ARCHIVE PHOTO / THE VILLAGE REPORTER
BBC ACTION … Stryker’s Grace Froelich looks to drive baseline in a game last season at Montpelier.
By: John Fryman
THE VILLAGE REPORTER
john@thevillagereporter.com
With everyone returning from a year ago, girls basketball fans would predict this year’s Buckeye Border Conference girls’ basketball race comes down to Edon and Stryker.
Both squads also didn’t graduate a single player from a year ago, and they eventually return everyone which makes the Bombers and Panthers the pre-season favorites above the rest of the BBC competition.
Following is a capsule preview look at this year’s BBC girls’ basketball race.
EDON BOMBERS
Head coach: Brien Moore, first season
2024-25 record: 5-18, 2-5 BBC
Lettermen lost: None
Lettermen returning: Addison Briner (5-10, senior, post, BBC honorable mention, District 7 first team, Div. 7 All-Ohio honorable mention); Grace Ripke (5-9, senior, guard, District 7 second team); Genna Ripke (5-8, senior, guard, District 7 honorable mention); Neveah Smith (5-7, junior, guard, BBC and District 7 first team); Amanda Schwartz (5-7, senior, guard/post); Addi Snyder (5-9, sophomore, post); Kaylynn Bartlett (5-5, sophomore, guard)
Newcomers to watch: Avery Aldrich (5-5, freshman, guard); Riley Hay (5-7, sophomore, post)
Coach’s outlook: “We have been very impressed with how coachable this group has been. They are taking new terminology and a new system very well. We feel we have the opportunity to be more competitive this year.
“We understand that we have to play fundamental basketball night in and night out. We feel our non-conference schedule will help prepare us for a competitive league. The BBC is wide open this year. We feel we have a great opportunity to compete for a league title, but we know we have to play our best hoops on league nights.
“We feel Stryker, Fayette, and Pettisville are the front runners. Montpelier is always disciplined and well-coached. North Central brings a lot of talent back. We are very happy with where we are at this point in the season.
“We know the basketball season is a marathon and we have to take things in stride. We as a group need to play with confidence and learn how to value basketball and finish out games.”
FAYETTE EAGLES
Head coach: Travis Arkwright, second season
2024-25 record: 11-12, 3-4 BBC
Lettermen lost: Zoie Brown (6,6 ppg, 6.3 rpg), Erika Fetterman (1.7 ppg, 3.4 rpg)
Letterwinners returning: Addison Schang (5-6, senior, 1st team BBC, 9.3 ppg, 3 rpg); Kelsie Storrs (5-5, senior, 2nd team BBC, 8.9 ppg, 3.5 rpg); Willow Mitchell (5-3, senior, 3.6 ppg, 2.4 rpg); Mesa Gorsuch (5-5, senior, 2.3 ppg, 1.7 rpg); Kennedy Kunkle (5-10, sophomore, 5.7 ppg, 6 rpg); Monroe Simon (5-5, sophomore)
Newcomers to watch: Maycee Beers (5-8, junior); Ellie Williams (5-7, sophomore), Ally Kessler (5-8 freshman), Shelby Phillips (5-8, freshman)
Coach’s outlook: “We are more comfortable in our style of play going into this upcoming season. We have a good understanding of what we are supposed to do and when to do it. They are taking coaching and are putting themselves in a position to succeed.
“We have a versatile group that can play multiple spots on the floor. We are looking forward to competing this upcoming season to see where we stack up with other teams in our area. We do not have a lot of size on our team.
“We are going to have to find ways to pull other teams’ bigger players away from the basket on offense and keep the ball out of the paint on defense, so our opponent just can’t play bigger than us. We have to use our quickness to dictate how the game will be played.
“We are hoping to keep learning and growing together as a team. Each day in practice is an opportunity to get better and to set up for success. We want to keep building good habits throughout, so we give ourselves a chance to play meaningful games later in the season.
“I think our league is solid from top to bottom with good players and good coaches. Going into the season, I believe every team believes they have a chance of winning a league title. I don’t think anybody would be shocked if our league champion had multiple losses in league play.”
