Beechwood

        • COACH: Flora Fields (11th season, 102-120)

        • LAST YEAR: 10-14

        • KEY PLAYERS: Brittany Kirby (5-10 senior center, 7.3 points a game)

        • OUTLOOK: Beechwood's defense should be stingy this year - the Lady Tigers allowed just 42.5 points a game last season. Scoring, however, is a major concern — last year's leading scorer Katie Pohlgeers graduated.

        Bellevue

        • COACH: David Sedivy (first year)

        • LAST YEAR: 16-10

        • KEY PLAYERS: Meggie Mulligan (6.8 points per game last year); Meghan Myers (6.4 points).

        • OUTLOOK: In addition to Mulligan and Myers, Sedivy said Newport Central Catholic transfer Sarah Fogelman will immediately contribute.

        Bellevue does not have much height, but Sedivy things quickness and postioning will compensate.

        Bishop Brossart

        • COACH: Ray Kues (18th season overall, 371-143)

        • LAST YEAR: 28-7

        • KEY PLAYERS: Jessica Lloyd (junior guard, 4.5 points, 2.2 rebounds); Casey Geiman (junior forward-guard, 4.6 points, 3.7 rebounds)

        • OUTLOOK: Kues and the defending 10th Region champion Lady 'Stangs aren't kidding themselves — they can't replace Miss Basketball and Miami University freshman Katie Schwegmann or Carrie Clift. But Brossart has talent back. It won a team camp tournament at Transylvania University this summer.

        What Brossart hopes to do is spread the scoring around. Besides Lloyd and Geiman, look for juniors Ashley Seiter, Sarah Wright and Sarah Christen to round out the starting lineup.

        Boone County

        • COACH: Nell Fookes (16th season, 364-134)

        • LAST YEAR: 27-5

        • KEY PLAYERS: Christian Stefanopoulos (5-6 senior guard, 12.5 points, 4.5 assists, 4 steals per game); Chrissy Isaac (5-10 senior forward, 8 points and 5 rebounds per game).

        • OUTLOOK: The past two years, Boone County could rely on Ciara Henderson to score. Henderson is gone to Loyola-Chicago now, so Stefanopoulos, Isaac and senior guard Shannon Matheny have to become major contributors instead of role players.

        Sophomore Katie Madden, junior Abby Newhouse and senior Casondra Milner will play the most minutes on the front line with Isaac.

        Calvary Christian

        • COACH: Troy Williams (second season, 21-5)

        • LAST YEAR: 21-5

        • KEY PLAYERS: Becca Blaine (5-10 senior forward, 8 points and 4 rebounds last year)

        • OUTLOOK: A fourth straight 20-win season will be difficult to achieve this year, since Blaine is the lone returning starter. Senior Amber Brunstetter, junior Ashley Krumpelman and sophomore Julie Moran are the next three best players.

        Campbell County

        • COACH: Ed Cravens (58-51 career)

        • LAST YEAR: 15-13

        • KEY PLAYERS: Stacey Barry (5-5 junior guard, 8 points, 6 rebounds a game); Tara King (6-1 senior center, 6 points, 6 rebounds).

        • OUTLOOK: Campbell County seeks its third consecutive winning season and can achieve it if the rebounding and defense improves.

        Conner

        • COACH: Carmen Shannon

        • LAST YEAR: 8-18

        • KEY PLAYER: C Laura VonHandorf

        • OUTLOOK:: Conner wants to slow down its offense a little this year, but whatever the Cougars do depends on VonHandorf, a 5-11 junior who is recovering from two broken vertebra in her back.

        Dayton

        • COACH: Jennifer Hobson (second year, 2-19)

        • LAST YEAR: 2-19

        • KEY PLAYERS: Samantha Hollingsworth (5-9 senior guard, 12.8 points a game); Janet Lovins (5-7 senior guard, 11.5 points per game).

        • OUTLOOK: Junior forward Sarah Brennan and senior forward Nikki Lynn should contribute on offense as well as Hollingsworth and Lovins. Hobson said regaining confidence after last year could be the biggest obstacle.

        Dixie Heights

        • COACH: Jeff Wright (fifth season, 36-74)

        • LAST YEAR: 18-11

        • KEY PLAYER: Sarah Wright (5-11 junior forward, 10 points, 7.4 rebounds per game).

        • OUTLOOK: Sarah Wright, the coach's daughter, will be expected to be the heart of Dixie's game this year ) she was either first or second in 11 statistical categories last year. Junior point guard Julianne Lingelbach is the team's top defender.

