Emma Will from Delphos St.John’s tries to shake defense of Delphos Jefferson’s Josie McGue during a game last season. Will was selected to the all-Midwest Athletic Conference second team in 2021-22.
Don Speck | The Lima News
Here is a look at Lima Senior, LCC and MAC teams from the Lima area.
Lima Senior
Division: I
Coach: LaKeisha Sigman (second season)
2021-22 overall record: 2-21
2021-22 conference record: 2-12 (seventh in TRAC)
2022 postseason finish: Lost 55-13 to Toledo Start in sectional finals
Returning 2021-22 varsity letter winners: Matilda Nelson (Sr.), Ti’ana Spivey (Sr.), Ayrianna Engberg (Sr.), Dakota Lewis (Jr.), Amiyah Coleman (Soph.), Ke’Asia Jones (Soph.), Anya James (Soph.), Maisie Strawser (Soph.), Ava Sheeter (Soph.)
Others on varsity roster: Mallory Gipson (Soph.), Qua’Jane Tobias (Sr.)
Coach’s analysis: The Lady Spartans will be returning nine out of 10 varsity players, including four out of five starters. Seniors Matilda Nelson, Ti’ana Spivey, Ayrianna Engberg, and sophomore Anya James. These young ladies will provide a strong core. In addition, Amiyah Coleman, Maisie Strawser and Ke’Asia James will add significant minutes to the lineup. With a talented sophomore class mixed in with experienced seniors, we expect improvement in all aspects of the game.
Lima Central Catholic
Division: IV
Coach: Eric Kuhlman (first season)
2021-22 overall record: 7-16
2022 postseason finish: Lost 49-33 to St. Henry in sectional semifinals
Returning 2021-22 varsity letter winners: Katie Cox (Sr.), Kiegh Macklin (Sr.), Bridget Mulcahy (Sr.), Olivia Stolly (Sr.), Anna Wannemacher (Sr.), Emily Morrisey (Jr.), Aubrey Frankhouser (Soph.), Teagan Helmig (Soph.)
Others on varsity roster: Maria Pignataro (Soph.), Carolina Kill (Fr.)
Coach’s analysis: We are excited to begin a new chapter in the history and tradition of LCC girls basketball. We are led by a strong group of seniors, an experienced junior and athletic sophomores. We anticipate playing an up-tempo style of basketball with an emphasis on team defense. We will develop a physical mindset while developing our skills and knowledge of the game. Our team focus is to continue to improve throughout the season as we adapt to our system with a long term goal on playing our best basketball at the start of the postseason schedule.
MAC
Coldwater
Division: III
Coach: Amy Meyer (second season)
2021-22 overall record: 12-12
2021-22 conference record: 4-5 (tied for fifth)
2022 postseason finish: Lost 37-19 to Ottawa-Glandorf in sectional finals
Returning 2021-22 varsity letter winners: Riley Rismiller (Sr.), Jenna Leugers (Sr.), Becca Wenning (Jr.), Emma May (Jr.), Claire Steinke (Jr.)
Others on varsity roster: Kelci Siefring (Sr.), Avery Knapke (Soph.), Grace Huwer (Fr.), Mandi Hart (Soph.), Brooke Gerlach (Jr.), Kiersten Keller (Soph.), Mia Knapke (Fr.)
Coach’s analysis: The Coldwater Lady Cavaliers are looking to improve from last year, as they return all five starters from a year ago. Through hard work, we are looking to continue the success of the fall season by competing at a high level every night and be playing our best basketball at the end of the year.
Delphos St. John’s
Division: IV
Coach: Nate Stant (sixth season)
2021-22 overall record: 4-20
2021-22 conference record: 1-8 (10th)
2022 postseason finish: Lost 61-16 to Miller City in sectional finals
Returning 2021-22 varsity letter winners: Melanie Mueller (Sr.), Emma Will (Jr.), Abby Kerner (Jr.), Kierstyn Klaus (Jr.), Emma Wiltsie (Soph.), Brooke Altenburger (Soph.), Gracie Creque (Soph.)
