 ppg), Hailey Hilfiger (5’10”, so., F, 2.6 ppg, 2.8 rpg), Morgan Lorenzo (5’8”, so., F), Mallory McKimm (5’9”, so., F), Reggie Goodrow (5’5”, so., G), Haley Rees (5’1”, so., G), Taylor Lamont (5’5”, so., G), MiKenna Farabaugh (5’4”, fr., G)
COUDERSPORT
Coach: Bob Tingley (first year)
League: North Tier
2017-18: 22-4 Postseason: Cranberry (W, 51-41, D-9 Class AA semifinals), Kane (W, 63-45, D-9 Class AA final), California (W, 50-23, PIAA Class AA first round), Reynolds (L, 38-35, PIAA Class AA second round)
Roster: Shaelyn Black (5’11”, sr., F, 14.5 ppg), Dana Dubots (5’6”, sr., G), Tianna Bowser (5’7”, sr., F), Lauren Stimaker (5’5”, jr., G), MiKayla Gunn (5’4”, jr., G), Sarah Chambers (5’11”, so., G/F, 8.7 ppg), Rosalyn Page (5’8”, so., F), Elizabeth Frame (5’4”, fr., G), Aubri Thompson (5’5”, fr., F), Mackenzie Seeley (5’7”, fr., F), Aly Bliss (5’3”, so., G), Lauren Loveland (5’0”, so., G)
From the coach: See story
GALETON
Coach: Andrew Macensky
League: North Tier
2017-18: 11-12 Postseason: none
No roster provided
NORTHERN POTTER
Coach: Cynthia Cowburn
League: North Tier
2017-18: 17-6 Posteason: Elk County Catholic (L, 45-27, D-9 Class A quarterfinals)
Roster: Abigail Anderson (5’6”, sr., F), Alyssa Burchell (5’4”, jr., G), Morgan Palmatier (5’9”, jr., F), Faith Zdrojewski (5’6”, so., F), Mirissa Bliss (5’3”, so., G), Courtney Martin (5’6”, fr., G), Abbie Cady (5’6”, fr., G), Rylee Copp (5’7”, fr., F), Megan Hyde (5’5”, fr., F), Madison Hoopes (5’5”, fr., F), Briana Madison (5’3”, fr., F), Shaylynn Ruppert (5’3”, fr., G)
From the coach: “The Northern Potter Lady Panthers are a young team only returning two letter winners and one starter. The girls are young, but energetic and willing to work hard.”
OSWAYO VALLEY
Coach: Dale Norton (first year)
League: North Tier
2017-18: 6-16 Postseason: none
Roster: Faith Coole (sr., G), MaKenzie Gross (sr., G), Karina West (sr., C), Nicole Hamon (sr., C), Macy West (so., F), MaKenzie Mesler (fr., F), Shenelle Shelp (fr., G), Hailee McMichael (fr., F)
From the coach: “We are looking to improve on our 6-16 record. With four returning starters, we have good leadership and some experience to work off of.”
OTTO-ELDRED
Coach: Shawn Gray (first year)
League: North Tier
2017-18: 21-5 Postseason: Brockway (W, 54-32, D-9 Class A quarterinals), A-C Valley (L, 56-52 Class A semifinals), Elk County Catholic (W, 54-48, D-9 Class A consolation game), Juniata Valley (L, 65-28, PIAA Class A first round)
Roster: Britney Greeley (5’8”, sr., F, 4.5 ppg, 4.9 rpg), Haylee Frederick (5’3”, sr., G, 3.8 ppg, 1.7 spg), Lauren Cousins (5’4”, sr., G, 1.1 ppg, 1.7 apg), Veronica Benini (5’3” sr., G), Jade Spinney (5’4”, jr., G, 5.6 ppg, 3.1 rpg, 1.5 apg), Autumn Smith (5’3”, sr., G, 31. Ppg, 2.5 rpg), Kayley Heller (5’7”, so., F, 3.6 ppg, 3.1 rpg), Reilly Raught (5’7”, so., F, 1.7 ppg, 1.9 rpg), Morgan Dalton (5’10”, so., 1.3 ppg), Emmalee Sheeler (5’5” so., G/F), Haley Cousins (5’4”, so., G), Brandii Neureiter (5’2”, so., G)
From the coach: See story
PORT ALLEGANY
Coach: Jamie Evens (first year)
League: North Tier
2017-18: 9-12 Postseason: none
Roster: Cierra Lannager (5’9”, sr., C), Jenna Sprankle (5’4”, sr., G), Erin Stauffer (5’5”, sr., G), Cailey Barnett (5’4”, jr., G, 13 ppg), Maleah Daniels (5’8”, jr., F), Madison Preston (5’6”, jr., F), Jade Evens (5’8”, so., F), Bree Garzel (5’6”, so., G, 7 ppg, 4 apg, 4 rpg), Gracie Archer (5’7” so., F), Shannon Curfman (5’7” so., F), Marah Rush (5’2” so., G)
From the coach: “We return four starters plus two other lettermen (Lannager and Daniels) and Lannager missed half of last season with an injury. We expect to compete for a league title with our experience (three players have started for three years). Overall, the program is young with only three seniors and three juniors.”
SMETHPORT
Coach: Chad Goodman (first year)
League: North Tier
2017-18: 6-16 Postseason: none
Roster: Patty Todd (5’7”, sr.), Erin Herzog (6’0”, jr.), MyKayla Deyarmin (5’7”, jr.), Morgan Hitchcock (6’0”, jr.), Caydene Gilbert (5’5”, so.), Cassandra Tingley (5’6”, so.), Kassidy DiDamizio (6’0”, so.), Kaleigh Sanderson (6’0”, so.), Sabrina Tanner (5’11”, fr.), Danielle Nelson (5’11”, fr.)
From the coach: “We are a very young team that will rely heavily on our three returning upperclassmen. I expect our underclassmen to fill a lot of the voids left behind from last year’s graduating class.”
