Let’s check the outlook on girls basketball for 2007-08 in the Tri-State area.

It appears one of the top teams could be Jefferson, plenty of experience returning from an 11-10 team last year along with a key transfer. The Cougars have 6-foot center Katie Danno (11 ppg), senior Aissa Diehl (10 ppg), junior Dezi Clinton (10 ppg) and Dakeea Marshall, a junior who averaged nearly 12 points a game last year at Martinsburg. A year ago the Cougars lost 6 of their last 7 games after a promising start. Already the Cougars are 2-0 heading into Monday’s game at St. Maria Goretti.

They’ll be challenged in the Apple Valley League by Hedgesville, the defending champion coming off a 17-5 season. The Eagles have won their first two games and coach Ben Merica is going to do it by committee – 9 players have scored in each of the first two games. Brittany Boarman, a 6-1 junior, returns along with veteran Ciera Nicholson.

Martinsburg, a state semifinalist with a strong push at the end of the season, has a new coach in Mike Mackey and a talented junior, Iesha Robinson, who averaged 12 points last year. However, the Bulldogs have started 0-2 with losses at Wheeling Park and John Marshall.

Rounding out the Apple Valley League, Musselman would like to ride the back of veteran Nikki Stephenson, starting her third year as a junior after averaging nearly 16 points as a soph. Rebecca Trump and Alex Tamez each averaged 12 points for Berkeley Springs and Goretti’s Sarah Spierenburg (12 ppg) abd Carissa Grove (11 ppg) are back, but the Gaels can’t always seem to get past their West Virginia counterparts.

In Maryland, Williamsport senior Morgan Smith, a 6-1 center, could be one of the best in the area following her junior year, averaging 16 points and 8 rebounds. North Hagerstown, with last year’s best mark at 21-4, lost the likes of Cara Thompson to graduation bu returns Kierksten Mitchell, who showed flashes of brillance last season. Boonsboro was hit hard by graduation with Jerica Hewett, Alex Baker and Amy Rhoderick among those gone. Smithsburg, South Hagerstown and Clear Spring have nowhere to go but up this year.

Among the Christian schools in Maryland, Heritage Academy returns Morgan McIntire (19 ppg) and Grace Academy brings back Kelsey Shaffer (10 ppg, 12 rpg). They’ll try to reach the top of the MDCC against Cumberland Valley Christian across the line in Pennsylvania. The Blazers return the ultimate scoring machine in Miranda Payne, who averaged 25 ppg last year. Broadfording Christian will be led by Taylor Capshaw (12 ppg, 6 rpg).

Chambersburg hopes to fare better than the prognosticators feel they will. The Trojans have Steph Addleman and Ashley Benedick, along with Mercersburg Academy transfer Kelsey Roman. Waynesboro might have the best girls player in Franklin County in 5-10 junior Mallory Wishard, who averaged 16 ppg. Mercersburg Academy, under first-year coach Monique Liddell, will be led by senior Lauren Dobish, averaging 14.5 in her first three games this season.

The Herald-Mail should think long and hard before they just hand the are player of the year award and base it on merit. The McIntire kid at Heritage Academy is having a phenomenal year. She missed the first six games of the year in which her team lost 4 of them . Since she has been back they have lost 2 (One was a buzzer beater that they lost). She has led the area in ppg all year long while she has been playing all the positions on the floor. When her team asks her to play big down low or run the point she handles it with great confidence. NBC 25 has MSD ranked ninth in their girls basketball poll and Heritage Academy went in to their tournament and won hands down . McIntire was the mvp while scoring an area best 38 points and 13 rebounds against Msd. She just ended as the MVP at the St. James tourney this weekend. I know it really matters what happens down the stretch but keep an eye on her.