Others on varsity roster: Myah Boggs (Sr.), Aubrey Fairchild (Fr.), Carolyn Mueller (Fr.), Ava Hershey (Fr.)
Coach’s analysis: We’re a year older with six players who now have significant varsity experience, along with four newcomers who bring more athleticism and quickness to our team. Although, the overall number of girls remains a challenge for our younger players having to jump right to varsity basketball, the girls are coming together nicely and ready to compete at a high level with our always tough schedule. The community is behind them as we celebrate our 50th year of girls basketball this season too.
Fort Recovery
Division: III
Coach: Holly Gann (fourth season)
2021-22 overall record: 7-16
2021-22 conference record: 2-7 (tied for seventh)
2022 postseason finish: Lost 37-29 to Minster in D-IV sectional finals
Returning 2021-22 varsity letter winners: Karlie Niekamp (Soph.), Saige Leuthold (Jr.), Kennedy Muhlenkamp (Soph.), Cali Wendel (Jr.), Maddie Guggenbiller (Sr.),
Others on varsity roster: Eva Kahlig (Soph.), Lily Schwieterman (Fr.), Kiana Matsuda (Jr.), Ella Westgerdes (Jr.), Madison Heitkamp (Fr.), Elena Matsuda (Fr.), Maria Bumlai (Jr.), Kensey Gaerke (Jr.)
Coach’s analysis: Continue to get better each day.
Marion Local
Division: IV
Coach: Beth Streib (eighth season)
2021-22 overall record: 18-7
2021-22 conference record: 7-2 (tied for second)
2022 postseason finish: Lost 58-42 to New Knoxville in district finals
Returning 2021-22 varsity letter winners: Lindsey Koenig (Sr.), Stella Huelsman (Sr.), Hanna Rose (Sr.), Nora Eckstein (Jr.), Avae Unrast (Soph.), Chloe Ronnebaum (Soph.)
Others on varsity roster: Jenna Knapke (Sr.), Allison Everman (Sr.), Allison Dirksen (Jr.), Brooke Wilker (Jr.), Audrey Winner (Jr.), Rachel Kuether (Soph.), Natalie Evers (Soph.)
Coach’s analysis: Marion Local plans to work hard and compete each day in practice to get better. At the end, we hope to be competing for a MAC title and be prepared to make a successful tournament run. It is our goal each game to play pressure defense, rebound both ends of the floor, and be efficient offensively. We look to have balanced scoring and have our returning players lead us to these goals.
Minster
Division: IV
Coach: Mike Wiss (sixth season)
2021-22 overall record: 16-9
2021-22 conference record: 7-2 (tied for second)
2022 postseason finish: Lost 54-24 to New Knoxville in district semifinals
Returning 2021-22 varsity letter winners: Katie McClurg (Sr.), Morgan Sparks (Sr.), Kaycie Albers (Sr.), Lyndi Hemmelgarn (Sr.), Kennedy Korte (Sr.), Chloe Thien (Sr.), Lilly Barhorst (Jr.)
Others on varsity roster: Kayla Lamm (Jr.), Lydia Mescher (Jr.), Kendyl Bergman (Jr.), Brooke Clune (Jr.), Anna Larger (Jr.), Addi Inskeep (Soph.), Sadie Niemeyer (Soph.)
Coach’s analysis: Return varsity experience (now that experience needs to become senior leaders). Good depth, definitely not the tallest team. Hope to apply defensive pressure on opponents and be able to score in transition.
New Bremen
Division: IV
Coach: Andy Timmerman (second season)
2021-22 overall record: 16-7
2021-22 conference record: 7-2 (tied for second)
2022 postseason finish: Lost 43-40 to Parkway in sectional finals
Returning 2021-22 varsity letter winners: Abigale Powers (Sr.), Ella Pape (Sr.), Chloe Homan (Jr.)
