New faces in new places abound in this year’s North Tier League, as some of the conference’s premier players from a year ago have graduated and many teams return just a couple starters.
Gone from last season are Otto-Eldred’s Britney Greeley and Haylee Frederick, Port Allegany’s Erin Stauffer and Coudersport’s Shaelyn Black. Also graduated are Northern Potter’s Abigail Anderson and Cameron County’s Alyvia McKimm.
And without those star players, many of the teams in the NTL are left filling those vacancies with underclassmen and new players — something that should create both parity and a tight race to the league crown in 2019-20.
“I think it’s going to be one of the most competitive leagues we’ve had in years from top to bottom,” said Otto-Eldred head coach Shawn Gray. “Teams like us are returning a couple of starters, and some teams have youngsters coming up like Northern Potter and Galeton that will make a name for themselves.
“You’ll also always have Coudy and Cameron County, too, and Port Allegany has a nice nucleus coming back.”
Gray’s squad figures to be in the mix for a league crown after finishing 12-4 in league play (and 15-11 overall) a year ago, good for fourth in the NTL.
Despite the losses of Greeley and Frederick, the Lady Terrors feature one of the better frontcourt tandems in the NTL in returning starters Reilly Raught and Kayley Heller. Raught, a 5-10 junior, averaged 7.2 points, five rebounds and a block per game as a sophomore. Heller, also a junior, stands at 5-8 and logged 5.8 points, 5.4 rebounds and 1.1 steals a game last season.
“That 1-2 punch will be huge,” Gray said. “They’ve improved over the summer.”
Meanwhile, at the guard position, Jadelyn Spinney returns for her senior season after putting up 5.9 points, three rebounds and 1.6 steals per game a year ago. Gray says her shooting abilities will be crucial.
“Jadelyn is a knock-down shooter. If she’s left open, it’s going in,” he said. “If we can get her open shots, it’ll be to our advantage.”
Alongside Spinney, Haley Cousins returns for her junior season, as do Emmalee Sheeler, Bri Heller and Emily Morgan that will be expected to provide a spark off the bench.
It’s an eclectic mix of talent, to be sure, and one that Gray is confident can string wins together if his upperclassmen take charge of the team and guide the younger players.
It’s also the same situation many teams find themselves in this season.
Over at Port Allegany, the Lady Gators are coming off of a 16-7 season that included a 12-4 NTL mark and third-place finish in the league.
Back from that squad are a pair of starting guards, Bree Garzel and Cailey Barnett, as well as a pair of returning letterwinners that will assume starting roles in Maleah Daniels and Jade Evens.
Garzel and Barnett, both guards, figure to be the feature duo of the Port A offense. Barnett, a 5-4 senior, scored 13.4 points per game and added 4.9 rebounds and 3.9 steals for the Lady Gators, while Garzel, a 5-7 junior, tallied 9.6 points, 3.8 rebounds and 1.9 steals per game a season ago.
Port Allegany head coach Jamie Evens says to expect those two, who have been starters since their freshman seasons, to lead the Lady Gators again, and added, “What we’ve been trying to impress on them is to make sure they’re getting the rest of the team involved, and making sure defenses can’t just focus on them.”
It’s particularly important, Evens says, because Port A is expecting what the coach called “junk defenses” — schemes like the box-and-one and triangle-and-two that allow teams to single out potent scorers.
“It will be important to get our third and fourth scorers to step up, because we expect to see some junk defenses,” he said. “We have to be able to counteract that.”
Like Gray, Evens says to expect a very competitive NTL this year, particularly among the top teams.
“I think it’s going to be very top-heavy. The top four from last year (Coudersport, Cameron County, Port A and O-E) will be competitive again,” Evens said. “Obviously, a lot of talent was lost, but a lot of talent is coming back. Any given night, any of those four could beat anybody.”
And, he says, keep an eye on the young but talented Northern Potter squad.
“They have a great freshman class coming in that’s athletic and fast,” Evens said. “They’ll spring an upset or two this year, I’m quite confident in that.”
Indeed, the Lady Panthers — which went 11-12 last season but did qualify for the District 9 playoffs — feature six freshmen on their roster to go with three returning starters and six returning letterwinners as a whole.
And, as always, expect Coudy and Cameron County to compete for the league crown, too.