        Grant County

        • COACH: Megan Hearn (third season, 6-44)

        • LAST YEAR: 2-25

        • KEY PLAYER: F Amber Garnett (senior forward, 12 points, 8 rebounds a game last year).

        • OUTLOOK: Six seniors who have played together since middle school are back for their final season. But the Lady Braves' bench is thin with a sophomore and two freshmen.

        Heritage Academy

        • COACH: Tom Knight (second season, 2-21)

        • LAST YEAR: 2-21

        • KEY PLAYER: Amber King (5-10 senior forward, 7.4 points, 7.8 rebounds a game).

        • OUTLOOK: It could be another long year if someone other than King, the only senior, doesn't provide some offense. Knight said his team is at least unselfish and works hard.

        Highlands

        • COACH: Luci Cecil (fifth season, 74-21)

        • LAST YEAR: 24-10

        • KEY PLAYERS: Tara Boothe (6-1 senior center, 21 points, 11 rebounds a game last year)

        • OUTLOOK: Three starters return from last year's Ninth Region championship team. The Ladybirds will need more help from sophomore guard Abi Gibson, who averaged 5 points a game and shot 32 percent from 3-point range.

        Holmes

        • COACH: Casey Sparrow (first season; 60-25 overall)

        • LAST YEAR: 13-9

        • KEY PLAYERS: Erica Hallman (5-7 senior guard, 20.8 points, 4.9 assists, 4.2 rebounds, 3.2 steals per game)

        • OUTLOOK: Hallman is not the Lady Bulldogs' only weapon. Senior forward Valencia Jackson averaged 14 points and 9 rebounds a game, and junior guard Jonna Patterson added 12 points and 6 rebounds.

        The team's biggest concern could be having to learn yet another system. Sparrow is Holmes' third coach in four years.

        Holy Cross

        • COACH: Rob Kues (63-51 overall)

        • LAST YEAR: 14-12

        • KEY PLAYERS: Ashlie Noll, 5-9 senior guard (6.9 points, 5 assists a game); Molly Hall, 6-1 senior center (9.6 points, 6.9 rebounds a game).

        • OUTLOOK: The Indians are much the same team from last year's 36th District champions — eight seniors are back. Senior Rachelle Vogelpohl will start at one forward, with seniors Krista Mitts, Amanda Batsche, Rosie Arlinghaus, Sharon Ankenbauer and Tess Bosch will battle for the other two starting spots.

        Lloyd

        • COACH: Bryant Gillis (first season)

        • LAST YEAR: 6-17

        • KEY PLAYER: Tiffany Vance (5.1 points, 2.5 rebounds a game)

        • OUTLOOK: Gillis, who formerly coached the Juggernaut boys, has a tough task this year. Vance is the leading scorer returning. Lloyd will rely on juniors Beth Fields and Stacey Kaaz to improve its low-post offense.

        Ludlow

        • COACH: Jay BrewerŲ

        • LAST YEAR: 13-13

        • KEY PLAYER: Beth Blackburn (5-10 junior center).

        • OUTLOOK: Brewer will turn to junior center Beth Blackburn to lead a team that is young and inexperienced. To slow down the games, the Panthers will go to more of a half-court offense.

        Newport

        • COACH: Dave Schlosser (second season, 19-10)

        • LAST YEAR: 19-10

        • KEY PLAYER: Christina Jones (5-4 junior guard, 9 points a game

        • OUTLOOK: Schlosser has a predicament: how to replace the eight seniors who graduated. Juniors Tiffani Atkins, Valerie Raisor and Tyana Robers will share time on the front line, with Stacey Runion, Taleka Glenn and Melia Clark competing for the other guard spot alongside Jones.

        Newport Central Catholic

        • COACH: Christie McDonald (sixth season, 70-74)

        • LAST YEAR: 25-9

        • KEY PLAYER: Nicole Chiodi (5-11 sophomore guard, 11.5 points, 4.8 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 3.9 steals per game last year).

        • OUTLOOK: NewCath is a young team, with senior guard Julie Burks is the lone senior. Chiodi, Burks (8.8 points a game last year) and junior center Heather Maudlin (5.5 points, 3.6 rebounds) form the core of the offense. NewCath could stand a little more scoring from the front line.

