CLEVELAND, Ohio – The 2024-25 girls basketball season is upon us, and there are some significant changes from last season.
For starters, the Ohio High School Athletic Association has expanded basketball from four divisions to seven, meaning there is plenty of divisional movement among teams. That includes defending Division I state champion Olmsted Falls dropping to Division II.
One of the other major changes in Northeast Ohio is the formation of the North Coast Conference, which will include Beaumont, Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy, Elyria Catholic, Holy Name, Lake Catholic, Notre Dame-Cathedral Latin and Padua.
One thing that didn’t change from last season was the top team in the cleveland.com preseason Top 25, as Magnificat once again finds itself leading the pack as we prepare for the season to tip.
1. Magnificat
Coach: Danny Gallagher
Last season’s record: 21-7, state semifinalist
Division: I
Outlook: The Blue Streaks return three All-Ohio honorees from last season in senior Julia Hall (first team), senior Reese Roggenburk (special mention) and senior Sofia Wilson (honorable mention). Both Hall and Wilson could reach 1,000 career points this season. Magnificat made a run to the Division I state semifinals last season, where they were knocked out by eventual state champion Olmsted Falls.
2. Brush
Coach: Damarris Winters
Last season’s record: 23-4, regional semifinalist
Division: III (Last season: I)
Outlook: The Arcs have a young nucleus, but one that has already proven itself at the varsity level. Sophomore guard/forward Tatiana Mason averaged 18 points and 10 rebounds last season in being named second-team All-Ohio, while sophomore guard Chaniyra McDowell-Isaacs was named honorable mention with 15 points, five assists and three steals per game as a freshman. Junior center Jakalyn Brown is also a returning starter after averaging 11 points and 11 rebounds a year ago. The youth movement will continue with freshman Nyla Mason, the younger sister of Tatiana. Nyla averaged 30 points in eighth grade and will start for Brush this season.
3. Archbishop Hoban
Coach: Pam Davis
Last season’s record: 19-4, district finalist
Division: III (Last season: I)
Outlook: The Knights return four starters from a year ago in juniors Niera “Zig” Stevens, MaKenzie Grant, Taylyn Banta and Zoey Hodge. And unlike a year ago, Hoban will have the services of Banta for the entire season after she was forced to sit out the second half of last season and the postseason due to transfer rules. Hoban will once again challenge itself with one of the toughest schedules in the area.
4. Medina
Coach: Karen Kase
Last season’s record: 23-5, regional finalist
Division: I
Outlook: Leading scorer Olivia Klanac hit 1,000 career points last season as a junior and is on pace to set numerous program records this season. She averaged 19.5 points, 4.9 rebounds, 3.3 assists 4.8 and was named first-team All-Ohio, Northeast Inland District Player of the Year in Division I and the co-Greater Cleveland Conference Player of the Year. The Bees also return plenty of experience from last year’s regional final run in juniors Addy Shook and Abby Dress and sophomore Molly Gilbert.
5. Stow-Munroe Falls
Coach: Bob Podges
Last season’s record: 20-8, district finalist
Division: I
Outlook: The Bulldogs will be looking for at least a share of their ninth straight Suburban League title this season, and will return three starters in senior Kadence Dodds, junior Kennady Dodds and sophomore Alli Knouff. Once again, Stow will rely on its depth and will look to play 9-10 girls each night.
6. Strongsville
Coach: Madyson Farnbauch
Last season’s record: 23-3, district semifinalist
Division: I
Outlook: The Mustangs return a pair of All-Ohio performers from a year ago in senior Sydney Bass (special mention) and sophomore Sidney Butera (honorable mention). Bass averaged 14.4 points while Butera put in 13 points per night. Strongsville also returns two other starters in senior guard Kennadi Neal and senior post Eszter Dioszegi.
7. Streetsboro
Coach: Carl Singer
Last season’s record: 23-5, regional finalist
Division: IV (Last season: II)
Outlook: The Rockets return one of the best players in Ohio in senior post Naomi Benson, who will surpass 1,000 rebounds this season as well as become the program’s all-time leading scorer. Streetsboro also returns three other starters in senior guard Sydney Abbuhl, junior guard/forward Carlee Bedford and junior point guard Olivia Johnson-Wilson.