HILLTOP CADETS
Head coach: Troy Grime (eighth season, 88-73 record)
2024-25 record: 20-4, 5-2 BBC, lost to Ottoville in Division 7 regional semifinal
Lettermen lost: Eleana Van Arsdalen (4 ppg, 1.5 rpg), Libbie Baker (17.7 ppg, 11.2 rpg)
Lettermen returning: Molly Dickinson (5-5, senior, 6.9 ppg, 3.3 rpg), Sophia Crossgrove (5-7, junior, 5.9 ppg, 6.1 rpg), Kelsy Connolly (5-7, junior, 3.8 ppg, 2.8 rpg), Kenley Routt (5-5, senior, 2 ppg, 1.5 rpg)
Newcomers to watch: “We have numerous girls competing very hard for varsity spots and playing time.”
Coach’s outlook: “Need to build depth at the varsity level. Looking forward to how we improve through the season, integrating new players with the system. The BBC, as in previous years, should be competitive from top to bottom. You need to be prepared every night to put forth your best effort.”
HOLGATE TIGERS
Head coach: Mitch Fisher, (second season, 5-17 record)
2024-25 record: 5-17, 3-4 BBC
Lettermen lost: Isabelle Blaker (8.8 ppg, 5.5 rpg), Mya Tijerina (1.7 ppg), Marlee Wilhelm (3.1 ppg, 3.5 rpg), Tyja Jones (1.7 ppg)
Lettermen returning: Jillian Eis (5-9, senior, post, 5 ppg, 6.5 rpg), Delaney Meyer (5-5, sophomore guard, 7.7 ppg, 2.9 rpg), Lyndee Palte (5-5, junior, guard)
Newcomers to watch: Anna Bower (5-8, junior, guard/forward); Sylee Leaders (5-6, junior, guard/forward), Emerson Vance (5-6, freshman, forward/guard); Tori Kubilis (5-8, freshman, guard), Quinn Gibson (5-8, freshman, post), Maddie Zimmerly (5-11, freshman, post)
Coach’s outlook: “We have a great group of kids who are willing to work toward moving forward as a team. They want to learn the game and try their best in everything that we do. We have kids who are buying in on the defensive end of the floor in order to make that a strength for us as a team.
“Lack of numbers, we will have a ton of kids who will have to play different roles. We want to continue to grow as a team and be competitive. We want to play hard and execute. We look just to compete in our conference games and continue to grow as a program.”
MONTPELIER LOCOMOTIVES
Head coach: Mike Bumb, seventh season, 93-45 coaching record
2024-25 record: 16-6, 7-0 BBC champions
Letterwinners lost: Kelsie Bumb (1st team BBC, all-district, special mention D-6 All-Ohio); Jada Uribes (1st team BBC, 2nd team all-district), Aleigha Hillard (BBC and district honorable mention); Madelyn Hopper and Lyla Mahan.
Letterwinners returning; Zoe Uribes (5-7, senior, forward, two-year letterwinner); Aislinn McGee (5-10, sophomore)
Newcomers to watch: Neriah Thorp (5-3, junior); Bella Ramos (5-6, senior); Kaida Feeney (5-9, senior); Stefanie Wade (5-3, sophomore); Rowen Brown (5-5, sophomore); Morgan Bechtol (5-5, sophomore)
Coach’s outlook: “There is no denying we lost the bulk of our roster, graduating five seniors (Bumb, Jada Uribes, Hillard, Hopper, Mahan) all of which started at some point during the season. However, I like this team.
“We have three seniors returning, one of which was the most improved player on our team, Zoe Uribes. She will be one of the best players in the BBC. The other two seniors, Kaida Feeney and Bella Ramos, get a chance to contribute significant minutes, and I am looking forward to seeing them play.
“I really like our sophomore post player (Aislinn McGee). I think she will eventually be one of the top players in the BBC and also have seen some good things from Neriah Thorp, Rowen Brown, Stefanie Wade and Morgan Brown.
