League Previews – Ohio Valley Athletic Conference (2A)
If Fort Frye is the engineer of the unfinished business train this season in the OVAC, then the Shadyside Tigers are riding alone in first class on the Ohio side of the border. The Tigers had a lot of plans…
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Continue ReadingIf Fort Frye is the engineer of the unfinished business train this season in the OVAC, then the Shadyside Tigers are riding alone in first class on the Ohio side of the border. The Tigers had a lot of plans for last season and many were unexpectedly derailed. Don’t look for that to happen this season as the main race in Class 2A may be for runner-up.
5 Players to Watch:
Liv Ammons, 5-9, 2022, Clay-Battelle
Marisa Horan Marisa Horan 5'5" | CG Wheeling Central Catholic | 2021 State WV , 5-5, Wheeling Central, 2021
Baylee Wach Baylee Wach 5'6" | SG Shadyside | 2021 OH , 5-6, 2021, Shadyside
Tori Hendershot Tori Hendershot 5'6" | SG Shadyside | 2021 State OH , 5-6, 2021, Shadyside
Cayton Secrest Cayton Secrest 5'6" | PG Caldwell | 2021 OH , 5-6, 2021, Caldwell
4 Sleepers:
Ashlei Wheeler, 5-5, 2021, Shenandoah
Hannah Raper, 5-7, 2023, River
Sheridan Archer, 6-2, 2023, Caldwell
Tristen White, 6-1, 2021, Wheeling Central
4 Thoughts:
The Lady Tigers feature two of the area’s premier players in seniors Baylee Wach Baylee Wach 5'6" | SG Shadyside | 2021 OH and Tory Hendershot. A season ago, their OVAC championship plans were ended with an overtime loss to Wheeling Central in the semis. Then in the sectional finale, overtime struck again. This time it was Bishop Rosecrans ending the LTs season far earlier than planned. Let the redemption tour begin.
There figures to be a number of hotly contested showdowns inside Noble County his winter, with both Caldwell and Shenandoah expecting strong seasons. Both are led by ball-dominant scorers, with the Zeps’ depending on Wheeler to lead the charge. The Redskins have only one senior on the roster, but Secrest is a dandy. She averaged 20.2 points per game, eight rebounds, and six steals as a junior and earned all-Ohio honors for her efforts. This home and home series should be worth the price of admission.
Class 2A and, on occasion 3A, has been dominated by the Maroon Knights in recent memory. Central has 12 OVAC championships including five in the tournament era, including last season when the Knights took care of Steubenville Catholic. Seniors Marisa Horan Marisa Horan 5'5" | CG Wheeling Central Catholic | 2021 State WV and Tristen White should help keep the winning tradition alive. But, there will be a feeling-out process early to find that offensive identity after the departure of Kaylee Reinbeau Kaylee Reinbeau 6'1" | PF Wheeling Central Catholic | 2020 State WV , Hannah White Hannah White 5'8" | SG Wheeling Central Catholic | 2020 State WV , and Eden Gainer Eden Gainer 5'9" | SG Wheeling Central Catholic | 2020 State WV .
Frontier took its lumps last season. That will happen when you have a starting lineup that features four freshmen. Yet, that trial by fire may start paying dividends as early as this season. Players like Kara Ramsey, Emily Cisler, and Tacey Kirkpatrick, who had a solid summer playing for the 740 Thunder, will join senior Haley Bills in helping return the Cougars to their winning ways. Since the inception of the conference tourney, the Cougars have three championships in 2014, 2016, and 2017.
3 Big Games:
Caldwell at Fort Frye, Dec. 10
Cameron at Clay-Battelle, Dec. 14
Shadyside at Wheeling Central, Jan. 2
2 Fun Facts:
The title of the best-dressed coach in the Ohio Valley is finally up for grabs with the retirement of longtime and successful Wheeling Central mentor Penn Kurtz. His assistant Roberta Robinson Olejasz takes over. While the cupboard took a beating losing three Division I players, it’s Central, so it’s certainly not barren.
Word out of Toronto is big things are on the horizon. Coach Rusty Hodgkiss’ program is benefitting from a strong freshman class. The program also has a number of upperclassmen, so it may be a year or two before the full impact of this class is felt. But good things are coming in the Gem City.
1 League Champion Prediction:
Shadyside