8. St. Vincent-St. Mary
Coach: Carley Whitney
Last season’s record: 20-6, regional semifinalist
Division: III (Last season: II)
Outlook: The Fighting Irish return a pair of starters from last year in senior guards Kendal Batchik and Denni Lawrence. Batchik is just 15 3-pointers away from the program record and shoots 50% from deep. The pair will handle point guard duties. As is the norm, STVM will play a deep roster and has plenty of options to score the ball, including sophomore Melania Cornute who is already on the radar of Division I college coaches.
9. Green
Coach: Alicia Manning
Last season’s record: 14-9, sectional finalist
Division: II (Last season: I)
Outlook: After not having a single senior on the squad last season, the Bulldogs are led by a pair of All-Ohio returning seniors this year. Jenna Slates averaged 18 points and 12 rebounds a year ago in earning third-team All-Ohio honors. She broke the school’s career rebounding and steals records while tying the school record for most steals in a game. And Sydney Shocklee averaged 8.6 points in being named honorable mention All-Ohio.
10. Avon Lake
Coach: Paul Appel
Last season’s record: 18-4, district semifinalist
Division: III (Last season: I)
Outlook: The Shoregals return three starters who were named to one of the All-Southwestern Conference teams in senior guards Izzie Polinko and Olivia Tobin and junior guard Olivia Miller. A team built on its defensive principles, Avon Lake also hopes to get some scoring this season from its younger players.
11. Warrensville Heights
Coach: Ourtney Brown
Last season’s record: 22-3, regional semifinalist
Division: IV (Last season: III)
Outlook: The Tigers return four of the five starters from a team that won 22 games a year ago in senior guards Demarrionna Branch, Tamarra Thomas and Katherine McCormick, and senior post player Brie’anah Hill.
12. Wadsworth
Coach: Andy Booth
Last season’s record: 19-7, district finalist
Division: II (Last season: I)
Outlook: The Grizzlies should benefit this season from a healthy Lauren Decker, as the junior missed a good chunk of her sophomore season with an injury and is coming off another dominant season on the volleyball court as she helped Wadsworth reach the state semifinals. Also returning are seniors Ana Pinkerton, Natalie McDermott and Reece Simpson and junior Jordyn Stoops.
13. Olmsted Falls
Coach: Jordan Eaton
Last season’s record: 26-3, state champion
Division: II (Last season: I)
Outlook: Last year’s Division I state champions are now in Division II, but that isn’t the only thing new with the Bulldogs. Last season’s leading scorer, Danielle Cameron, is gone after earning second-team All-Ohio honors. Back this season, however, is Maddie Cerovec, who scored 8.3 points per game last season and was named honorable mention All-Ohio. The Bulldogs also return several players who got plenty of experience last season in juniors Jesse Simon (15 points in state semifinal), Avery Delisio and Brooke Largent and sophomores Grace Largent and Emma Schaefer.
14. Gilmour Academy
Coach: Kevin Byrne
Last season’s record: 20-6, regional semifinalist
Division: III (Last season: II)
Outlook: The Lancers will be a young team this season, with just one returning starter (senior forward Elaina Kline-Ruminsk) and two other players with varsity experience from a season ago. The key for Gilmour will be how quickly the crop of upcoming underclassmen can adapt to playing at the varsity level every night.
15. Highland
Coach: James Madison
Last season’s record: 17-8, district semifinalist
Division: III (Last season: I)
Outlook: The Hornets return all five starters from a year ago in seniors Kennedy Morgan (special mention All-Ohio) and Aleena VanKirk, junior Grace Shondel and sophomores Rowan Kildoo and Emeri Gausman. Highland also returns seven other players who saw varsity time last year, including seniors Grace Madison and Grace Weber.
16. Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy
Coach: Andy O’Keefe
Last season’s record: 20-5, district semifinalist
Division: III (Last season: II)
Outlook: The Royals return all of their players from last season, including guard Joi Williams, who was named third-team All-Ohio in Division II. Also returning are all-conference players Elizabeth Fisher and Hunter Guinn, although CVCA has switched conferences from the Principals Athletic Conference to the newly formed North Coast Conference for this season.
17. Ellet
Coach: Nick Harris
Last season’s record: 17-7, district semifinalist
Division: III (Last season: I)
Outlook: The Orangemen will be led once again by Kent State commit Caitlyn Holmes, who will become the leading all-time scorer in Ellet history this season, girls or boys. The three-time defending Akron City Series champions also return senior starters Jaeda Tavares and Dacai Singletary, but will be without the services of honorable mention All-Ohio honoree Sanaiiya Gray to start the season.
