GIRLS' BASKETBALL: Future is coming for Falcons

A new head coach, with a bit of a new way of doing things. A number of players new to the varsity level, and new, more expanded, roles for the precious few who do have varsity experience.

If you're looking for a preseason theme for the Cedar Crest girls' basketball team's 2011-12 season, "new" should about cover it.

That's not a synonym for "bad" or anything negative like that. Just new. Different. Or ...

"Transition's a good word," said first-year Falcon boss and former assistant coach Jim Donmoyer, when asked to describe the current state of the girls' hoops program in South Lebanon that he inherits from Gretchen Hall, who stepped down after a 9-12 campaign last year. "There's gonna be a lot of things we're gonna do differently. We're young, we have two kids with varsity experience. We're not an experienced bunch. It's gonna take a little bit of time."

That doesn't mean Donmoyer's feeling pessimistic about his squad's chances for success this season. Just realistic, since 5-11 senior forward Sierra Wheat and 5-6 senior guard Taylor Ford are the only two Falcons who've been through the varsity grind on a regular basis. Ford is the leading returning scorer after averaging 7.5 points per contest a season ago, while Wheat scored at a 6.6 clip in 20 games in the post in 2010-11.

The Falcons would have three returning seniors with significant playing experience had it not been for the knee injury that sidelined 5-7 forward Kortni Schauer for the bulk of last season.

But Schauer has all but mended and is back in the mix, as is another senior, 5-9 forward Courtney Garloff.

The rest of the Falcons' playing rotation figures to be filled out by a quintet of newcomers, led by 5-6 junior guard Addy Toms. In addition, 5-5 junior guard Gabbi Donmoyer, 5-7 junior guard/forward Chante Beard, 5-1 junior point guard Maria Battle, and 5-7 sophomore guard/forward Charlene Bryant should see plenty of the court this winter.

The youth movement will continue at the JV level, where Donmoyer expects to suit up five freshmen to go with the same number of sophomores.

"We have some really strong athletes in the ninth and 10th grade group," Donmoyer said. "I'm not conceding anything this season, but I think the future is really bright."

And as he noted, Donmoyer is not looking past this season to a possibly brighter future. He expects a good deal from this year's squad as well. Particularly on the defensive end, where he wants the Falcons to put their athleticism to good use.

"I think defense," he said, when asked to identify a strong suit of his club. "I stress defense; you can't take a night off defensively. And athleticism is definitely a strong suit. It's just (a lack of) experience... But our

strength is defense, that's what will carry us, especially early on."

As for competing for the Lancaster-Lebanon Section One title - which the Falcons have perennially done over the years - that may be an unrealistic goal for the first time in a while, with defending champ Manheim Township primed for another championship run.

But after that, Donmoyer believes the rest of the section race is up for grabs.

"From what I saw this summer, Township is without a doubt the team to beat," he said. "But I think outside of Township everybody is competitive (with each other). I'm excited to get the year started."

And future years, for that matter. After stints as a varsity assistant for both the Crest girls the past few years and Lebanon Catholic boys back in the day, and also as a coach at the younger levels, Donmoyer is looking forward to the challenge of running his own program and making sure that it is healthy at all levels.

"I've wanted to do this for a long time," Donmoyer said. "There's a lot of things to it, but I'm excited. I feel our youth program is really strong, and I like coaching, not just varsity, but overseeing the whole program. That's the key: get 'em started early."