Coudersport won the NTL a year ago with a 15-1 league record, and brings back three starters from that team in Sarah Chambers (13.4 points per game, 5.7 rebounds), Rosalyn Page (9.2 points per game) and Mikayla Gunn (5.2 points per game, 1.6 steals).
The Lady Raiders, meanwhile, posted a 13-3 league mark last season and have two starters back: Hailey Hilfiger (6.5 points per game, 10.5 rebounds) and Kaelee Bresslin (9.3 points per game, 4.8 rebounds).
And with so many talented players returning and with the competition level so fierce, Gray noted, “It’s going to be a fun league each and every night.”
Below is a capsule look at each of the NTL’s Big 30 girls teams:
AUSTIN
Coach: Denise Valenti
2018-19 record/postseason: 0-21, none.
Roster: Taylor Brewer (5-9, sr., G), Kendra Valenti (5-8, jr., F), Kylie Welsh (5-7, jr., G), Shae Setzer (5-1, jr., G), Shaylynn Nichols (5-6, jr., G), Carly Curry (5-6, so., F), Ally Nelson (5-7, so., F), Rachel Zeamor (5-4, fr. G), Rebecca Zeamor (5-6, fr., G), Sari Setzer (5-0, fr., G)
From the coach: “We will continue to build on what was started last year. We have three returning starters and have added new players that will bring quickness on offense and defense.”
CAMERON COUNTY
Coach: Dave Sullivan (13th year, 136-140)
2018-19 record/postseason: 15-8, Otto-Eldred (L, 36-32, D9 Class A quarterfinals)
Roster: Hailey Hilfiger (5-10, jr., F, 6.5 ppg, 10.5 rpg), Kaelee Bresslin (5-8, jr., G, 9.3 ppg, 4.8 rpg), Haley Rees (5-1, jr., G), Eliza Farabaugh (5-7, sr., F), MiKenna Farabaugh (5-4, so., G), Taylor Lamont (5-4, so., G), Mallory McKimm (5-9, jr., F/G, 2.3 ppg, 2.0 rpg), Aaralyn Robinson (5-2, fr., F), Delaney Rowen (5-1, fr., G), Kendall Richards (5-2, fr., G), Reggie Goodrow (5-5, jr., G, 2.4 ppg, 1.1 rpg), Renee Earle (5-7, fr., F)
Returning starters: 2 (Bresslin, Hilfiger)
From the coach: “How fast we mature as a team will be the key to the season. We lost three starters and with them, senior leadership. We’ll need players with little varsity experience to step up and contribute at the varsity level. We only have 12 players to cover both varsity and JV, so avoiding injuries is going to play into our success.”
COUDERSPORT
Coach: Bob Tingley (2nd year, 19-5)
2018-19 record/postseason: 19-5, Northern Potter (W, 49-21, D9 Class A quarterfinals), North Clarion (L, 50-29, D9 semifinals), Otto-Eldred (W, 31-23, D9 consolation), Shanksville (L, 52-28, PIAA first round)
Roster: Sarah Chambers (5-10, jr., G/F, 13.4 ppg, 5.7 rpg), Rosalyn Page (5-8, jr., F, 9.2 ppg)
Mikayla Gunn (5-6, sr., G, 5.2 ppg, 1.6 spg), Lauren Stimaker (5-6, sr., G, 1.5 ppg, 1.1 spg), Elizabeth Frame (5-5, so., G, 2.9 ppg), Emma Chambers (5-8, fr., G), Ryelle Black (5-8, fr., F), Aubri Thompson (5-7, so., G), Justice Wiasniewski (5-8, sr., F), Stella Fink (5-10, so., F), Ava Wahlers (5-10, fr., F), Cheyne Pitcher (5-6, fr., G), Isabel Porterfield (5-5, fr., G), Arianna Watterman (5-5, sr., G), Lauren Loveland (5-5, jr., G)
Returning starters: 3 (Chambers, Page, Gunn)
From the coach: “Our participation numbers have increased, and some of our younger players will have to contribute at the varsity level. Sarah Chambers was a first team NTL All-Star, and our second leading scorer last year, and Mikayla Gunn was our team defensive player of the year.”
