Girls Basketball Preview 2023

Park Ready For New Year, Title Once Again On Their Minds

WHEELING – It’s a cliche that is often-used in athletics – unfinished business. However, that is exactly what the Wheeling Park girls’ basketball team plans on taking care of during the 2023-24 season. The Patriots, who sat atop the W.Va. Class 4A standings for most of the 2022-23 season, had a fine 25-3 record, but two of the losses came at the hands of rival Morgantown, including a 54-50 reversal to the Mohigans in the state championship game in Charleston. The Ohio County squad also fell in the OVAC Class 5A finals at Harrison Central to the Monongalia ...

Cameron Eager For Challenges As Defending Champs Once More

CAMERON – Holly Pettit has built a small school powerhouse at Cameron as the head coach, but being a former player, she knows a team can’t rest on its previous accomplishments. So, Pettit has loaded up the schedule this season as the Dragons (22-6) prepare for a possible three-peat when the annual W.Va. Class A state tournament rolls around in Charleston. She also knows that her talented squad, which returns all five starters, will have a bulls-eye on its back. “Everybody we played last year in the postseason has most everyone coming back and they are going to be bigger and ...

Wheeling Central Anticipates Deep Run Despite Losses

WHEELING – Despite losing four starters from last year’s W.Va. Class AA state tournament qualifier, Wheeling Central is poised for another deep run this winter, according to fourth-year head coach Roberta Olejasz. Picking up diplomas last year were Keiera Wilkinson, Lily Vogrin, Valerie Downing and Reagan Olejasz. Wilkinson was injured late in the regular season and didn’t play in the postseason. However, the cupboard isn’t bare as five letterwinners return. Leading the way are senior Brook Edge (5-6); junior Ava Hanson (5-5); and sophomores Haley Severns (5-10), Addie Payton ...

Monarchs Heading Into New Season Ahead Of Schedule

MOUNDSVILLE – Going into last season, John Marshall girls basketball coach Brock Melko knew there were going to be some growing pains. However, a young Monarchs squad was able to finish the 2022-23 season with a solid 15-8 record. “We had our good moments and our bad moments,” Melko said. “Going in we knew we were going to be young. Our freshmen were in for a culture shock. They were used to winning. It was an eye-opener for them in a good way. “I kind of looked at last year as a group getting our feet wet in the pool with the powers across the state. Hopefully now, ...

Linsly Facing New Challenges As Cadets Build Around Guard Duo

WHEELING - In a highly competitive field, the Linsly Cadets are staying cognizant of the different challenges they will face in the 2023-24 season. “We are not as deep as we have been in the past, that’s definitely going to be our challenge for the year, our depth of roster,” Linsly head coach Rebecca Upton said. “We spent a lot of time this offseason just talking about who we are and what our strengths are. Understanding that people are really going to have to embrace their roles this year, and not everybody’s role is going to be the same. But everybody’s role is going to ...

Big Red Growing Up After Surprising Senior-less Season

STEUBENVILLE — The Big Red girls basketball team is coming off a 15-win season from a group that did not have a senior. While a couple injuries have subtracted from the group, the hopes for coach Angie Forte and company are high coming into the season with a lot of experience back. “It was a good season,” Forte said. “We learned from it we have to be a little more disciplined offensively. We did a great job in transition, we have to be execute more in the half court set. “We saw a lot of growth and maturity last year. They really started finding their confidence both ...

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