Jennings County’s Juliann Woodard shoots a layup while being guarded by Columbus East’s Leah Bachmann, left, and Messiah Trapp Jan. 19 at Columbus East.
The Republic file photo
The return of an Indiana Junior All-Star, along with the addition of a point guard who missed last season with an injury, plus a deep supporting cast has the Jennings County girls thinking big this basketball season.
The Panthers went 16-6, including 4-2 in the Hoosier Hills Conference, last season. In the first round of the sectional, they played eventual Class 4A state champion Bedford North Lawrence close for 3 1/2 quarters before the Stars pulled away in the closing minutes.
“Our expecatations are high,” Jennings coach Kristi Sigler said. “We have to stay healthy. We have to come every day ready to work and we need to continue to get better.”
Juliann Woodard, a 6-foot senior and Michigan State recruit led the Panthers with 22.8 points, 12.5 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 2.4 steals and 2.4 blocks a game last season and was named an Indiana Junior All-Star. She sat out Wednesday’s scrimmage at Columbus East with a boot on her foot, but is expected back for Tuesday’s regular-season opener at Scottsburg.
“We’re just taking it pretty cautious,” Sigler said. “She’s been practicing non-contact stuff. She’ll be ready to go.”
Alivia Elmore, a 5-8 senior, started at point guard her first two years before having ACL surgery and missing last season. Mollie Ernstes (12.0 ppg, 3.2 rpg, 2.6 apg), a 5-9 sophomore, had a big freshman season, and 5-6 junior Maddie McIntosh also returns to the lineup.
The other starter alongside Woodard in the post will be either 5-11 senior Alexis Carson, who has seen plenty of action the past two years, or 5-10 freshman Etta Young. Avynn Belding, a 5-9 junior who saw action last season, is recovering from a volleyball injury and will be ready early in the season.
Also vying for spots in the rotation are 5-9 senior Cheyeanna Leslie, 5-5 junior Haley Vogel, 5-7 sophomore Riley Byford and 5-7 freshman Kaydence Lowman.
“We’re deep,” Sigler said. “We’re deeper than we ever have been. We have 10 or 11 kids who are with us every day at practice, and they’re competing every day and they’re making each other better.”
Brown County
The Eagles enjoyed a big turnaround in Kamady Lewis’ first season at the helm, going from 3-20 the previous year to 13-10 last season.
Lexie Austin, a 5-6 senior, returns after leading Brown County with 13.1 points and adding 3.0 rebounds and 1.1 assists.
“She has been putting in the work this offseason,” Lewis said. “She’s super strong. She’s been in the weight room. She’s been working out. She’s going to do great this year.”
Other returning starters include 5-5 senior point guard Maddie Huff, 5-8 senior Anna Stogsdill and 5-7 sophomore Ava Stogsdill. Cady Kemp and Anna Tipton, both 5-6 seniors, are vying for the other starting spot.
Chloe Poling, a 5-6 sophomore, and 5-6 junior Ava Sanders are up from the JV. Anna Emkes, a 5-5 junior newcomer, also could see action.
“We’re very small this year, but we have speed, and we definitely have experience, also, so that’s great,” Lewis said. “We’re going to try to push the ball, so it’s kind of nice that we do have these girls who are in good shape. They’re already quick, so now we’re just working on the basketball conditioning side of things. We just have a good group that I think will really buy into the game plan and understand it and be able to actually execute it.”
South Decatur
The Cougars had their best season since 2013-14, going 9-15 overall, including 4-2 in the Mid-Hoosier Conference.
All five starters from that team return.
“I’m kind of excited to build on the progression of last year,” South Decatur coach Kristen Hicks said. “Last year, we won more games than we’ve won in several years. We hadn’t done that well in the conference in several years. We’re starting to have that kind of success now.”
Kiley Best, a 5-7 junior, led the Cougars with 12.6 points, 1.8 assists and 1.7 steals and added 3.8 rebounds. Also returning are 5-7 senior Molly Eden, 5-5 senior Brayley Sundal, 5-6 junior Paige McQueen and 5-11 junior Makayla Somers.
“Those starters have been getting minutes since they were freshmen,” Hicks said. “I’m excited to see what that group can do this year.”
Makayla Puckett, a 5-2 junior, also saw action last season. Taylor Somers, a 5-10 freshman, will look to make an immediate impact.
Edinburgh
The Lancers have a new coach in Dennis Smith. Smith spent the past two years as an assistant under Amy Schilling after serving as Edinburgh’s JV boys coach for six years.
Smith takes over a team that went 6-18, including 0-6 in the MHC. The Lancers lost their last 10 games.
“The main goal this year is just to compete,” Smith said. “I felt like last year, we didn’t compete every quarter. That had a lot to do with our inexperience.”
Edinburgh still will be largely inexperienced with only two seniors. One of those, 5-8 point guard Kyah Streeval, tore an ACL the second game of last year and missed the rest of the season.
“We have a lot of work to do,” Smith said. “We’re very inexperienced. The good thing about these girls is, they compete. They’re very competitive, and they work hard.”
Three sophomores started as freshman last year — 5-5 Kenna Streeval, 5-10 Lillie Goff and 5-8 Bella Turner. They will be joined in the lineup by either 6-2 junior Mia Dodson or 5-4 senior newcomer Alix Streeval.
Kinzie Purvis, a 5-8 freshman, and 5-9 junior Shyleigh Goble, also could see action.
“The one thing that I have is athleticism,” Smith said. “Each one of those girls has some athleticism and has some ability. It’s just transferring that into basketball.”
Trinity Lutheran
The Cougars lost Bailey Tabeling to Ohio University, but return the other four starters from a team that went 22-7 and won a regional title. Darrin Keith takes over as head coach for Mike Lang, who moved over to take the Trinity boys job.
Keith’s daughter, 5-9 junior Madison Keith, is the top returning scorer and rebounder. Also back are 5-8 senior Liza Froedge, 5-7 junior Jordan Brewer and 5-3 junior Laura Roeder.
Marley Warren, a 5-5 freshman, could fill the other starting spot.
“We have a ton of talent coming in the freshman class,” Darrin Keith said.
Morgan Brewer, a 5-7 senior, and 5-6 senior Dianna Munoz saw some action last season. Newcomers include 6-2 sophomore Bailey Bonde, a move-in from Minnesota, along with 5-6 freshman Emerson Warren and 5-5 freshman Zoey Delaney. Maddie Adams, a 5-3 sophomore, also could see some varsity action.
“I think this team has a chance to be just as good as the team last year,” Darrin Keith said. “I think our team defense will be better than it was last year. We’re quicker. We’re going to be able to get up and down the floor, and we have more bodies this year and they’re all athletic.”
