Quakers ahead of schedule in rebuilding season

If this was supposed to be a rebuilding year for New Philadelphia’s girls basketball team – and by all accounts it was – consider the Quakers rebuilt. Or very close to it.

The Quakers last year finished a solid 14-9, including a 9-3 mark in the Ohio Cardinal Conference. The latter mark was good for second place 

They graduated for starters from that team, meaning eighth-year coach Kevin Cornell had some work to do in the offseason. Obviously, Cornell knew what he was doing. That or he was blessed with a seriously deep roster last year.

Truth be told, it was probably both.

New Philadelphia headed into the weekend 6-0 overall, 4-0 in the OCC. The Quakers were a half-game ahead of Ashland, with the teams’ scheduled meeting on Dec. 13 postponed due to weather. 

Madison Comprehensive was third at 3-1 in the league, the one loss courtesy of the Quakers, who early on are looking like the OCC favorites.

“We have a talented team who are learning to develop a competitive spirit each day,” Cornell said. “We lack varsity experience – 70 percent of the total roster – is underclassmen – going into the season but we’re excited to see the growth we will make. It’s a competitive group that wants to win.”

Just three players came back this year with significant experience. They include 5-foot-9 senior forward Katelyn Mamula, 5-6 junior guard Lily Zimmerman and 5-8 sophomore guard Aubrie Wells. 

The new players include a pair of juniors in 5-8 forward Keira Mason and 5-11 forward Scottlynd Martin. Mason returns after missing back-to-back seasons with torn ACLs – she tore the same one twice. So in many ways, she’s more rookie than veteran. Apart from those three players, the team is very young.

Also in the varsity fold this year are sophomores Stella Halter (5-11 forward), Jillian Hanes (5-4 guard), Marissa Roth (5-4 guard) and McKenna Miller (5-10 forward), and 6-foot freshman guard Khloe Sours.

With just one senior and a trio of juniors, this bunch is built for the long haul. Some were waiting their turn behind the seniors last season and are now stepping up into prominent roles.

“We want to take great pride in being the most competitive team we can be each night by playing hard and being great teammates,” Cornell said. 

Prior to the season Cornell expressed concern about the combination of a young roster and a schedule that began with four road games. All the young Quakers did was come out and win those four by an average score of 48-25 and set a nice tone for the rest of the slate.

Cornell, who said he loves the energy the team brings each day and his players’ willingness to be coached. He said it will be a successful season if his troops “learn the value of being great teammates and playing for each other.”