        Notre Dame

        • COACH: Cheryl Darpel (sixth season, 71-65)

        • LAST YEAR: 16-11

        • KEY PLAYER: Marquise Hanser (5-9 junior guard, 15.4 points per game last year)

        • OUTLOOK: Darpel calls her Pandas an experienced group with Hanser, senior Lauren Fischesser and junior Jennifer Witte among the returnees. She worries, however, about lack of depth on the bench and how soon it will take a team with many volleyball and soccer players to round into basketball shape.

        Pendleton County

        • COACH: Keith Smith (fifth season, 34-61)

        • LAST YEAR: 9-17

        • KEY PLAYER: Megan Wood (5-9 junior forward, 12 points, 8.3 rebounds per game)

        • OUTLOOK: The Wildcats have only one senior and can go 10 deep on their bench, but Smith said the perimeter shooting has to improve. Four players, sophomores Samantha Godman and Jenna Kelsch and juniors Ginger Courtney and Erin Espelage are the best long-range shooters.

        Ryle

        • COACH: Kenneth Nutter (second season, 9-16)

        • LAST YEAR: 9-16

        • KEY PLAYERS: Christina Steiner (5-9 sophomore forward, 10 points and 88 percent free throw percentage)

        • OUTLOOK: Nutter said senior Brenna Bulach, junior Ashley Schmidt, sophomore Crystal Woodard and freshman Renee Dailey form a nice supporting cast. But the Raiders need a more stingy defense to be a factor in the Ninth Region.

        St. Henry

• COACH: Amy Petroze (second season, 4-20)

        • LAST YEAR: 4-20

        • KEY PLAYER: Erin Johnson (6-0 senior forward, 7 rebounds a game)

        • OUTLOOK: The Crusaders have to score more than last year's 34.8 points per game and shoot better than 34 percent from the field. Junior Stephanie Tabeling and senior Ashley Lindemann are expected to be contributors.

        Scott

        • COACH: Patrick Curtis (first year)

        • LAST YEAR: 8-10

        • KEY PLAYERS: Carlie Hutchinson (senior guard, 15 points, 8 rebounds, 5 assists per game).

        • OUTLOOK: Curtis said there would be some problems early in the year as his team adjusts to a new offense. The Eagles are young; they have five seniors on the roster, but none other than Hutchinson have much varsity experience.

        Silver Grove

        • COACH: Christy Greis (70-107 overall)

        • LAST YEAR: 5-19

        • KEY PLAYER: Alanna Bass (5-7 senior guard, 14.1 points per game)

        • OUTLOOK: Bass is a threat from the perimeter and inside - she made 56.6 percent of her 3-point field goals last year and was 59.2 percent from the field overall.

        Greis said her team has to be more consistent shooters and cut out the lapses in concentrations on both sides.

        Simon Kenton

        • COACH: Alison McCarthy (second year; 27-23 in two seasons at Holmes)

        • LAST YEAR: 1-19

        • KEY PLAYERS: Sarah Jones (5-6 junior guard, 7 points per game); Eliza Klaine (5-5 senior guard, 7 points per game)

        • OUTLOOK: McCarthy said her team's work ethic is its biggest asset this year. The main weakness is inexperience.

        Villa Madonna

        • COACH: Don Shields (13th season, 169-158 in 12 seasons)

        • LAST YEAR: 21-7

        • KEY PLAYERS: Alex Randall (5-11 senior guard, 10.1 points, 2.3 steals per game).

        • OUTLOOK: The Blue Lightning stands a good chance of equaling last year's school record 21-7 season because 12 players are back. Senior center Lee Humphrey is next in scoring at 9.9 points per game, and junior forward Molly Halpin averaged 5.8 rebounds a game.

        Walton-Verona

        • COACH: Tom Luebbe (third season, 40-18)

        • LAST YEAR: 17-11

        • KEY PLAYERS: Bridget McIntyre (14 points per game); Ashlee Afterkirk (11.5 assists per game).

        • OUTLOOK: For three years, the Ladycats have relied on Jessica Schmidt for much of its scoring and rebounding, but now she's a freshman at Georgetown College. Luebbe said Afterkirk's ball handling and McIntyre's 3-point shooting will be a factor.

        Williamstown

        • COACH: Mike Wilhoit (first season)

        • LAST YEAR: 11-15

        • KEY PLAYERS: Angie Richardson (junior guard, 15.4 points per game); Chelsea Vance (junior guard, 12.3 points per game).

        • OUTLOOK: This year's Lady Demons are basically the same group that has played together the last three years, with an improving record each year.

        Richardson and Vance can score inside and on the perimeter, but there is no true center on the team.

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