The Budget Sports Correspondent
After surprising the state by making the Division IV State Championship game a year ago, Hiland's 2012-2013 version will feature many of the key cogs to that success.
But head coach Dave Schlabach is still quick to point out what he terms one of the best sectional-districts in the state.
"I honestly feel like we're the fourth best team in our own district," he said. "Garaway, I think, will have the most talent in the district with probably the two best players in (Courtney) Putt and (Anya) Misko. Then Rosecrans returns their five starters and Shadyside has two 25-point per game scorers back. Strasburg is also solid."
The Hawks advanced to the state finals where they lost to Arlington 52-37. They finished the year 19-9 after going 12-8 in the regular season. To get to the state tournament they had a tough sectional final game against Zanesville Rosecrans in which they had to go to overtime to win 36-35. They then cruised by River, Shadyside, Lowellville and Windham by 10 or more points each and then Tri-Village 53-47 in the state semifinals.
"It's a group that I enjoy coaching," Schlabach said of this year's team. "They're a very balanced group. We don't have that kid going into the season who is going to get us 20 a game but we've got a solid group of kids who work really hard."
Leading the way into this year is returning point guard Emily Yoder and wings Regina Hochstetler, Kendra Schlabach and Jenica Schrock.
Hochstetler averaged 9.6 points per game last year, good for second on the team. She hit 34 triples and made 78 percent of her free throws. She turned in 62 rebounds, 27 assists and 34 steals.
"Regina has gotten physically stronger and has become more skilled," Schlabach said. "We're hoping to get her to the free throw line more this year."
After the tournament run, Schlabach claimed that he had found his point guard, and Yoder didn't disappoint. She averaged 4.6 points per game and dished out 60 assists a year ago. She hit 77.6 percent at the charity stripe and had 41 rebounds and a team-high 70 steals.
"She's the heart and soul of the team and she's the hardest worker on the team and everyone knows it," Schlabach said of Yoder. "She makes us move and we're hoping she can make that next step this year that she took last year."
Kendra Schlabach averaged 5.0 points per game and had 57 rebounds. She added 42 steals and 42 assists.
Also returning is post player Jasmine Goings, who averaged 5.1 points and 4.5 rebounds per game, good for second on the team.
Senior guard Natalie Nickol, who stands 5 feet, 10 inches, will be expected to contribute this year as she has signed to a full scholarship to play at Division II Ursuline next year.
"She worked her butt off this summer and was rewarded for it," Schlabach said of Nickol. "She has a tremendous amount of potential and she will make us a different team this year if she breaks that wall of potential."
Schlabach said that with four of his top rebounders graduated in McKenzie Miller, Regan Miller, Meagan Hall and Bria Coil, his team will be looking for glass cleaners.
"Rebounding kept us in games last year that we probably shouldn't have been in," he said. "We're one of the smallest groups we've had size-wise but we're a little quicker, a little deeper, maybe a little more skilled."
Sophomores Megan Beachy, Alex Troyer and Rachel Horn will all be looked upon to step up this year along with freshman Lindsey Yoder, who will back up Emily Yoder at point guard.
"Numbers 4 through 11 are fighting right now for spots," Schlabach said. "It makes practices fun to see these kids competing. Everyone wants to play and they're pushing each other. The lineup changes every day and that's because of the competition going on between positions."
Schlabach said that his squad is hoping to return to the state tournament and win a title.
"The goal is always the same," he said. "We've got really high goals and the toughest schedule we've ever put together. We've got Twinsburg and Tri-Valley added to last year, which had previously been the toughest schedule we've ever had.
"We're going to challenge them again. We've found it to be a formula that is the way to go in order to get better."