“They will all add depth to the varsity roster. I think this team will continually get better as the season progresses. My belief is the wins will eventually come.”
NORTH CENTRAL EAGLES
Head coach: Jamie Brown, tenth season
2024-25 record: 8-15, 1-6 BBC
Lettermen lost: Emmi Hollstein (2.6 ppg, 4 rpg)
Lettermen returning: Cailyn Meyers (5-6, senior, guard, BBC honorable mention, 8.2 ppg, 6.1 rpg); Anna Burt (5-5, junior, guard, 2.5 ppg, 2.3 rpg); Mallory Groves 5-7, junior, forward, 1.3 ppg, 1.5 rpg); Tessa Reyome (5-1, senior, guard, 1.9 ppg, 1.3 rpg); Addyson Turner (5-6, senior, forward, 1.2 ppg, 1.7 rpg): Amelia Lawson (5-4, sophomore, guard, 8.2 ppg, 1.9 rpg); Ava Gruber (5-3, junior, guard); Addie Burger (5-7, junior, forward); Kenzie Hickman (5-6, sophomore, guard).
Newcomers to watch: Zoey Amos (5-3, sophomore, guard); Alexa Smith (5-6, sophomore, forward)
Coach’s outlook: “We have our leading scorers and rebounders back this year and more girls with varsity experience. We are short on numbers this year, and don’t have a junior varsity to pull from.
“We should have a very competitive year with continued growth. The BBC is always tough, and teams are going to be very surprised this year.”
PETTISVILLE BLACKBIRDS
Head coach: Jason Waldvogel (29th season 361-298 record)
Lettermen lost: Olivia Miller (13.7 ppg), Kelsey Bennett (1.8 ppg), Noelle Fox (3.3 ppg), Madison Remington (4.2 ppg), Grace Remington (2.5 ppg)
Lettermen returning: Becca Strauss (5-4, senior, 9.2 ppg, BBC second team), Grace Hastings (5-2, senior, 1.5 ppg), Ashalyn Rice (5-1, junior), Sophie Beltz (5-7, junior), Addison Davis (5-9, sophomore, 1.3 ppg.)
Newcomers to watch: Hannah Fox (5-8, sophomore), Baylee Tietje (5-4, sophomore)
Coach’s outlook: “We have kids that are dedicated to the team and each other. They want to do any job that helps the team win. Our overall team speed should be decent and hopefully able to shoot the ball well.
“We will have more depth, but with a lack of experience and our overall size is smaller. We want to compete each night while putting ourselves in a situation to come out on top each night. In the BBC, we look at Edon and Stryker as both teams return most of the players. We look to compete each and every night.”
STRYKER PANTHERS
Head coach: Conner Ruffer (sixth season, 63-55 record)
2024-25 record: 12-11, 5-2 BBC
Lettermen lost: None
Lettermen returning: Grace Froelich (5-8, senior, forward, 11.1 ppg, BBC first team), Anna Donovan (5-9, sophomore, forward, 5.1 ppg), Abby Oberlin (5-4, senior, guard, 5.3 ppg, BBC honorable mention), Allie Ruffer (5-5, senior, forward), Reiss Creighton (5-4, senior, guard, 5.8 ppg, BBC second team), Aubrey Clemens (5-8, junior, forward, 7.3 ppg), Addalee Fulk (5-3, junior, guard, 1.9 ppg)
Newcomers to watch: Ava Bowers (5-4, freshman, guard), Brenna Creighton (5-5, freshman, guard), McKenzie Clemens (5-8, freshman, guard), Khloe Goebel (5-8, freshman, forward), Annabelle Miller (5-5, freshman, forward)
Coach’s outlook: “We have everyone coming back from last year, so it will be an exciting year of growth and meeting our goals with the knowledge of playing together and having great chemistry.
“Experience in tough games and having subs, pushing through hard patches, getting to districts. Incoming freshmen with talent that will push our returning players and compete. We’re excited for this season as we have all of our girls coming back, and they have a lot of capability.
“The BBC could be any team like always. Depends on who steps up on any given night. We have high expectations for ourselves and what we achieve them.”