The Lady Monarch varsity basketball team is pictured from left, front row, Leah Brown, Ava Krutowskis, Ava Wilkerson and Gabe Lee; second row, Abri Schmutz, Meghan McKinney, Alyssa Straham, Cam Lee and Abbey Williams; back row, assistant coach Sydney Parrott Ransome, Adeline Tweed, Grace Groves, JoJo Eberhart, Madelyn Hansen and head coach Klarke Ransome. (Journal-Tribune photo by Tim Miller)
A veteran team returns from last year’s Ohio Capital Conference Cardinal Division championship and the Division I district runner-up for the Marysville High School girls basketball team.
The Lady Monarchs posted an 18-6 overall record, which was the best record the team had posted in recent memory.
MHS also won the Cardinal Division with an 8-2 mark.
Returning lettermen include Ava Wilkerson (9.5 points per game), Ava Krutowskis (9.0), Leah Brown (5.1), Alyssa Strahm (4.1) and Cam Lee, Abri Schmutz, Abbey Williams and JoJo Eberhart (all in the 1.5 range).
Eberhart, Cam and Gab Lee, Schmutz and Williams should see more varsity court time this winter.
Meghan McKinney can be added into the mix as well.
“Jojo is very skilled,” said MHS coach Klarke Ransome. “She is long and athletic and we’ll look for her to do many things on both ends of the floor.
“Most importantly, she can create scoring opportunities for herself and her teammates.
“I look for Cam to make shots, space the floor offensively and be tough defensively,” said the coach.
“Abri brings energy and effort,” said Ransome. “She can defend at a very high level and create scoring opportunities from her defense.”
Ransome said Gab Lee is coming back from an ACL injury suffered last year.
“She’s another tough, physical girl who does a lot of really good things on both ends of the floor.”
McKinney is a senior who also missed all of last year.
She is a longer, athletic forward who can run the floor and will be looked upon to rebound and be physical on the defensive side of the floor.
McKinney is also a solid shooter.
Williams does many little things very well.
“Abbey has a great understanding of what we are doing offensively and defensively,” said Ransome. “She brings energy and effort on both ends of the floor.”
The Lady Monarchs have the team speed to attack and make shots.
They can also use that same quickness to be a defensive headache for opposing teams.
“We can pressure the basketball, fly around and cause some problems for ball handlers,” said Ransome. “We have a really connected group and the girls that have each other’s backs.”
If there is a concern, it’s rebounding and defending around the basket.
“We have to continue to buy into being super physical as a group and working extremely hard on defending the painted area,” said Ransome. “I also feel we need and can always continue to work on defending the basketball.”
The coach said the team has set several goals for the season.
“However, I think the most important one is just to continue to stay committed to what we do and keep working to get better at it,” he said. “We always want to be the tougher and more together team.
“We have destinations that we would like to get to, but I think if we focus on the goals that I just stated, we will have a good chance of reaching our destinations.”
Ransome said the Lady Monarchs snuck up on other Ohio Capital Conference Cardinal Division opponents a year ago.
“Last year, I felt not much was expected of us,” he said. “That is not the case this year. We will get everyone’s best shot and teams will be prepared for us.
“It (the conference) will be another battle and tough task that I know everyone is looking forward to.”