BERLIN -- The goal of winning a state championship never changes for the Hiland High girls' basketball program.

Falling a quarter-and-a-half short of winning a second consecutive crown last season should provide more motivation than ever.

Hiland held a sizable halftime lead and was on its way to winning a second straight Division IV title and fifth of the decade when Columbus Africentric rallied to claim its second title in the past three seasons.

Despite finishing with a stellar 20-2 record, the loss left the Hawks of Coach Dave Schlabach with a hollow feeling, but motivation to get back to Columbus.

And the Hawks return a good nucleus to do just that.

Four Hiland senior girls recently signed college basketball scholarships, including two with Division I schools.  Noelle Yoder, a 5-foot-7 guard, will attend Bowling Green and Hilary Weaver is headed to Lehigh.

Yoder averaged 11.2 points and 4.6 rebounds per game last season for the Hawks.  She was a 41 percent shooter from the field.

Weaver, a 5-7 guard, scored 11.3 points per outing and led the team with 158 assists.  She hit 43 percent of her two-point field goals.

In addition, Katelyn Stuckey, a 5-10 forward, and Mykeila Mast, a 5-7 guard, will be going to Division II Ohio Dominican.

Stuckey averaged 10 points per game and Mast scored 7.3 points per contest.

However, the Hawks suffered their first setback when Mast tore the ACL in her knee in a recent practice and will have to miss the season.

Karli Mast, who led the Hawks last season and was fifth in the area scoring race at 14.9 points per game, was the lone senior to graduate.

Senior Jessica Stutzman (5-7 guard), juniors Arrianna Schrock (5-8 forward) and Ashley Weaver (5-7 guard), sophomores McKenzie Miller (5-9 guard), Meagan Hall (5-9 guard) and Hannah Stoneman (6-1 forward) and freshman Kendra Schlabach (5-4 guard) round out the Hawks' roster.