NORTHERN POTTER
Coach: Cindy Cowburn (6th year, 72-45)
2018-19 record/postseason: 11-12, Coudersport (L, 49-21, D9 Class A quarterfinals)
Roster: Alyssa Burchell (5-3, sr., G), Faith Zdrojewski (5-6, jr., G), Courtney Martin (5-5, so., G), Abbie Cady (5-7, so., F), Madison Hoopes (5-4, so., F), Megan Hyde (5-6, so., F), Rebecca Martin (5-7, fr., F), Aubree Anderson (5-5, fr., G), Riley Thompson (5-3, fr., G), Ellie Reed (5-3, fr., G), Lydia Zdrojewski (5-10, fr., F), Chloe Brimmer (5-4, fr., G)
Returning starters: 3
From the coach: “We are coming off a season with a record of 11-12. We graduated one senior. Even though we are young, we have a good group of hard working girls. We are looking to improve and gain experience with each game, and make it back to District play.”
OSWAYO VALLEY
Coach: Dale Norton (2nd year, 8-14)
2018-19 record/postseason: 8-14, none.
Roster: Mikayla Bell (5-4, sr., G), Jadyn Brabham (5-8, fr., F), Ada Centeno Diaz (5-4, sr., G), Liberty Enty (5-7, fr., C), Makenzie Good (5-5, fr., F), Trinity Lundy (5-1, fr., G), Ella Malogrino (5-5, fr., G), Makenzie Mesler (5-7, so., F), Breeanna Van Skiver (5-4, fr., G), Macy West (5-9, jr., C)
Returning starters: 2 (West, Mesler)
OTTO-ELDRED
Coach: Shawn Gray (2nd year, 15-11)
2018-19 record/postseason: 15-11; Cameron County (W, 36-32, D9 Class A quarterfinals), Johnsonburg (L, 59-39, D9 semifinals), Coudersport (L, 31-23, D9 consy game), Rochester (L, 61-44, PIAA Class A quarterfinals)
Roster: Jadelyn Spinney (5-5, sr., G, 5.9 ppg, 3 rpg, 1.6 spg), Reilly Raught (5-10, jr., F, 7.2 ppg, 5 rpg, 1 bpg), Kayley Heller (5-8, jr., F, 5.8 ppg, 5.4 rpg, 1.1 spg), Haley Cousins (5-6, jr., G, 3.2 ppg), Morgan Dalton (5-10, jr., G/F, 2 ppg, 3.1 rpg), Emmalee Sheeler (5-6, jr., G/F, 1.6 ppg, 1.5 rpg), Brandi Neureiter (5-4, jr., G), Hannah Gordon (5-7, so., F), Katie Sheeler (5-4, fr., G), Bri Heller (5-8, fr., F)
Returning starters: 2 (Raught, Heller)
PORT ALLEGANY
Coach: Jamie Evens (2nd year, 16-7)
2018-19 record/postseason: 16-7, Keystone (L, 36-26, D9 Class AA quarterfinals)
Roster: Cailey Barnett (5-4, sr., G, 13.4 ppg, 4.9 rpg, 3.9 spg); Maleah Daniels (5-8, sr., F, 2 ppg, 2 rpg); Jade Evens (5-9, jr., F, 2 ppg, 2 rpg, 1 bpg); Bree Garzel (5-7, jr., G, 9.6 ppg, 3.8 rpg, 1.9 spg), Gracie Archer (5-2, G, jr.), Mallory Causer (5-7, jr., F), Shannon Curfman 5-8, jr., F), Cheyenne Crowe (5-4, so., G), Brielle Budd (5-9, fr., F), Madelin Smith (5-8, fr., F), Evin Stauffer (5-6, fr., G)
Returning starters: 2 (Barnett, Garzel)
SMETHPORT
Coach: Chad Goodman (2nd year, 3-18)
2018-19 record/postseason: 3-18, none.
Roster: Erin Herzog (sr., F), MyKayla Deyarmin (sr., G), Danielle Nelson (so., G), Sabrina Tanner (so., G), Salena Williams (jr., G), Kaelin Love (jr., F), Corinna Wood (so., F), Emma Brammer (so., G), Coryn McClain (so., F), Abby Lutz (fr., G), Taylor Neff (fr., G), Camryn Mongell (fr., G)
Returning starters: 4 (Herzog, Deyarmin, Nelson, Tanner)
From the coach: “Beginning their second season under the head coach, the team feels more comfortable with the system that has been implemented. Our youth has gained a lot of valuable experience. Our two seniors have developed into great leaders on and off the court, and we will need that as we are still a young team with only four upperclassmen.”
