By RICHIE HALL
With several returning players and a couple new faces, this season’s Westfield girls basketball team will be a blend of the familiar and the new.
Shamrocks coach Ginny Smith calls her team a nice mix of upperclassmen with freshmen. The team returns its leading scorer, a large group of juniors and a sophomore who played the majority of varsity games as a freshman last season.
Westfield has three seniors, including Jade Shipley, who led the ‘Rocks scoring with 8.9 points per game. Also back is Zoe Pentecost, both she and Shipley played in all 23 games last year, helping the Shamrocks to a 14-9 record.
The junior class includes three players that also played all the varsity games last season. Ashtin DeCraene brings back 4.7 points per game, Karley Wininger added 3.7 points, and Avan Henson scored 3.0 points and also pulled 2.4 rebounds per game as well. Ashley Black also got into a varsity game last year.
The returning sophomore is Gigi Eldredge, who joined the varsity lineup as a freshman a few weeks into the season. The 6-0 Eldredge became a rebounding force for Westfield, with 2.9 boards per game. She will be joined by 6-1 freshman Alyssa Crockett, giving the Shamrocks a nice amount of size.
Smith said the season will have challenges, but she is “really looking forward to the season and what it will bring. They are an eager group of young ladies that have great work ethic and team chemistry.”
Westfield will be the first Hamilton County girls team to play this year. The ‘Rocks travel to Lapel on Tuesday for their season opener, then play their first home game Saturday night against Pendleton Heights.
“Main goal is to just work hard and continue to improve as the season progresses,” said Smith.
VARSITY ROSTER
Seniors: Regan Dimond, Zoe Pentecost, Jade Shipley.
Juniors: Ashley Black, Ashtin DeCraene, Ava Henson, Jordan Hillis, Karley Wininger.
Sophomore: Gigi Eldredge.
Freshmen: Alyssa Crockett, Olivia Robey.
JUNIOR VARSITY
Junior: Kaylie Kantz.
Sophomores: Jessica Castor, Jadeyn Hammes, Alli McEvoy, Emily Robinson.
Freshmen: Lauren Hammond, Madi Kerrigan, Ashlynne Kilgore, Maddie Kilgore, Chesney Tebbe.
Westfield’s Jade Shipley was the Shamrocks’ leading scorer last year, with 8.9 points per game. (Richie Hall/File photo)