Season Preview: Crestview Lady Knights

SCOTT TRUXELL/independent sports editor

CONVOY — The race for the 2017-1018 Northwest Conference girls basketball title could prove to be very exciting.

At least four teams are considered legitimate contenders for the NWC crown, including the Crestview Lady Knights, a squad that went 13-10 last season and has four returning starters and six returning letter winners.

Leading Crestview’s up-tempo style will be 5-5 point guard Lexi Gregory, who lettered last year as a freshman, and 5-8 guard/forward Paige Motycka, who signed to play collegiate basketball at the Indiana Institute of Technology in 2018-2019.

Other returning players include 5-5 senior guard Lyvia Black, 5-9 senior forward Ally McCoy, 5-6 senior guard Alyssa Gent and 5-8 junior forward Emma Bowen.

“I am very excited about this season,” second year head coach Mark Gregory said. “We have a great mix of veterans with some young players. If we continue to play for each other, I expect great things this season.”

5-7 junior guard/forward Haley Speith, 5-3 sophomore guard Aleigh Chesbro, 5-6 freshman guard Olivia Cunningham and 5-5 freshman guard Bailey Gregory are expected to see playing time, with 5-7 junior guard Lizzie Bowen and 5-8 freshman guard/forward Raegan Hammons also in the mix.

Gregory noted his team plays hard from start to finish, and he said the second year in a new system should pay dividends. He also said a potential weakness could be an overall lack of size.

The Lady Knights will open the season Saturday night at home against powerful Ottoville, one of several top notch teams on the non-conference portion of the schedule.

“We have a very difficult non conference schedule,” Gregory said. “Ottoville, Fort Recovery, Coldwater, Kalida and Delphos St Johns to name a few. These games will help us grow as a team.”

As far as the NWC, Gregory expects a tight race this season.

“The conference will likely go thru Columbus Grove and Bluffton again, but there are several teams that will be much improved,” Gregory explained. “We hope to battle and put ourselves in a great position to compete for the conference championship.”

“There are several great teams and great coaches in our conference.”