Others on varsity roster: Allison Hays (Sr.), Marina Nelson (Soph.), Mia Hirschfield (Soph.), Cherika Wooten (Jr.), Abbie Burden (Jr.)
Coach’s analysis: We have several returning letter winners who are ready to step up and lead our new group this year. Now that we’ve been through a full year together, the girls better understand the expectations and our philosophy on both ends of the floor. We are working on controllng the things we can control on a daily basis which are bringing energy, competing and communicating at a high level. The progress we have made over the last summer and early on in the season here is good to see and we are looking forward to getting everyone back together in the gym soon to see what we can do as an entire group. Doing the little things and paying attention to details will be very important in our success this season.
New Knoxville
Division: IV
Coach: Alivia Koenig (first season)
2021-22 overall record: 27-3
2021-22 conference record: 9-0 (first)
2022 postseason finish: Lost 35-26 to Waterford in state championship game
Returning 2021-22 varsity letter winners: None
Varsity roster: Taylor Klopfenstein (Fr.), Laney Meyer (Soph.), Ariyah Pfenning (Fr.), Keianna Wellman (Jr.), Brynn Egbert (Soph.), Addi Albers (Fr.), Lauren Wingler (Jr.), Ally Topp (Sr.)
Coach’s analysis: Going into the season, we only have eight girls on our roster, with only one senior this year. Our team is very young, but that isn’t going to stop us. We push the girls in practice every single day, to better themselves. These girls have the drive and will learn and develop their game of basketball. We hope to surpise a lot of people this upcoming season.
Parkway
Division: III
Coach: Daniel Williamson (fourth season)
2021-22 overall record: 16-9
2021-22 conference record: 4-5 (tied for fifth)
2022 postseason finish: Lost 40-30 to Marion Local in D-IV district semifinals
Returning 2021-22 varsity letter winners: Allison Hughes (Sr.), Emiree Knittle (Sr.), Gabrielle Stober (Sr.), Audrey Nichols (Jr.), Paige Williamson (Jr.), Adria Miller (Soph.)
Others on varsity roster: Avery White (Jr.), Brittyn Bruns (Fr.), Emmery Temple (Fr.), Frankie Steinbrunner (Jr.), Bryn Schoenleben (Fr.), Alexis Berry (Jr.), Cali Bollenbacher (Soph.)
Coach’s analysis: We have a talented group of girls coming back from last year’s team as well as some up-and-coming underclassmen. These girls play well together and are very unselfish. We return four starters and six letter winners from last year’s team. We hope this experience will help us win some of the close games we lost last season. We think that our biggest strength on offense will be our guard quickness and ability to shoot the ball from the perimeter. Hopefully our guards can get into the paint to create shots for themselves and for their teammates. We feel we can mix in scoring from the perimeter with scoring from the paint to have a balanced offensive attack. Defensively we want to mix in man-to-man defense and some zone in half court to make teams work to get shots, but we will also look to press and use our quickness to score some easy points.
St. Henry
Division: IV
Coach: Nate Uhlenhake (second season)
2021-22 overall record: 7-17
2021-22 conference record: 2-7 (tied for seventh)
2022 postseason finish: Lost 40-20 to Marion Local in sectional finals
Returning 2021-22 varsity letter winners: Lauren Thieman (Soph.), Leah Lefeld (Soph), Chloe Speck (Jr.), Rileigh Baumer (Jr.), Jalynn Everman (Jr.)
Others on varsity roster: Molly Wendel (Fr.), Alexis Buschur (Fr.), Morgan Baumer (Fr.), Ava Homan (Fr.), Abby Buschur (Jr.)
Coach’s analysis: We are looking to improve as the season goes on. The goal is to be playing our best basketball when February rolls around. We have a junior class that is growing into a strong leadership group and hold each other accountable on a daily basis. In order to develop, we’re working to focus on serving the moment, understanding each person’s job and persevering through difficult challenges. For us to be successful, we can’t take days off. We have to focus on bettering our group through all of the ups and downs in the season ahead.
Reach Reach The Lima News sports department at 567-242-0451.
