Hiland – With the Hawks bringing back everyone from their entire team from last years state semifinal run, they look to be in the drivers seat again. They have it all covered, they have ball handlers, shooters, defenders, rebounders, hustlers and great coaching. Their brutal offseason schedule prepares them for whatever my come their way on their way to Columbus.

Hoover – I think this team has a chance to be better than most think. I think Peyton Davis could be the best kid in the league, and Kinsley as a senior leader gives them some much needed experience. They have some really solid freshmen coming in that will give them some depth and size.

McKinley – Tough to tell with this group with so much change in the month for the Pups. They still have two dynamic guards in Terrell and Foster that will lead the way. With some other older experienced girls along with some nice incoming freshmen, the Pups will still be tough to beat.

Solon – Over the last few years few teams have lost the star power and D1 level talent that the Comets have. They will be younger than ever this coming year but they have some talented young kids that really get after it. They also still have some star power, her name is Hailey Weaver and she’s a junior, keep an eye out!

Wadsworth – They will be younger than recent memory but they have some experienced seniors in Won and Leatherman who have played big varsity minutes their who career. They will continue to be tough defensively and run a great system that the Grizzlies always do. Their biggest concerns will be the lack of jump shooting and someone who can create their own shot when a bucket is really needed.

West Holmes – They will be improved from last year, they’ve been young the last few years and those kids are growing and getting better. Katie Sprang looks like she’s ready to make the jump and lead the Knights.

♦

(Monday, June 17th)

Morgan Blackford (2023) Solon – I like her ability to stay calm as a freshman and handle the ball. She had some really nice drives to the basket with her left hand, using both sides of the court and both sides of the rim.

Peyton Davis (2020) Hoover – Peyton is flat out playing lights out right now. She’s shooting the ball so well, even from deep. She moves so well without the ball, giving herself some easy layups.

Chyanne Hatcher (2023) Solon – Nice athlete, young but not scared, she took it right at defenders. She hit some nice spot up jumpshots, as well as had some nice aggressive moves to the basket.

Kate Haubert (2021) Hoover – Really long, athletic and intense. I love Kate’s energy on the floor. She works just as hard on defense as she does on offense. Not a big scorer but she is relentless on the glass so she’s always getting effort points and saving possessions for the Vikings.

Aila Miller (2022) Hiland – Aila is young and continues to grow. She has great hands and a very nice left hand. She is deceptively quick and runs the floor well.

Zoe Miller (2021) Hiland – Zoe continues to impress on the glass. Not only does she grab a ton of rebounds but the Bowling Green commit is really good at rebounding on one side of the rim and finishing on the other side, keeping shot blockers off guard.

Hailey Weaver (2021) Solon – Hailey is the real deal. She’s always been real good, but now she’s becoming incredibly tough to guard. Between her hitting very difficult shots and extending her range beyond the arc, she keeps getting better and better!

♦

(Tuesday, June 11th)

Alison Boykin (2020) McKinley – Undersized post, but has lots of energy and effort. Has nice post moves and rebounds well. She has gotten more lean since last year and she’s moving well.

Dream Cherry (2021) St. V – I like her energy, she’s not only straight line fast but also shifty and quick. She rebounds well for her small stature. Offensively she’s tough to keep from getting in the paint. Will get to the line a lot.

Celina Koncz (2020) Chippewa – Celina is a shooter, that has great size. She’s also quick enough and strong enough to get to the rim, and finish at the rim. Very good in transition, someone who can get to the rim or pull up and score.

Bel Rodriguez (2023) Chippewa – Incoming freshman but she’s recently hit a growth spurt. She’s sprouted a few inches and has put on some muscle. Solid shooter and she’s adding an ability to penetrate and score at the rim.

Katie Sprang (2021) West Holmes – Very athletic, very muscular guard. She has the energy and intensity to be a great defender. Her speed makes her a huge weapon in transition. She finishes nicely in the paint and around the rim.

Nakyah Terrell (2021) McKinley – Tough guard, really turning into a great PG. She leads the offense, gets her team where they need to be and shows patience running sets and getting the right looks. Beginning to be a nice shooter.

♦

(Thursday, June 6th)

I sat in the main gym and watched 3 Ohio high school tradition rich programs battle it out. Hoover slid by Wadsworth late after a tight game most of the way, Hiland then got the best of Hoover on a back to back, Hiland then almost gave up a big lead on Wadsworth but held on to pull away late.

Wadsworth is as young and inexperienced as they’ve ever been but the most important position is safe with E’Anna Won (2020), Siena Heights commit, playing PG. She’ll be a 4 year letter winner and handles the ball very nicely. She’s quick and can get to the rim. Defensively she’s a hound, she stays after the ball, she’s quick and has some length which helps in the Grizzlies full and half court defenses. Celia Lambert (2022) also looked great for the Grizz, she’s a raw post that’s about 5’10” and works really hard in the paint. She works hard to get position and works even harder on the boards, she’s gonna continue to grow for sure. Maggie Long (2022) looks sharp as well in the backcourt. She looks quicker, more confident and ready to step into a larger role. She handles the ball well and can knock down outside shots

Hoover is led by a couple seniors, Peyton Davis and Kelsey Kinsley. Peyton is a big time guard who continues to improve. She is very intense and tough. She can get to the rim where she can finish strong or finish with some creativity and agility. She’s developed into a very nice shooter who can knock down shots on the move and spotted up. She’s stronger than almost any other guards around, making her a tough guard. Kinsley is an ultimate teammate. She is her teams biggest fan hen she’s taking a breather. I’m not sure she’s gonna overwhelm anyone with her skillset but she undoubtedly impresses with her energy and effort. Kelsey will play through any injury, she will not back down from anyone, and she will be the best teammate you can imagine.

Hiland is led by the incredible guard-post combo of Morgan Yoder (2021) & Zoe Miller (2021), who recently committed to Bowling Green, is a rebounder extraordinaire. No one works harder on the boards and gets off the floor to claim rebounds as emphatically as Zoe. She’s a good long range shooter for her position and is very good selling fakes, handoffs and backdoors for buckets. Morgan is as good of a PG as any that I know. She’s a terrific leader, she controls tempo and pace very well, and is an extension of the coach on the floor. she can score the ball from deep, midrange or at the rim. She has great speed and size as well. Kendra Shetler (2020) also is an important piece for Hiland. She’s not counted on to score a bunch of points but she works hard in her role. She hits the boards hard and is never outhustled. She always gives the Hawks some stability in the lineup because of her attention to detail and willingness to do anything it takes to win, she always gives them exactly what is expected of her.

♦

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