18. Keystone
Coach: Rocky Houston
Last season’s record: 28-1, state semifinalist
Division: IV (Last season: III)
Outlook: After an undefeated regular season last year, the Wildcats will start this season with their best player sidelined due to injury as senior shooting guard Brooklyn Barber recovers from ACL surgery. She was second-team All-Ohio last year, averaging 12.5 points. But Keystone has three other returning starters in senior small forward Vivian Cassell, senior guard Rylee Jedrzejek and sophomore point guard Madyson Sokolowski. Cassell (9.8 points) and Sokolowski (9.3 points) were second and third on the team on scoring last season and Cassell was second on the team with 7.9 rebounds per game.
19. Elyria Catholic
Coach: Eric Rothgery
Last season’s record: 17-8, district semifinalist
Division: IV (Last season: II)
Outlook: The biggest question for the Panthers will be how they replace guard Isabelle Niederst, who was first-team All-Ohio in Division II last season with 19 points per game. The second question will be how they adapt to the newly formed North Coast Conference. But Elyria Catholic returns a pair of starters at guard in Camara Ogletree and Mya Rivera, and post Lexi Rodriguez. The Panthers also have back four other guards with varsity experience and will rely on speed and ballhandling.
20. Copley
Coach: Julie Solis
Last season’s record: 25-4, state semifinalist
Division: III (Last season: II)
Outlook: After a run to the state semifinals a year ago in Division II, the Indians will look to replace their two All-Ohio players from a season ago in Izzy Callaway (first team) and Kami Ayoup (special mention). The next players up for Copley saw plenty of action last year, as junior guard Evelyn Knight averaged 7.5 points and junior Audrey Parker scored 7.2. Junior Zoey Van Voorhis also averaged 4.0 points and senior Angelique Lane added 3.4.
21. North Ridgeville
Coach: Amy Esser
Last season’s record: 19-5, sectional finalist
Division: II (Last season: I)
Outlook: Gone is first-team All-Ohio honoree Grace Kingery, who averaged 25.8 points for the Rangers a year ago, and second-leading scorer Brooke Lime, who scored 9.7 points per game. But North Ridgeville does return four players who played in at least 20 games last season, including junior Reyna Balderas, who averaged 5.2 points, which was good enough for third on the team. The key will be how quickly they can adapt to not having a dominant scorer, as Kingery played in 64 games over the past three seasons and averaged at least 18.5 points each year.
22. Solon
Coach: Trish Kruse
Last season’s record: 18-7, district finalist
Division: II (Last season: I)
Outlook: The Comets will be young this season with just one returning senior in the starting lineup in Erica Olszewski, one junior in Marissa Blackford and one sophomore in Kailey Gaiter-Davis, who is returning from an injury that cost her a good portion of her freshman year. Solon will once again have to deal with the loss of a Blackford sister, as first-team All-Ohio guard Mackenzie Blackford has moved onto Duquesne University, one year after Morgan Blackford left for the Naval Academy.
23. Richmond Heights
Coach: Eugene White
Last season’s record: 21-5, regional semifinalist
Division: VI (Last season: IV)
Outlook: The Spartans will be led by junior guard Honor Hall, who scored 18.1 points and was named first-team All-Ohio. Richmond Heights also returns guar Mya Johnson, who weas named honorable mention All-Ohio last season with 11.3 points.
24. Beaumont
Coach: Steve Klug
Last season’s record: 17-7, sectional finalist
Division: IV (Last season: II)
Outlook: After finishing last year’s regular season at No. 25 in the rankings, the Blue Streaks will return 11 players who earned a varsity letter from a team that won 17 games. One of their biggest questions will be how they adapt to the new North Coast Conference.
25. Brecksville-Broadview Heights
Coach: Joe Zenir
Last season’s record: 17-7, district semifinalist
Division: II (Last season: I)
Outlook: The Bees return plenty of experience, with all five starters from a year ago back this season, along with the return of Bridget Barber, who missed last season due to injury after being named first-team All-Suburban League as a sophomore. Among the returners are senior forward Jesse Zenir, who averaged 11 points and 10 rebound last season in being named first-team All-Suburban League.
