ROMM PHOTOGRAPHY

Senior point Taylor Mattioli and the Manchester Panthers are Division II girls basketball state poll champions for 2012. The Panthers are 19-0 and open sectional play on Saturday against Alliance.

2011-12 Girls Basketball Preview

Manchester

Manchester’s Panthers won back-to-back district championships in 2000 and 2001 and in the 10 years since have won 24 sectional and district tournament games.

Quite frankly, the Panthers have done everything but win a district title in the last decade. It’s been a frustrating stretch, capped last March by a 58-55 loss to Orrville in the Wooster Division III District championship game.

This winter, Manchester takes aim at an eighth straight PAC-7 title and that string began when Tucker Pappas became head coach for the 2004-05 season.

Pappas returns plenty of firepower from last season’s 22-2 club, which achieved a No. 1 state ranking before a late-season loss.

“(Winning a district title) really is the last piece of the puzzle,” Pappas said. “It’s been a kicker.”

In addition to three senior starters – swing player Michelle Noble (8 ppg, 10 rpg), point guard Taylor Mattioli (7 ppg, 4 apg) and 6-foot-2 center Autumn Brown (4 ppg, 6 rpg) -- Pappas also welcomes back former Manchester head coach Bob Eckert, who guided the program for 10 years before handing the reins to Pappas.

Pappas said he and Eckert will operate like co-coaches, except this time around Pappas will be the one standing along the sideline during games.

“Bobby let me do so much when I was the assistant,” said Pappas, who assisted Eckert for 10 years.

The Panthers have a talented trio of sophomore players, led by 6-foot-1 forward Ashley Crossland, who expects to regain her eligibility for the second semester. Crossland averaged 13.0 points per contest last winter.

“When we get Ashley back, we’re going to be as good if not better than we’ve been,” Pappas said. “We’re definitely more athletic and we are streaky.”

Guards Kayci Kryznowek and Karley Dougherty, along with freshman guard Alex Klein, should provide plenty of strength in Manchester’s backcourt for years to come.

Barberton

The Barberton Magics, under fourth-year coach Kevin Pletcher, continue to make progress and expect to surprise some opponents this winter. With four starters returning from last season’s  4-17 team, Pletcher’s program is improving its competitiveness.

Barberton will play an independent schedule in 2011-12.

Senior forward Megan Jerome (10 ppg, 9 rpg), a second-team All-Suburban League pick at 5-foot-9, leads the way and will be joined by senior guard Jessie Frost, junior swing player Katie Wright and junior point guard Lindsey Berlin. Frost has improved her ball skills, according to Pletcher, while Wright was honorable mention All-Suburban last season.

Junior foreign exchange student Emma Nilsson (5-foot-9) is from Sweden and will make an immediate impact along the baseline. Nilsson is a multi-talented player and along with Jerome will give Pletcher a 1-2 punch at forward.

Black River

The Pirates are looking for more in 2011-12. After fashioning a 7-game winning streak and the school’s first winning season in 20 years (11-10), third-year coach Ken Deidrick’s team gladly returns three starters in high-scoring combo guard Jessica Chidsey, defensive stopper Kayla Finkel and scrappy Taylor Goff. Last February, Chidsey had 18 points in a 58-54 win over South Central, which clinched a winning season, and followed that performance with 12 points in a 60-30 sectional loss to Loudonville.

Buckeye

Second-year coach Randy Haury has graduated four senior mainstays from last season’s 9-12 squad.  The Bucks bowed out in the sectional tournament to Bay 61-40 in Elyria. Haury can build around 6-foot junior center Jessica Banas (6.4 ppg, 11.2 rpg). He also returns experienced guards in senior Ashley Bowles and junior Hannah Hartley.  Haury is doing his second tour of duty with the Bucks, having coached the Buckeye boys basketball team from 1990-95.